Description
Southwest sweet potato skillet delivers bold flavors from Mexican-inspired ingredients. Hearty ingredients combine for a quick, nutritious meal you’ll savor to the last delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup uncooked rice (white, brown, or jasmine)
- 1 can (10 oz / 285 g) diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced (any color)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese (omit for vegan)
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt (omit for vegan)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium flame. Toss diced onion, bell pepper, and sweet potato, allowing them to caramelize and soften for 5-6 minutes, creating a flavor-rich foundation.
- Aromatic Infusion: Introduce minced garlic, stirring quickly to prevent scorching while releasing its intense aroma into the vegetable medley.
- Build Flavor Layers: Add uncooked rice, black beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and spice blend (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper). Stir thoroughly to integrate all components.
- Simmer and Absorb: Reduce heat, cover skillet, and let the mixture gently steam for 15-20 minutes until rice becomes tender and liquid is completely absorbed, allowing flavors to meld harmoniously.
- Final Touches: Fold in frozen corn, warming it through. Remove from heat and brighten the dish with fresh lime juice. Garnish with chopped cilantro, optional crumbled cheese, avocado slices, or sour cream.
- Serve Immediately: Present a vibrant, wholesome southwestern-inspired skillet meal that celebrates bold flavors and colorful ingredients.
Notes
- Optimize Sweet Potato Cuts: Dice sweet potatoes uniformly into small, bite-sized cubes to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
- Control Moisture Balance: Watch liquid levels carefully during simmering to prevent rice from becoming too dry or overly soggy, adjusting vegetable broth as needed.
- Enhance Spice Depth: Toast spices briefly before adding other ingredients to intensify their flavor and release more complex aromatic compounds.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Easily adapt recipe by substituting rice with quinoa for gluten-free option or adding protein like shredded chicken for meat lovers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Southwestern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg