Microwave Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl
A savory one-bowl microwave meal: tender sweet potato cubes, warm black beans and melted cheddar with salsa spooned over the top. Ready in under 20 minutes with no stovetop.
- Total
- 17 min
- Prep 6 · Cook 9 · Rest 2
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Dicing
- Savory
- Quick
- Microwave
Instructions
-
Peel the sweet potato and cut it into 1.5 cm cubes. You should have about 200 g. Toss the cubes with 1 tsp olive oil, 0.25 tsp salt and 0.125 tsp black pepper in a microwave-safe bowl.
~5 min
Cutting into uniform cubes ensures even cooking, as smaller pieces soften faster in the microwave.
Cut the sweet potato into even 1.5 cm cubes so they all finish at the same time in the microwave; larger pieces stay hard while smaller ones turn to mush.
Dicing Cut sweet potato into even 1.5 cm cubes for uniform cooking. Use a sharp knife and steady guide; uneven pieces cook at different rates.
-
Cover the bowl loosely with a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for 5 minutes, until the cubes pierce easily with a fork. If they are still firm, microwave in 1 minute bursts until tender.
~6 min
Microwaving in short bursts prevents overcooking, since sweet potatoes can quickly turn mushy.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the sweet potato cooks, drain the black beans and put them in a second microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, until hot throughout.
~2 min
Draining the black beans well keeps the bowl from turning watery, since the salsa already adds moisture.
-
Grate 30 g cheddar. Scatter it over the hot sweet potato cubes and microwave on high for 45 seconds, until the cheddar is melted and bubbling at the edges.
~1 min
The residual heat from the sweet potato melts the cheddar quickly without overcooking it.
-
Spoon the warm black beans over the cheesy sweet potato. Top with 60 g salsa and let the bowl stand for 2 minutes so the flavors settle before eating.
~2 min
Letting the bowl stand allows the flavors to meld and the salsa to warm through.