These Cottage Cheese Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls are my vegetarian version of the viral ground beef and sweet potato bowls. These healthy bowls are packed with protein, fiber, and flavor. They can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and go great with tortilla chips.
If you’re on TikTok or Instagram, you may be familiar with the viral sweet potato, black bean, and cottage cheese bowls that have been going around. They have avocado and a hot honey drizzle and are packed with protein. I love sweet potato and avocado, so I made a vegetarian version, swapping the beef for black beans. I also left off the hot honey drizzle (kinda by accident), but you can add some if you want a sweet kick. All the flavors in this recipe go well together, and bonus points for this meal’s nutritional value!
Why You’ll Love These Protein-Packed Bowls
- They’re filling – Black beans, sweet potato, and cottage cheese are all great ingredients packed with protein and fiber. They help fill you up and keep you feeling full all afternoon.
- They can be prepped in advance – This is an excellent recipe for meal prep. I like to make a big batch of beans and roasted sweet potatoes on Sunday, and then I can quickly assemble these bowls for lunch each day throughout the week.
- They’re great for any meal – These sweet potato bowls are versatile and can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Pair with scrambled eggs for breakfast and a side of chips and salad for dinner.
Why Your Body Will Love This Nutrient-Packed Recipe
Heart Health – Sweet potatoes contain potassium and magnesium, which help reduce blood pressure and stroke risk and can also lower cholesterol. Black beans contain a significant amount of soluble fiber, which helps decrease cholesterol absorption in the bloodstream. Lowering the “bad” cholesterol in the body can significantly reduce the chances of a stroke or heart attack.
Digestive Health – Black beans are high in insoluble fiber, which helps bulk up the digestive system and prevent constipation. The fiber in beans also acts as a prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in the large intestine and carries out toxins in the system.
Bone Health – Cottage cheese is a powerhouse ingredient packed with protein and calcium. Not only does calcium help your bones grow strong, it also helps them stay healthy, and it is essential at all stages of life. Cottage cheese contains phosphorus, a mineral that combines with calcium to help your body build and maintain strong bones.
Cottage Cheese Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowl Recipe Ingredients
- Cottage Cheese – You can use any size curd or percentage of milk-fat cottage cheese you prefer. I don’t love the texture of cottage cheese, so I blend it in the food processor until completely smooth and then add lime zest, juice, and salt. If you don’t like cottage cheese, you can substitute it with sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- Sweet Potato – I like to use roasted sweet potatoes for these bowls. The sweet potato is diced and tossed with oil, paprika, granulated garlic, and salt. Any color of sweet potato can be used.
- Black Beans – You can use a can of black refried beans or easily make your own using a couple of cans of black beans, onion, garlic, cumin, and paprika. They come together quickly and add tons of flavor to this dish.
- Avocado – I like to add diced avocado and chopped cilantro for freshness. You could also add guacamole instead of plain avocado.
How To Make Vegetarian Viral Sweet Potato Ground Beef Bowls
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F. I like to blend my cottage cheese until smooth and then mix in the lime zest, juice, and a pinch of salt. Set it aside until ready to use.
- Peel and dice the sweet potato into bite-sized pieces. Add the sweet potato to a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil, cumin, paprika, granulated garlic, and salt until fully coated. Place in the oven and roast until sweet potato is fork tender and starting to brown, 30-40 minutes.
- Make the beans. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and the diced onion. Cook until onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Next, add the garlic and spices, stir everything together, and cook for another minute.
- Add the black beans and some of the liquid and mix everything together well. Use a potato masher or a large fork to mash the beans to your desired texture. You may want to add extra liquid, as the beans absorb it quickly. Let the beans cook for about 5 minutes to help the flavors develop, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a squeeze of lime juice if you like.
- Assemble your bowls: add 1/4 of the sweet potato and black beans to each bowl. Next, add about 1/3 cup of the cottage cheese and the sliced avocado. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Enjoy it by itself or with corn chips.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- This recipe is gluten-free.
- Make this recipe vegan by using a plain vegan yogurt substitute.
- Why is the cottage cheese smooth? I prefer my cottage cheese blended in a food processor, but it’s optional whether you do that.
- How much protein is in this recipe per serving? If you split it into four equal servings, each serving will have about 30 grams of protein.
- How long do leftovers last? If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, they should last 4-5 days. I like to store my sweet potato and beans separately from the cottage cheese so that I can heat them if I want, without heating the cottage cheese. The sliced avocado will brown quickly, so it’s a good idea to slice only what you plan on using.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Protein-Packed Vegetarian Recipes?
Tofu and Black Bean Enchilada Skillet
Lentils and Rice with Curry Yogurt
Cheesy Green Chili Pinto Beans
Lemony White Bean Soup with Quinoa
Cottage Cheese Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowls
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Cottage Cheese Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls are my vegetarian version of the viral ground beef and sweet potato bowls that have been going around. These healthy bowls are packed with protein, fiber and flavor. They can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner and go great with a side of tortilla chips.
Ingredients
- 1 extra large avocado, sliced or diced
- Optional: hot honey to drizzle over
Cottage Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups whipped cottage cheese, or regular cottage cheese*
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or more if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- Salt, to taste
Roasted Sweet Potato
- 5–6 cups diced sweet potato
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Black Beans
- 3 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained, but with the liquid reserved
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 3/4 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F. I like to blend my cottage cheese until smooth and then mix in the lime zest, juice and a pinch of salt. Set aside until ready to use.
- Peel and dice sweet potato into bite sized pieces. Add sweet potato to a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil, cumin, paprika, granulated garlic and salt, until fully coated. Place in the oven and roast until sweet potato is fork tender and starting to brown, 30-40 minutes.
- Make the beans. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add in 2 teaspoons olive oil and the diced onion. Cook until onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Next, add in the garlic and spices, stir everything together and cook for another minute.
- Add in the black beans, along with some of the liquid and mix everything together well. Use a potato masher, or large fork, to mash the beans to your desired texture. You may want to add in extra liquid, as the beans do absorb it quickly. Let beans cook for about 5 minutes, to help the flavors develop, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a squeeze of lime juice if you like.
- Assemble your bowls: to each bowl, add 1/4 of the sweet potato and black beans. Next, add on about 1/3 cup of the cottage cheese and the sliced avocado. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Enjoy by itself or with corn chips.
Notes
*I like to blend my cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth before using. That step is optional though.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Lunch, Vegetarian
- Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: American
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