Island Sweet Potato Casserole

Island Sweet Potato Casserole tastes like Costa Rican food, full of depth, a little spicy and a little bit sweet.

Island Sweet Potato Casserole with black beans and pineapple.

Island Sweet Potato Casserole

Island Sweet Potato Casserole was inspired by the foods Don and I eat when we visit Costa Rica. I like to eat vegetarian meals a few times a week, and Don is always happy to eat whatever I serve. We will be eating more vegetarian meals as the prices of meat rise with the pandemic. This is a very tasty casserole.

I had some leftover pineapple and and lots of sweet potatoes, and I wanted to use them up. I like sweet potatoes, coconut milk, black beans and rice together so I started with these basic ingredients and looked at my spices to see what might be complementary. The hot paprika really jazzes up this recipe. I’m pleased to say that Island Sweet Potato Casserole is quite yummy. It joined my list of recipes I make often.

Discovering a Flavor

A little story about hot paprika…years ago a colleague gave me some Hungarian paprika as a gift because she knows I love to cook. She didn’t tell me it was hot. Since I had only eaten smoked paprika and sweet paprika, I didn’t even know there was such a thing! I used about a teaspoon of it in something I was making and it was so HOT! I have used it more sparingly since then.

What You Need

I like cayenne, but Don doesn’t find it appealing. He loved the taste of the hot Hungarian paprika, however. It adds flavor in addition to heat. I love it. Try it. I think you will love it, too. It makes a huge difference in this recipe. You will also need knives, cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, pans, a bowl, a jelly roll cookie sheet, and a casserole dish for baking. Do yourself a favor and buy a full set of good pans with a casserole dish.

Island Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

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Island Sweet Potato Casserole

A taste of Costa Rica with roasted sweet potatoes and peppers, black beans and rice, topped with a coconut sauce.

Course Casserole, Main Course

Cuisine American, Central American, Vegan

Keyword Costa Rican food, Island Sweet Potato Casserole, rice and beans

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 4

Author Recipe Idea Shop/Lois Carter Crawford

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 15.5-ounce can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 4 small sweet potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 1 medium red pepper (diced)
• 2 green onions (sliced, white and tender green parts only)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/8 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika (or cayenne pepper)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
• 1 13.66-ounce can coconut milk

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450F degrees.
2. Place the sweet potatoes, red pepper, green onions, half the minced garlic and 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl. Stir to coat the vegetables evenly with the oil.

3. Bake the vegetable mixture on a parchment-covered jelly roll pan or cookie sheet for about 20 minutes (or until tender when pierced with a fork), stirring after 10 minutes.

4. Remove the vegetables from the oven and set aside.

5. Reduce oven temperature to 350F degrees.
6. Over medium heat in a saucepan, heat the remaining oil until hot.
7. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

8. Add the cloves, marjoram, paprika or cayenne pepper, and cardamom. Stir.

9. Add the coconut milk, salt and pineapple. Stir and continue cooking for about 3 minutes.
10. Place the rice in the bottom of a 5" x 7" casserole dish.
11. Spread the black beans over the rice.
12. Spread the cooked sweet potato mixture over the beans.
13. Pour the coconut milk mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
14. Bake at 350F degrees for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

https://recipeideashop.com/island-sweet-potato-casserole/#recipejump

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Recipe Nutrition Information

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Island Sweet Potato Nutrition Label. Each serving is one cup.

Island Sweet Potato Casserole Nutrition Label. Each serving is 1/2 cup.

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Island Sweet Potato Casserole reminds you of Costa Rica. Yum!

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