Butternut Squash, Black Beans & Greens Bowl
This gluten free Butternut Squash, Black Beans & Greens Bowl is so hearty and filling with more layers of flavor than you can count! I love this type of meal that can be customized for everyone at the table. Start with cooked rice or quinoa, then pile on as much or little of all of the components in your bowl, add some toppings and dig in!
Butternut squash roasted with warm spices, vegan smoky black beans, and blanched greens seasoned with garlic are a fantastic combination. Crunchy peanuts, creamy avocado, mayonnaise or tahini, fresh cilantro or basil with a kick of hot sauce balances out the flavors and textures. The whole family is happy at the end of the meal, including the parents because it is a healthy meal too.
Butternut Squash
Many grocery stores sell butternut squash pre-cut and ready to cook to save time. Otherwise, a medium sized squash once peeled, seeded and cut to ½ inch cubes makes the right amount for this recipe. Coat the cubes of squash with olive oil, then sprinkle on the garlic powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add less or more of the seasonings to fit your taste.
Lay the seasoned squash out on a well greased sheet pan and bake until fork tender and browned a bit. Then transfer to a serving bowl.
Vegan Smoky Black Beans
Let’s flavor up those black beans! Begin by cooking the diced onion in olive oil, then adding the garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. A little vinegar and liquid smoke add the acidity needed to balance the hearty beans that are added in. It all gets stirred together and cooks for a bit allowing the flavors to marry.
If you have never used liquid smoke before, here’s your chance to taste how magical it can be. I love the smoky flavor of pork in my bean dishes, but I have a lot of friends who don’t eat meat. Eliminating the ham in my go-to black bean recipe makes a big difference in the final flavor. This is where liquid smoke comes in. Just a tiny amount adds the flavor profile that you expect from the cooked ham. It is easy to find in any grocery store too!
Blanch the Greens
Fill the biggest pot you have with water and generously add salt. This is the best way to add flavor while tenderizing the tough greens. Collard greens and kale work beautifully in this dish and hold up well to this cooking method. The salt water that they are blanched in will get poured down the drain, so don’t worry too much about over salting the water. Sure! You can add too much salt, but if you are using a large pot, like a pasta pot and 2-3 tablespoons of salt, you should be in good shape.
Once the water comes to a boil, add the greens and allow them to cook for about 2-4 minutes. Check one of the tough stems for tenderness and if you are happy with the texture, take them off the heat and drain the salted water. Return the greens in the pot to the stove over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, pepper and vinegar. Stir to combine everything well, allowing any remaining liquid to evaporate and the garlic to soften. Then transfer the greens to a serving bowl.
Serving Up Your Butternut Squash, Black Beans & Greens Bowl
I like to place the cooked rice or quinoa, roasted butternut squash, black beans and greens out in separate serving bowls. Then I have either chopped cooked chicken, ham, steak, fried or boiled eggs for whoever wants extra protein. The sides and sauces are all out on the spread or the table for adding as we go. My favorite toppings are chopped peanuts, cilantro, avocado, sriracha and mayo. But feel free to mix it up with other herbs and sauces that you love.
More Gluten Free Favorites
- Sweet Potato, Brussels Sprouts & Bacon Sheet Pan
- Chicken Sausage & Potatoes Sheet Pan
- Beef & Broccoli
- Honey Ginger Stir-Fry
- Smothered BBQ Chicken
- Oven Pulled Pork with Apple Slaw
Butternut Squash, Black Beans & Greens Bowl
Ingredients
Butternut Squash
- 2 lbs butternut squash (peeled, seeded & diced)
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- salt & pepper to taste
Smoky Vegan Black Beans
- 15 oz black beans
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup sweet onion (chopped)
- 2 tsp garlic (chopped finely)
- ½ tsp cumin
- salt & pepper to taste
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp liquid smoke
Greens
- 12 oz kale or collard greens (tough stems removed and roughly chopped)
- 2-3 tbsp fine salt
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic (chopped finely)
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- pepper to taste
Serving & Toppings
- 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa
- ½ cup chopped salted peanuts
- 2 avocadoes (sliced)
- ½ cup cilantro (chopped)
- hot sauce, tahini, mayonnaise
Instructions
Butternut Squash:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large sheet pan or two with foil & generously coat with cooking oil.
- Cook rice or quinoa based on the package instructions. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Generously coat the diced butternut squash with olive oil in a large bowl or on the prepared sheet pan. Then sprinkle with garlic powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt & pepper. Adjust the seasonings to fit your taste if needed. Stir the mixture around to coat the squash with seasonings as evenly as possible.
- Spread the squash out in an even layer and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender and slightly browned. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving bowl.
Black Beans:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the onions in the olive oil until softened. Then add the garlic, stirring to prevent it from sticking. Once fragrant, add the garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to heat through, then add the liquid smoke and vinegar. Pour in the black beans, stirring to combine everything well. Reduce the heat to low and cover until ready to serve.
Greens:
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the collard greens or kale, boiling them for 2-4 minutes, check for tenderness with a stem. Once tender to the bite, drain the salted water very well & return the greens to the stove. Over a medium high heat, add olive oil, garlic, pepper & vinegar. Stir to coat with the seasonings. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Serving & Toppings:
- Layer the rice/quinoa, roasted butternut squash, black beans, greens in a bowl then add toppings and sauces if you’d like. Cooked diced chicken, ham or steak, a fried or hard boiled egg, chopped peanuts, avocado, hot sauce, sriracha, tahini and mayonnaise are all great options.
