Description
This Southwest Black Bean Skillet is a vibrant, hearty one-pan meal featuring tender sweet potatoes, black beans, and rice simmered in a flavorful salsa and broth mixture. Topped with melted cheddar cheese, fresh green onions, lime juice, and cilantro, it delivers a perfect balance of smoky, tangy, and fresh flavors. Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s a wholesome, easy-to-make recipe ideal for quick weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, undrained
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ¾ cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large skillet, combine the uncooked rice, salsa, diced sweet potatoes, rinsed black beans, undrained diced green chilies, chili powder, and chicken or vegetable broth. Mix everything thoroughly to ensure an even distribution of flavors.
- Simmer: Cover the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes, allowing the rice to cook and the sweet potatoes to become tender.
- Rest and Fluff: Remove the skillet from heat and keep it covered. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking through steaming. After resting, uncover and fluff the rice mixture gently with a fork. Stir in the fresh lime juice and sliced green onions. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper according to your taste.
- Melt Cheese: Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the mixture. Cover the skillet again and allow the cheese to melt for a few minutes until gooey and warm.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro before serving. Serve hot and enjoy this flavorful, comforting Southwest-inspired skillet meal.
Notes
- Use vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian or chicken broth for added richness.
- Adjust chili powder to your preferred spice level.
- For a vegan version, omit the cheddar cheese or use vegan cheese alternatives.
- Slicing green onions thinner enhances their incorporation into the dish.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat easily on the stovetop or microwave.
