Mexican beans on sweet potatoes
- 40 mins
- 35 mins
- Serves 4
Fresh and spicy Mexican beans that can be used alongside traditional Mexican accompaniments (grilled corn, pico de gallo, whole wheat tortilla etc).
Ingredients
- 1 x 400g can pinto beans (or 300 grams pre-soaked pinto beans)
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup water
- 4 ripe tomatoes, diced
- Handful fresh coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Optional: sprinkle of nutritional yeast
Directions
- If soaking your own beans - soak pinto beans in water for 6-8 hours before beginning.
- Preheat the oven to 180°c and line a tray with baking paper.
- Wash the sweet potatoes and prick them all over with a fork (this allows steam to release whilst cooking). Place the potatoes on the tray and roast for 40 minutes (turning potatoes after 20 minutes), or until a fork glides easily through the center of the potato.
- Place onion and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of water.
- While the onion and garlic brown, dice tomatoes into 1 cm cubes and roughly chop the coriander.
- Add spices to browning onions and garlic and allow them to aromatise for 1-2 minutes (add a teaspoon of water if mixture is sticking to the pan).
- Add tomatoes and simmer together for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add pinto beans and 1 cup of water.
- Once bubbling, reduce heat slightly and simmer for 20 minutes (if canned beans) or until soft (approximately 40 minutes if home-prepared beans). Add more water if the mixture becomes too dry.
- When sweet potatoes and beans are cooked, place one cooked sweet potato on each plate and slice down the middle. Fill with a scoop of bean mix and top with chopped coriander and an optional sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
Chef's Tips
- Sweet potatoes can be swapped for quinoa or brown rice (note cooking instructions will vary).
- I love making this with white-skinned purple-fleshed sweet potatoes when they're in season.
