Sweet Potato Rice Bowl

It just doesn’t get much easier (or healthier) than this Sweet Potato Bowl loaded with rice, tender chunks of sweet potatoes, cilantro, and lime juice. Perfect recipe for using up leftover cooked sweet potatoes!

On any given morning lately, I can be found eating a sweet potato bowl for breakfast. Nope, not kidding! This dish is so filling and delicious, it’s perfect for any meal of the day.

Sweet potatoes and rice for breakfast

Personally, I’m not much of an early breakfast person and usually find myself waiting until around 10 a.m. to eat breakfast which is sometimes Steel Cut Oats or Grits. Though I’m always up early, I like to get a little work done and get in my morning walk before even thinking about food.

That’s one reason I think this recipe really resonates with me because it can be eaten any time of the day–breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Methods for cooking sweet potatoes

This meal is really easy to prepare and is perfect if you already have leftover sweet potatoes in your refrigerator which is what I always plan on. I buy a bag of 5-6 sweet potatoes every week and cook them all at one time.

There are a lot of different ways to cook sweet potatoes, so below I’ve provided directions for a number of cooking methods.

• Baking in the oven: When baking sweet potatoes in the oven, I always double wrap mine, first with parchment paper and then foil. Since there have been some studies showing a link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease, I like to err on the side of caution and make sure the foil isn’t directly touching my food. After wrapping the sweet potatoes, bake at 350°F for about 90 minutes. Larger potatoes may need a little longer.
• Cook in crockpot or slow cooker: Another great option is the slow cooker method. If you aren’t in a hurry, this is a great way to get perfectly tender sweet potatoes. Place sweet potatoes in a slow cooker with about 1/3 cup water and set to low and allow to cook for approximately 5-6 hours. Then, they are ready to use in recipes like this one and my Sweet Potato Muffins.
• Instant Pot cooking method: An Instant Pot really speeds up the process of cooking sweet potatoes and anything else for that matter. Simply add about 1 cup of water to your insert along with the sweet potatoes. Place the lid on and turn the vent to ‘SEAL.’ Use the Manual setting and set the time to 30 minutes. It will take about 10-15 minutes to reach pressure before the cooking actually begins. When the timer beeps, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure.
• Microwave method: Pierce the washed sweet potatoes 3 or 4 times with a fork or knife and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high for 5 minutes and carefully test for doneness. If they aren’t tender, allow to cook for another couple of minutes until a fork can easily pierce it.
• Air fryer method: Use a fork or knife to pierce clean sweet potatoes 3-4 times. Place them in an air fryer and set the temperature to 400°F for 45 minutes. Of course, allow them to cool before handling.

How to make sweet potato rice bowls

• Place cooked rice in a medium-size bowl and chop up chunks of tender cooked sweet potatoes over the top.
• Mince up fresh cilantro and sprinkle over the top of the bowl. I know some folks don’t care for cilantro, but it really adds a lot of flavor to this recipe. If you are not a fan, maybe try a little fresh parsley instead.
• Next, drizzle with lime juice or try my delicious Vinegar Sauce that is super easy to make in about 5-minutes.
• Add sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, for avocado if desired.

Other great sauces for sweet potato bowls

• Vinegar Sauce
• Teriyaki Sauce
• Orange Miso Sauce
• Balsamic Dijon Oil-Free Dressing

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

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