Sweet Potato Bean Burritos with Avocado Rice

Sweet Potato Bean Burritos with Avocado Rice
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Today’s recipe for these Sweet Potato Bean Burritos with Avocado Rice is near and dear to my heart. They kept me alive through the later years of my university life. You know, that special time when you’re old enough to want to stop eating instant noodles, but you still have to exist on an instant noodle-sized budget? Yeah, it’s a time of creation out of desperation. A time of ingenuity due to necessity. It’s…it’s terrible, I would not do it again. But one good thing did come out of this rocky time and no, I’m not talking about my (super useful) art history degree. I’m talking about the recipe for these stellar Sweet Potato Bean Burritos.

Prepping the sweet potatoes for the oven.

Like any savvy, underfunded uni student, I quickly realized that meat was expensive. So, I effectively became a vegetarian for 2 years of my life. There was not a note of altruism in this choice, so I tend to shy away from ever mentioning my “vegetarianism”. I know a lot of wonderful vegetarians, who adopt the diet for a multitude of personal and profound reasons. My past fiscal challenges are not among them. So, no I will not sully the good name of vegetarianism by calling myself an alum.

Sautéed black beans

But I did for a short time eat nothing but guacamole, chips, and these Sweet Potato Bean Burritos. The recipe below can easily feed a single, scrappy university student for a solid week and that’s what I did. I’d make roughly 8-10 burritos, eat one, wrap up the others and freeze them. The next night, I’d snatch a one from the freezer, throw it unceremoniously on a baking sheet, and, in much the same fashion, throw it in the oven. Basically, I made my own frozen dinners. Take that Hot Pockets!

Peeling the Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Everything in these Sweet Potato Bean Burritos is cheap, easy to acquire, and filling. The avocado is obviously the big-ticket item here, but seriously, stretching two avocados over the course of a week isn’t really going to break the bank. Especially when you supplement your burrito supply with a bunch of low-key honey and peanut butter sandwiches. This is the stuff of poor student luxury.

Sweet Potatoes ready to be mashed

Now, obviously, I’m doing considerably better these days. I don’t have to fish a frozen burrito out of the freezer in order to live through the next day. But I still, from time to time, miss these Sweet Potato Bean Burritos something fierce. And it’s more than just nostalgia that keeps me coming back. This recipe is foolproof. Really, it is!

Mashed Avocado

Let’s face it, most of the time I have recipe ADD. I work on a recipe for a while, OD on it, post it and then never make it again, or at least not for 6 months. These Sweet Potato Bean Burritos were a regular in my rotation for years, long before I had a blog or clients in need of fresh recipes. I have made these burritos so many times and they have been through so many iterations, that I can truly say they have reached something close to perfection.

Adding the rice to the mashed avocado to make the Avocado Rice

The sweet potato portion, in particular, has taken many forms. It’s been boiled and mashed, cubed and roasted, and, finally, roasted whole and mashed, which is how it appears here. I think this is its best possible self, as it has a hint of caramelization, no excess water, and the perfect creamy texture.

Building the Sweet Potato Bean Burritos

Oh, and did I mention these bad boys are easy as sin to pull off? I mean, I wasn’t hopeless in the kitchen at 21, but I certainly wasn’t a gourmet. Now, today’s recipe is a little more extra than the OG version because I now have a cast-iron frying pan and enough patience to toast a finished burrito. Trust me, these Sweet Potato Bean Burritos are better for this step, but they’re still delicious without it as well. Other than that, it’s just a case of sauteing, roasting, and boiling. And if you’re rubbish at rolling a burrito, eat your messy monstrosity alone in your jammies. That’s what I always did, but you can swap out the comically huge art anthologies for Netflix, I wouldn’t be offended. In fact, I urge you to do so.

Sweet Potato Bean Burritos with Avocado Rice

So, that’s all you need to know about these Sweet Potato Bean Burritos. I swear, if you like all the ingredients in ’em, there’s absolutely no way they won’t become a favorite. Seriously, these guys are a super-specific craving waiting to happen!

Enjoy!

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Sweet Potato Bean Burritos with Avocado Rice

These Sweet Potato Bean Burritos are backed with an ancho sweet potato mash, saucy black beans, and creamy avocado rice.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 10 burritos

Equipment

  • 1 baking sheet

Ingredients
  

Ancho Sweet Potato Mash

  • 3 small sweet potatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 2 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp ancho chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tbsp cilantro coarsely chopped

Avocado Rice

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups brown rice uncooked
  • 2 tsp salt divided
  • 2 avocados diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1-2 jalapenos quartered lengthwise and sliced
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped

Jalapeno Black Beans

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 white onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 (540 ml, 18 fl oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 tsp Mexican oregano* dried
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1-2 jalapenos quartered lengthwise and sliced

Sweet Potato Bean Burritos

  • 1 batch Ancho Sweet Potato Mash
  • 1 batch Avocado Rice
  • 1 batch Jalapeno Black Beans
  • 170g (6 oz) brick habanero monterey jack shredded
  • 8-10 whole wheat tortillas
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • sour cream for serving
  • hot sauce for serving

Instructions
 

Ancho Sweet Potato Mash

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Scrub the sweet potatoes and pat dry. Pierce the potatoes with a fork on all sides. Place each potato on a separate piece of tin foil. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over all three. Divide 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt across all three of the potatoes, then wrap the foil around them so they are fully encased. You should have 3 separate packets. 
    3 small sweet potatoes, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 1/2 tsp salt
  • Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet and pop them in the oven. Let roast for 1 hour or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. Remove the potatoes from the oven and open the foil packages. Let cool until cool enough to handle. About 20 minutes.
  • Cut each potato in half, and using a spoon, scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a bowl. Add the garlic, butter, cumin, chili powder, coriander and the remaining salt to the bowl. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes while slowly integrating the spices, garlic, and butter until smooth.
    1 clove garlic, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tsp ancho chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp ground coriander, 2 1/2 tsp salt
  • Sprinkle the cilantro over the mashed sweet potato and, using a spoon, fold the herb into the potato mixture. Keep the potatoes warm until ready to use.
    2 tbsp cilantro

Avocado Rice

  • Pour the rice, water and 1 tsp of the salt into a medium-sized saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the saucepan and let cook for 40 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. 
    3 cups water, 1 1/2 cups brown rice, 2 tsp salt
  • Take the saucepan off of the heat and fluff the rice with a fork. Return the cover to the pot and let stand for 15 minutes.
  • While the rice is resting, place the avocado, garlic, jalapenos, lime juice, cumin, and the remaining salt in a large bowl. Using a fork, mash the ingredients into a smooth paste with a few chunks. All the ingredients should be thoroughly integrated. Stir in the cilantro and set aside.
    2 tsp salt, 2 avocados, 2 cloves garlic, 1-2 jalapenos, 1 lime, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 cup cilantro
  • Pour the hot rice over top of the avocado mixture and toss to coat. Keep the rice warm until ready to serve.

Jalapeno Black Beans

  • Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet until shimmering. Add the onion and saute until just translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
    2 tbsp olive oil, 1 white onion, 2 cloves garlic
  • Stir in the beans followed by the oregano, salt, and cumin. Saute for about a minute before stirring in the water. Add the honey and bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let the beans simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.
    1 (540 ml, 18 fl oz) can black beans, 2 tsp Mexican oregano*, 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup water, 1 tsp honey
  • Take the beans off of the heat and stir in the jalapeños. Keep the beans warm until ready to serve.
    1-2 jalapenos

To Assemble

  • Take a tortilla and add a large spoonful of the sweet potato mash, the avocado rice, and the black beans to the center. Add a sprinkling of the shredded cheese.
    1 batch Ancho Sweet Potato Mash, 1 batch Avocado Rice, 1 batch Jalapeno Black Beans, 8-10 whole wheat tortillas, 170g (6 oz) brick habanero monterey jack
  • Fold the sides of the tortilla towards the center. Take the end closest to you and fold it over the fillings. Tuck the edge of the end underneath the filling and pull it back towards you, ensuring the sides stay tucked. Roll the burrito away from you until the fillings are fully encased and the seam is underneath the burrito. Set aside and continue with the remaining tortillas.
  • Select the burritos you will be eating that night and set aside. Wrap the remaining burritos in tin foil and place inside a freezer bag. Transfer to the freezer and reheat as needed in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet until shimmering, reduce the heat to medium-low. Take the burritos you’re not freezing and place them on the skillet seam-side-down. Toast until golden then flip, about 2-3 minutes a side. 
    1 tbsp olive oil
  • Once both sides are golden, transfer the burrito to a plate and serve with a side of sour cream, hot sauce and, of course, a cold beer. 
    sour cream, hot sauce

Notes

* If you can’t find Mexican oregano, don’t sweat it. Use the regular dried stuff and call it a day.
Keyword avocado, black beans, cheese, rice, Sweet Potato, tortillas

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made these and they were really good. Thank you for showing me something I can actually put in my collection of go to’s👍🏻