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-sized 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 which is super easy to make in about 5 minutes. I also like to add a splash of soy sauce and even a sprinkle of homemade furikake Japanese rice seasoning.
- Add sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, or avocado if desired.
Other great sauces for sweet potato bowls
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Sweet Potato with Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 medium cooked sweet potato
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped (or parsley)
- 3 tablespoons lime juice or other sauce
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions and place in a medium-sized serving bowl.
- Hopefully, you already have leftover cooked sweet potatoes on hand and can simply dice one of them into chunks and add to the top of the cooked rice. If not, I've included lots of different cooking methods for sweet potatoes above.
- 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 which is super easy to make in about 5-minutes. I also like to add a splash of soy sauce and even a sprinkle of homemade furikake Japanese rice seasoning.
- Add sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, or avocado if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
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About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
Dumb question I guess but do you serve it cold? Or heat up; the rice and potatoes are precooked in the refrigerator
Hi Ailene- Not a dumb question at all. Normally, I heat it up, or at least the rice. I kind of like the sweet potato cold, but that’s just me.
@Terri Edwards, Thanks! That’s exactly how I tried it. Flavors are wonderful! This is a breakfast game changer
Awesome! This one really keeps me full in the morning for many hours. Glad you enjoyed it too!
Thanks for the slow cooker instructions! I use my Instant Pot a lot for beans so it will be nice to have another cooking option. It is also hard to get the timing right in the IP as sweet potatoes come in all shapes and sizes. 🙂
Oh my goodness! I had just read (again) about how good sweet potatoes are for us when i came upon this recipe. It was perfect! I sadly forgot to add my avocado bc I was so excited about eating it. I had mine w the vinegar sauce and I loved the bite from the pepper flakes!