RisottoLatin AmericanMedium

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Risotto with Lime and Cilantro

Name: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Risotto with Lime and Cilantro
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 41 min
Total time: 1 h 1 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients: 5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, kept hot in a saucepan at a bare simmer; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup); 1 large (about 14 oz) (400 g) sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes (about 3 cups); 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2½ g) smoked paprika; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste at the end; 1½ cups (300 g) arborio rice, unrinsed; ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, at room temperature; 1 can (15 oz), about 1½ cups drained (250 g) canned black beans, drained and rinsed; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime; 1 tsp (2 g) lime zest, finely grated, from the same lime, zested before juicing; ½ cup (20 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp (10 g) nutritional yeast (optional); freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 medium (170 g) ripe avocado, halved, pitted and thinly sliced (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Creamy, vegan arborio risotto with tender cubes of sweet potato, cumin and smoked paprika, finished with black beans, bright lime and fresh cilantro. It gets its creaminess from the rice starch and a little mashed sweet potato, with no dairy needed.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 41 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 6 min
Makes: About 6 cups (4 main-course servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, kept hot in a saucepan at a bare simmer
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 large (about 14 oz) (400 g) sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes (about 3 cups)
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced
1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2.5 g) smoked paprika
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste at the end
1½ cups (300 g) arborio rice, unrinsed
½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, at room temperature
1 can (15 oz), about 1½ cups drained (250 g) canned black beans, drained and rinsed
To finish
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime
1 tsp (2 g) lime zest, finely grated, from the same lime, zested before juicing
½ cup (20 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (10 g) nutritional yeast (optional)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To serve
1 medium (170 g) ripe avocado, halved, pitted and thinly sliced (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large, wide, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or Dutch oven, 11–12 inch (28–30 cm)
Medium saucepan, 2–3 quart (2–3 L), for warming the broth
Wooden spoon or flat-edged spatula
Ladle, about ½ cup (120 ml)
Chef's knife and cutting board
Fine zester or microplane

Steps

Before you start

Peel and cut the sweet potato into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes so they all cook at the same speed.
Rinse and drain the black beans well and dry them briefly on a towel so they don't cloud the risotto.
Do not rinse the arborio rice. The surface starch is what makes the risotto creamy.
Plan to stay at the stove. The risotto needs frequent stirring for about 25 minutes.
Have all ingredients measured before you light the burner, because the steps move quickly.

1
Warm the broth
- Pour the vegetable broth into a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low until it is steaming with small bubbles at the edges, about 5 minutes.
- Keep it at a bare simmer for the whole recipe.
- Cold broth added to the rice slows cooking and makes the texture uneven.
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Ready when: Broth is steaming with small bubbles at the edges, not at a rolling boil
Tip: Cover the pan to cut down on evaporation, so you don't run short of liquid later.
2
Soften onion and sweet potato
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, wide sauté pan over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the diced onion and the sweet potato cubes with the 1 teaspoon salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7–8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, and the sweet potato edges are just starting to turn golden but the centers are still firm
Tip: If the onion browns, lower the heat. Browned onion makes the risotto taste bitter instead of sweet.
3
Bloom garlic and spices
- Add the garlic, cumin and smoked paprika.
- Stir constantly for 45–60 seconds so the spices toast in the oil without scorching.
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Ready when: The mixture smells fragrant and toasty, and the garlic is pale gold, not brown
Tip: Add a splash of broth if the pan looks dry. Burnt garlic or spices can't be fixed.
4
Toast the rice
- Add the arborio rice and stir to coat every grain in the oil and spices.
- Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often.
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Ready when: The edges of the grains turn translucent while each grain still has a white center dot
5
Deglaze with wine
- Pour in the white wine and stir.
- Let it bubble and cook off, stirring, until the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The wine is absorbed and the sharp alcohol smell is gone. When you drag a spoon across the pan bottom, it leaves a clear trail
Tip: For an alcohol-free version, use ½ cup (120 ml) hot broth plus 1 tablespoon lime juice.
6
Add broth gradually
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Ladle in about ¾ cup (180 ml) of hot broth, just enough to barely cover the rice, and stir often.
- When the liquid is mostly absorbed and a spoon dragged through the rice leaves a trail that closes slowly, add another ladleful.
- Repeat for 22–25 minutes, using about 4½ cups (1.1 L) of broth.
- Keep the rice at a gentle bubble.
- Mash a few sweet potato cubes against the side of the pan during the last 10 minutes to add creaminess.
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Ready when: The rice is creamy and loose, like thick porridge. A grain bitten between your teeth is tender with a slight firmness at the very center (al dente), and a sweet potato cube squashes easily with a spoon
Tip: If the broth runs out before the rice is tender, add hot water ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time. If the rice sticks to the pan, lower the heat a little.
7
Fold in the beans
- Stir in the black beans and 2–3 tablespoons more hot broth if the risotto looks thick.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring gently, until the beans are heated through.
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Ready when: The beans are hot throughout and the risotto flows slowly when you tilt the pan
Tip: Fold gently so the beans don't break and turn the risotto gray.
8
Finish off the heat
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the lime zest, lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the nutritional yeast if using.
- Fold in half of the cilantro.
- Season with black pepper and taste, adding more salt if needed.
- Cover the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The risotto is glossy, creamy and just pourable, and it spreads slowly when spooned onto a plate
Tip: Add the lime off the heat. Prolonged heat dulls its fresh flavor.
9
Serve right away
- Loosen the risotto with a splash of hot broth or water if it has tightened.
- Spoon into warm shallow bowls and top with the remaining cilantro and the avocado slices if using.
- Serve immediately.
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Ready when: The risotto slowly spreads across the bowl, not stiff and not soupy
Tip: Risotto thickens quickly as it cools, so serve it as soon as it is plated.

Good to know

Tips

Stir often but not constantly. Regular stirring releases the starch, but you don't need to stir non-stop.
Keep the broth hot and the heat at a gentle bubble. A rolling boil cooks the outside of the rice before the center is tender.
Taste the rice at 20 minutes. Stop adding broth once the center is tender with just a slight bite, and stir in the beans.
For more heat, add ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder or a finely diced jalapeño with the garlic.

Make ahead

"Chop the onion, sweet potato and cilantro up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately in airtight containers. Risotto is best made fresh, but you can cook it until the rice is just short of tender (about 15 minutes of broth additions), spread it on a sheet pan to cool, refrigerate up to 1 day, then finish with hot broth, beans and the final steps."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: cool quickly and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: up to 2 months, though the texture is softer after thawing. To reheat, warm in a pan over low heat with ¼ cup (60 ml) of broth or water per serving, stirring until hot and creamy. Add fresh lime juice and cilantro after reheating."

Substitutions

arborio rice → carnaroli or vialone nano rice. Use the same amount. Do not substitute long-grain rice, which will not turn creamy.
dry white wine → additional vegetable broth plus 1 tablespoon lime juice. Use ½ cup (120 ml) broth plus 1 tablespoon lime juice for an alcohol-free version.
sweet potato → butternut squash. Use the same weight in ½-inch cubes. It cooks in a similar time and gives a slightly less sweet flavor.
canned black beans → pinto beans or cooked red kidney beans. Use the same amount of drained, rinsed beans.