This vegan Oaxacan Bowl is with packed with flavor! Made with roasted chipotle sweet potatoes and sweet peppers over a bed of warm seasoned black beans, topped with crunchy cabbage slaw, avocado and toasted chipotle-maple pecans. Video. See all of our Buddha Bowls.
We carry out attachments and pain in our bodies. As we let them go, our bodies change.
Jung Pueblo
Here’s a healthy, flavorful Mexican-style Oaxacan Bowl with roasted chipotle sweet potatoes and sweet peppers over a bed of warm seasoned black beans. It’s topped with crunchy cabbage slaw, avocado and my favorite thing ever, toasted Chipotle Maple Pecans. Vegan and grain-free, hands down, this bowl is my new favorite!
Why You’ll Love This
- Incredibly nutritious! Iron- and protein-rich and full of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals.
- Robust flavor. Chipotle sweet potatoes, chipotle-maple pecans, seasoned black beans, and tangy slaw.
- Dietary friendly. Vegan and gluten-free!
- Quick & easy! This is a simple sheet pan dinner, perfect for weeknights. You can even roast the black beans if pressed for time!
Oaxacan Bowl Ingredients
- Sheet pan vegetables: Red onion, yam (or sweet potato), and baby bell peppers (or sub a red or yellow bell pepper). So many delicious flavors, textures, and colors!
- Seasoned black beans: Cuban or Mexican style, or use regular black beans (see notes for an easy way to jazz them up!).
- Pecans: Add irresistible crunch and really take the flavor of the Oaxacan spice mix on.
- Maple syrup: Give the pecans a sweetness that pairs perfectly with the warm spices!
- Spices: Cumin and ground chipotle (or sub a mix of smoked paprika and chili powder).
- Garnishes: Sliced avocado, cilantro, scallions, Cabbage Slaw, and Mexican Secret Sauce or Vegan Avocado Sauce.
- Quick Cabbage Slaw: Red cabbage, olive oil, cilantro (or scallions or both), coriander, kosher salt, and lime juice.
How to Make Vegan Oaxacan Bowls
Preheat oven to 400F.
Step 1: Make the spice rub. Mix cumin, chipotle and salt together in a small bowl.
Step 2: Toast the nuts. On a smaller parchment-lined pan, toss the pecans with maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of the spice mix. Place on lower rack of the oven for 5 minutes. Toss, then continue baking until lightly brown, 2-3 mins. Remove from the oven and toss to “fluffen” them up a bit. Once cool, they are easy to remove.
Tip: Set a timer! The pecans burn easily, so keep an eye on them.
Step 3: Prepare sheet pan veggies. On a large parchment paper-lined sheet pan, place onion, sweet potato, and peppers. Drizzle onion and potato with a little olive oil and sprinkle generously with spice mix (about 1/2 or 2/3 of the spice), tossing to coat well. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until fork tender, stir halfway.
Step 4: Heat the seasoned beans. Simmer the beans in a small pot on the stove. If using unseasoned black beans, drain, rinse and jazz them up with ⅛ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon chili powder. Add a ¼ cup water so they don’t burn. You could add sautéed onion and garlic, and canned green chilies or canned chipotles (the adobo sauce from the can is especially nice). If using seasoned black beans, no need to drain.
Step 5: Make the slaw. Finely chop or shred the cabbage. Toss in a medium bowl with the rest of the slaw ingredients. Taste and adjust for lime and salt.
Step 6: Slice the avocado.
Step 7: Assemble. Divide beans among 2-3 bowls. Place veggies over the beans, then top with slaw and sliced avocado.
Step 8: Serve. Serve with Chipotle Mayo (vegan-adaptable), Vegan Cilantro Avocado sauce, or sour cream and hot sauce. It’s fine without sauce too!
FAQs
Sure! A base of brown rice or quinoa would make a nice addition.
Yes! The Vegan Oaxacan Bowl is packed with nutrient-dense ingredients including iron- and protein-rich black beans, antioxidant-loaded sweet potatoes, and fiber-filled cabbage slaw, making it excellent for maintaining energy and promoting satiety. The pecans add healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamins that support heart health. Additionally, the spices and avocado offer anti-inflammatory benefits!
You can store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Gently reheat on the stovetop.
The Pecans Make it!
Pecans contain “good” monounsaturated fats, zero cholesterol, and plant protein. They’re also a good source of fiber, which helps us feel fuller longer and more energized all day long.
Here I’ve drizzled them with real maple syrup and sprinkled them with chipotle and cumin before toasting in the oven. When they come out, they are addicting – smokey, spicy, earthy and sweet. The perfect combination of flavors! You’ll find a hundred uses for them.
Give this flavorful Oaxacan Bowl a try this week! I’d also recommend making a double or triple batch of the Chipotle Maple Pecans to use on salads and other buddha bowls throughout the week!
More Favorite Oaxacan Recipes
- 45 Fresh and Healthy Mexican Recipes
- Vegan Quesadillas!
- Guacamole
- Vegan Ceviche!
- Homemade Tortillas
- Farmers Market Veggie Enchiladas
- Vegan Chili Verde
- Sheet-Pan Dinners to make life simple!
Oaxacan Bowl Video
Oaxacan Bowl
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2
- Category: Vegan Main
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican Bowl
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Mexican Style Oaxacan Bowl with chipotle sweet potatoes, roasted sweet peppers, seasoned black beans, topped with a Mexican cabbage slaw and toasted chipotle pecans.Vegan and Grain-Free.
Ingredients
Oaxacan Spice Rub
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle (or swap out a mix of smoked paprika and chili powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Spiced Pecans:
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
Sheet Pan Ingredients
- 1/2 a red onion, cut in 1/2 inch wedges
- 1 medium yam or sweet potato- diced into 3/4 inch cubes ( leave skin on)
- 8 baby bell peppers, cut in half (or 1 regular red or yellow bell pepper, cut into strips )
- 1 15-16 ounce can Seasoned Black Beans ( Cuban style or Mexican style) or use regular black beans ( see notes)
- Optional Garnishes: Sliced Avocado, cilantro, scallions, Cabbage Slaw, Mexican Secret Sauce or Vegan Avocado Sauce
Quick Cabbage Slaw
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Make the spice rub. Mix cumin, chipotle and salt together in a small bowl.
- Nuts: On a small parchment-lined pan, toss the pecans with maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of the Oaxacan spice mix. Place in the oven (on a lower rack) for 5 minutes (set a timer) toss, and bake until lightly browned- just 2-3 more minutes. (FYI they burn easily.) When you pull them out, give nuts a quick toss to loosen them up and “fluffen” them up a bit, so when they cool, they are easy to remove.
- Large Sheet Pan: Place onion, sweet potato, and peppers on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Drizzle onion and potato with a little olive oil and sprinkle generously with spice mix, tossing to coat all sides well. Use about ½ or ⅔ of the spice. Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- Beans: Heat the seasoned beans in a small pot on the stove ( see notes).
- Slaw: Finely chop or shred the cabbage and place in a medium bowl with the rest of the ingredients, toss. Taste, adjust lime and salt.
- Slice the avocado.
- Assemble: When the veggies are fork-tender, assemble the bowls. Divide the beans among 2-3 bowls. Divide all the veggies, placing them over the beans, top with slaw and add the avocado.
- Serve with the Chipotle Mayo ( vegan-adaptable) Avocado Sauce or Vegan Cilantro Avocado sauce if you like, or sour cream and hot sauce– it’s fine without though too. 🙂
Notes
Beans: If using unseasoned black beans, drain, rinse and jazz them up with ⅛ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon chili powder. Add a little water so they don’t burn, like 1/4 cup. You could also add sautéed onion and garlic, and canned green chilies, or canned chipotles (the adobo sauce from the can is especially nice.) If using seasoned black beans, no need to drain.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 bowls
- Calories: 489
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 649.4 mg
- Fat: 18.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 73.4 g
- Fiber: 18.5 g
- Protein: 16.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
My son-in-law made this recipe for us this weekend. It was delicious. I can’t wait to make it.
We loved this dish – all the textures and flavors melded perfectly in every bite. It is very filling, but impossible to stop eating at the same time… by the end of our rather full plates, my husband and I realized it is probably best as 3-4 portions .. two large-ish dinner and a small-ish lunch, or four medium dinner portions. The spice rub is delicious and the pecans are exceptional – don’t skip these!
This was a HUGE hit! We LOVED the maple pecans on the spicy yams. It was such a colorful healthy exciting meal. My father-in-law is skeptical about plant based meals but he was head over heels about this one. I think the pecans won him over. Thanks for such a lovely recipe!
This was sooooo good! I missed out on the pecans since they burned. They smelled awesome for the first 5 minutes and then charred at 5 min 2 seconds. I tried to toast them in my toaster oven and dropped the temp down to 375 but it was still too hot. I’ll use my gas range next time. The other veggies roasted perfectly in the toaster oven. This will be in the rotation from now on.
They burn in my toaster oven, every single time! Sorry about that. I will note the recipe.
I loved it too, just shorten the time on the pecans. About minutes did the trick on the bottom rack in the oven while the veggies roasted.
Are the pecans supposed to go in at 400? I followed the instructions and the maple syrup was burnt within 6 minutes and the pecans are inedible.
Do you have an electric oven by chance? Sorry about that.
I made this for dinner and we absolutely loved it! The flavors are perfect together, and my husband is already asking when we can have it again. Thank you for posting such wonderful recipes. We look forward to trying more of them!
New fam favourite!
Do you think the cabbage slaw will taste as good if made the day before ? Will it hold its crunch?
It will still taste ok, but slightly less crunchy.
I made this last night and it was a big hit. Absolutely delicious and sooo colorful! Thank you for the recipe!
This. Is. Amazing. 20/10 will make again. Don’t skip the pecans. They add that perfect sweet foil to the spice.
Sooooo good!!
Delicious! Especially because of the kale salad! Will be making this more often now
This is an outstanding recipe. My husband and I each ate every bite! And there was plenty.
Easy to make and tons of flavor!! Adding this to the regular rotation:)
Great recipe
I’ve made this more than 20 times. It’s so filling and satisfying. Making a double batch for my friends tonight!
Awesome Tony!!! Appreciate your sharing and letting us know.
For beans, I know it says drain… do you need to add water then when heating them in a pot? Thanks.
Yes, I will clarify the recipe- just add a little. 🙂
This is absolutely delicious! And it is free from all of my kids’ food allergies, which are extensive. This is free from: dairy, meat (kid 1) and wheat, nightshades, corn, soy, peanuts, and egg (kid 2). As you can imagine there arent many meals for all of us…. but this was a hit! Made 2 changes: heated minced garlic in the small pot before adding the black beans and added a little apple cider vinegar to the slaw 🙂 brilliant recipe! Thank you!
Hi – this recipe tastes amazing! We added some tortilla strips to give it a little crunch. Thank you for sharing it!
This is absolutely divine. I have made it twice. Thank you, thank you.
Great to hear and so happy you enjoyed this!
Wonderful vegan meal!!!
Instead of peacans I used walnuts and it tasted so good!! I made 2 days in a row because it is seriously DELICIOUS. Thank you for sharing this recipe *__* bonus point it is filling!
Haha! Love it!
This recipe is absolutely delicious. It is very easy to prepare and extremely satisfying. One of the first recipes I tried when I went vegan and does not disappoint! I have served to several ‘non vegans’ and everyone raves. Looks beautiful as well!
My wife and I are new to this whole vegan diet concept, and I desperately needed a recipe that I knew would be hearty enough to make me feel like I had eaten. (I’ve since learned that veggies can be quite filling.) Long story short, this recipe was ridiculously delicious – and I am not chef by any means. I made the avocado sauce linked in the recipe as a topping (oh man!). Whether you’re a vegan looking for something new to make, or someone like me who was skeptical about this whole healthy eating thing, do yourself a favor and put the effort into making this dish. It’s spectacular!
Yay Shane! Glad this worked for you! 🙌
It is delicious! and filling. Thank you!
yay, thanks!!!
So delicious! Absolutely loved the combination of flavors. A huge hit with my 22 year old son who works out a lot and has a hearty appetite. A new family favorite for sure. I made with the cabbage slaw and used vegan mayo in the chipolte mayo. The pecans are wonderful and I can imagine using them with a # of recipes.
thanks Gina! Glad you liked it!