Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili Tortilla Bowls
by Katie Webster
September 18, 2017 (updated 1/11/23) Jump To Recipe
These Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili Tortilla Bowls are made with savory and spicy vegetarian black bean and sweet potato chili served up in a delicious crispy homemade taco bowl!
I originally shared this recipe on October 5, 2013. I have updated the images and some of the text today.
Table of contents
Homemade Baked Tortilla Bowls
The problem with burritos is that to get enough filling in them, and to wrap them up on both ends taqueria-style, you end up needing a really big tortilla which is a lot of calories and sodium. So I came up with a solution that satisfied both ideas. I made a tortilla bowl and put the chili in it. Problem solved!
These are so much healthier than those crispy taco bowls you get when you order a Taco Salad at a restaurant. And they are surprisingly easy to make too.
I have a recipe for Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans to fill these up today, but once you try them you’re going to want to fill them with all sorts of things.
More Ways to use Homemade baked Tortilla Bowls
- Our Healthy Taco Salad has plenty of spice and flavors and would be the perfect filling to put in these baked tortilla taco bowls.
- This Fajita Chicken Salad would also be amazing in these bowls.
- Serve steak fajitas in these bowls instead of with soft tortillas.
- Our Instant Pot Vegetarian Burrito Bowls will be amazing in these crispy shells.
- Try making a Southwestern-inspired buddha bowl with our Mexican Sauteed Peppers.
Why We Love This Vegetarian Chili in Crispy Baked Tortilla Bowls
These Sweet potato and Black Bean Chili Burrito Bowls give you all the nutrition and yumminess from the veggie packed high fiber filling without needing a huge tortilla to wrap it all up. It is vegetarian comfort food at it’s best!
What to Serve with These Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls
- These sweet potato burrito bowls would be great paired with Homemade Jalapeno Cornbread.
- I like to make a simple coleslaw to serve with this kind of meal. this Lime cilantro Mexican Coleslaw is great, but I also think a classic (healthier) version is also stellar with these flavors.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Tacito Salads are like a mini vegetarian appetizer version of this recipe!
- My Slow Cooker Veggie Chili with Sweet Potato is another recipe you’ll love/
- Sine we’re team edible bowls, then you may want to see my post on How to Make Wonton Cups
- These one-pot Vegetarian Burrito Bowls are made in the Instant Pot!
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili Tortilla Bowls
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
These Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili Tortilla Bowls are made with savory and spicy vegetarian black bean and sweet potato chili served up in a delicious crispy homemade taco bowl!
Ingredients
For the Tortilla Bowls
- 6 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas, soft taco or Fajita size
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
For the Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
- 2 ½ cups cubed Sweet Potato (peel first if desired), 14-15 ounces
- 1 cup canned drained black beans
- ½ cup water, plus ½ more if needed
To assemble and serve
- 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- pinch salt
- 2/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- ¾ cup purchased salsa (optional)
Instructions
Make Tortilla Bowls:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange 6 heat-proof ramekins on the prepared baking sheet, face down. Lightly coat the ramekins and baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay tortillas out on work surface. Brush 2 teaspoons oil over the tortillas. Drape tortillas, oil side up over the ramekins and pinch to crease and create inverted bowls. Bake until the shells are lightly golden and crispy, 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili:
- While bowls bake and cool, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring often until the onion is starting to soften and brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in canned tomatoes, sweet potato, black beans and ½ cup water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally. As chili cooks add up to ½ cup more water for saucier consistency or if mixture thickens too much before the sweetpotato is tender. Continue simmering until the sweetpotato is softened, 18 to 20 minutes.
Assemble Chili Tortilla Bowls
- Toss cabbage, cilantro, lime juice and pinch salt in a medium bowl. Place burrito bowls on plates. Ladle chili into bowls, about ¾ cup per bowl. Divide cheese among the bowls. Top with chopped fresh tomato, salsa if using and the cabbage slaw.
Notes
The chili can be made up to one day in advance, reheat before assembling.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: entree
- Method: Oven/Stove top
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl, 3/4 cup chili, and toppings
- Calories: 288
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 471 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 17 mg
Keywords: Burrito bowls, Sweet potato black bean chili,sweet potato burrito bowls
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
if I had someone who is allergic to tomatoes, what could be substituted for it?
You could try two cups of vegetable broth. If you’re feeling adventurous, and want something chunkier, you could also add in a chopped ripe peeled peach or nectarine with the broth. I know it sounds strange, but the texture would be great, and the sweet tart fruit would do nicely with the kick of the spices.
This recipe sounds interesting, but I’m curious to know how you get enough protein if this is your entree? It has only about half of what I’ve been taught is the minimum amount of protein we should be eating.
Hey Susan, Thanks so much for reaching out. I took a look at the analysis because that sounds low to me too. It turns out the amount of cheese was added incorrectly. So the protein is a little higher (so are the calories) but not doubled. As far as what your particular nutritional needs are, I would check in with your doctor or a dietitian to decide how many grams of protein you need a day and per meal. I am a professional recipe developer and photographer, so I can’t really offer advice on the matter.
OMG these tortilla bowls look absolutely drool worthy! Pinned it as well. I am surely making these soon.
Thank you so much and for pinning! Have a great day.
What gorgeous photos! I have some extra sweet potatoes in the pantry right now… can’t wait to try these out for Meatless Monday. Yum!
Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy them! Have a great day.
I love the combination of sweet potatoes and black Beans.your recipe is ideal for a family gathering.
Black beans and sweet potato are classic! My family loves this recipe- good thing my kiddos eat spicy food.
Wow this just looks absolutely stunning! I love everything about these bowls and just have to have some for my lunch this afternoon.
I did enjoy the left-overs for lunch the last time I had them. The chili tastes fantastic the next day- the flavors really meld.
Oh mannn I wish my husband liked beans! I love these flavors and def need more veggies in my (and his!) diet.
You’ll have to ease him into it then. One bean at a time. Ha ha.
I’m late to the party, but just made these for dinner. YUM! Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you so much for reporting back Marla! And I am thrilled you loved it.
Making tonight! Look forward to all the yumminess!