This vegan picadillo recipe is the perfect combo of sweet and savory.
Well friends. Today is a special day. Not only am I sharing one of my favorite plant based Latin style recipes, Cuban sweet potato Picadillo bowls, but it is also the Kiwi and my nine year anniversary. Nine years. Wow. Actually if it feels like more like 10. I’m just joking, maybe.
I really love celebrating our anniversary at the beginning of a new year. It gives us a chance to set goals, or rather, intentions. That word is much better. Yes, intentions! Plus it just feels like it’s a fresh start with a lot of things. You know?
That being said, 2017 is definitely a year that we plan to nourish. As mentioned before, 2016 was quite eventful. And wee bit been stressful. But with the help of a meal plan and a new fresh perspective, we feel like there’ll be a lot more life balance. Hopefully more time for each other. OK so all that being said again, I bring you back to this recipe. Healthy, easy, super duper bowl full of goodness. All you need is one pan to make this dish too! Cuban sweet potato Picadillo bowls. Plant based real food nourishment! Lovely, just lovely!
If you don’t know what Picadillo is, I will fill you in. I think you’re really going like this method of cooking. It’s scrappy, haha, like me. Always.
You see, Picadillo is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries. Think of it similar to that of American hash, but made with ground beef, stewed tomatoes, and other ingredients from the region. It is often served with rice or potatoes and can be used as a filling or by itself.
Of course with this recipe, I decided that we needed to hone in on the Cuban flavors and up the veggies! I really want to focus in on the tomatoes and sweet potatoes, then boost up the plant protein with roasted chickpeas. Cuban spiced chickpeas that is.
I’d say the key to this dish is really though stewed tomatoes. They are heavenly with all the spices and Cuban flavors. There’s a big difference in using stewed tomatoes versus fresh; d quality being key. Which Which is why I am using Red Gold stewed tomatoes. Red Gold’s canned stewed tomatoes uses vine ripe tomatoes that are prepared (cooked) with onion, celery, and bell pepper. Which gives them way more DEPTH and flavor to dishes! Quick, flavorful, healthy dishes, like those snappy spaghetti Italian sweet potato spaghetti bowls?
Well we are going to make sure we continue on with that epic flavor and easy dinner combo! Because let’s face it, sweet potatoes cooked together with perfectly seasoned stewed tomatoes are just heavenly.
Vegan picadillo recipe
OK guys let’s put this all together now. This Cuban sweet potato picadillo bowl involves spices such as cumin, oregano, and garlic and onion and bay leaves. A little touch of extra sweetness comes from the dried fruit. In this case I use dried cranberries but you can use raisins.
To even out the sweetness, we use throw in those roasted chickpeas, green olives, and mix it all together with the sweet potato and stewed tomatoes for richness.
This truly is a one pot wonder. So full of flavor and you didn’t even need meat. There’s plenty of fiber, plant-based protein, and healthy fats in at all. Look at us go! New year, new recipes to try, new staple ingredients to stock up on to help us enjoy every meal.
Cuban Sweet Potato Vegan Picadillo Bowls
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan picadillo recipe has the perfect combo of sweet and savory flavors and wholesome ingredients. Make this grain free meal tonight!
Ingredients
for the roasted chickpeas:
- 15-ounce canned chickpeas, drained
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- Pinch sea salt
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 to 1 tbsp olive oil
For Cuban picadillo:
- 1 small onion or 1 1/3 cup chopped
- 1 bell pepper – chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic or 1 tsp minced
- 1 medium sweet potato peeled and finely chopped (About 2 cups)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- Optional 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 oz stewed tomatoes (reserve 2 tbsp of juice, then drain if using canned)
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper each
- 3 tbsp raisins (optional)
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives sliced + 1/2 tbsp brine from olive jar (the juice)
- Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven 400F. Drain and rinse your chickpeas and place in mixing bowl.
- Toss the chickpeas in oil and spices; cumin, salt, garlic, cayenne, and olive oil. Place on baking tray and in the oven to at 400 F for 15 min. Turn chickpeas over halfway through cooking. Remove from oven and set aside. Note – while the chickpeas are roasting, prepare your sweet potato bowl ingredients. Chop onion, peel and chop sweet potatoes, and stewed tomatoes (reserve 2 tbsp of the tomato juice for cooking).
- Next add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large pan or skillet. Saute the onion, pepper, and garlic until onion starts to caramelize. Around 2 minutes or so on medium high.
- Add in additional 1 tsp cumin, dried oregano, bay leaves, cinnamon. Cook until fragrant. Another 3-4 minutes on medium high.
- Mix in the stewed tomatoes (and juice), red wine vinegar, tomato paste, potatoes, addition 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Cook on medium heat, partially covered, for 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft and slightly tender.
- Next, mix in raisins, optional chili powder, the roasted chickpeas, and olives.
- Cook on medium low for another 5-10 minutes. Add the olive brine last few minutes of cooking. Stir to combine flavors.
- To plate – serve into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste
Notes
Store in sealed container in fridge for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: dinner
- Method: stove
- Cuisine: cuban
Nutrition
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: picadillo, vegan, sweet potato bowl, gluten free
Quality ingredients that are still affordable. Love it! I think this year is going to be filled with more recipes just like this.
Have you ever tried Picadillo?
Favorite recipe to use stewed tomatoes? I would love more.
Cheers!
LC
MORE WHOLE HEALTHY SWEET POTATOES RECIPES
This recipe is part of our 8 Healthy Ways to Cook Sweet Potatoes collection. Check it out!
