Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

Linda Tyler, the Gracious Vegan

These are a quick, tasty meal, and you don’t have to turn on the oven. The flavor of chipotle chilies goes so well with sweet potatoes and black beans. If you use only a little bit of chipotle chili powder, you’ll get the flavor without too much spicy heat. You can customize the other fillings—cooked grains, guacamole or avocado, and salsa.

Makes 5 burritos

Water-sauté the following ingredients in a large (12”) skillet or a Dutch oven until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

  • 12–13 ounces uncooked sweet potato, peeled and grated (about 3 cups grated)

  • 1 (15.5-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

  • Half a medium onion, diced (about ¾ cup)

  • Half a red bell pepper, diced

 Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the following ingredients.

  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

  • ¼–½ teaspoon (or more) chipotle chili powder or chipotle chili pepper (or use chipotle peppers from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)

  • ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Lay out the tortillas on the counter or on a cutting board.

  • 5 whole wheat flour (or other) tortillas (8” or larger)

Spread one fifth of each of the following ingredients onto each tortilla (it’s easiest to lay out a “rope” of each ingredient across the tortilla rather than spread the ingredient flat). 

  • The sweet potato mixture

  • Heated cooked brown rice or other cooked grain

  • Avocado slices or guacamole (2 avocados)

  • Diced tomatoes (2 tomatoes or ½ pint cherry tomatoes)

  • Salsa or hot sauce

Roll up the tortillas by folding in the sides, then rolling the whole thing up from the bottom. If the burritos need to be heated, use a dry skillet, microwave, or toaster oven. The ingredients for the burritos will last about a week in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Side dish ideas:

  • Corn, Mexican corn, or corn on the cob

  • Green salad or spinach salad

  • Coleslaw

  • Spanish brown rice

  • Refried beans