Quinoa Sweet Potato Skillet
on Jun 15, 2021, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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This one pan Quinoa Sweet Potato Skillet is quick and easy to make in 40 minutes for a light and healthy meal or side dish.

This recipe is great for a simple side dish or with 17 grams of protein and plenty of fiber, it’s suitable for a plant-based meal too. It’s easy to prepare and cook with simple whole food and pantry ingredients and the recipe is vegan and gluten-free.
Feel free to customize it with different veggies to make it your own! You can take inspiration from this Mediterranean Chickpea Skillet and Sweet Potato Chickpea Skillet or try the same flavour combo in this Curried Chickpea Quinoa Salad or Curry Roasted Cauliflower Salad.
Ingredient Notes
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
- Sweet potato: Yam or sweet potato is best. Substitute potato if needed.
- Sugar: You can use brown sugar, coconut sugar, cane sugar or even maple syrup.
- Vegetable Broth: Any store-bought carton or cube broth or homemade broth works.
- Chickpeas: You’ll need 1 15 oz can, drained and well-rinsed. If you prefer, you can cook the chickpeas from scratch, in which case you’ll need about 1.5 cups cooked.
- Quinoa: I like to give the quinoa a good rinse under cold water before use. Any colour of quinoa works!
- Diced tomatoes: If you can’t find a 14 oz can, you can use half of a 28 oz can (about 1.5 cups) and save the rest for another use like chili or soup!
- Bell Pepper: Any colour of bell pepper works if you don’t have green pepper on hand.
Additional veggies that work well are broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, kale and spinach. If adding greens like kale or spinach, stir them in at the very end, just enough to wilt and heat through.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Before you start: Prepare the sweet potato, onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Gather the spices and broth and rinse the quinoa so you’re all ready to go.
Step 1: In a large pot or skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, onion, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook for about 6 minute until tender and fragrant.
Step 2: Add the spices, broth, chickpeas, diced tomato, sugar, salt and pepper and mix well.
Step 3: Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes until the quinoa is tender and the sweet potato is cooked through.
Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve topped with fresh cilantro.
Storing
- Fridge: Let cool then store up to 5 days in a sealed container.
- Freezer: Let cool then store in a good freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Can be enjoyed cold or reheated stovetop or in the microwave.
More Quinoa Recipes
- Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad
- Vegan Curried Lentils and Quinoa
- Vegan Curried Chickpea Stew
- Summer Quinoa Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil, 15 g
- 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-2 cm cubes (150 g)
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced (200 g)
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red or green jalapeno, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 ¼ cup vegetable broth, 236 mL
- 1 can, 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 ¼ cup uncooked quinoa, 225 g
- 1 ½ cup canned diced tomatoes, 14 oz can or half of a 28 oz can
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the sweet potato, onion, bell pepper and jalapenos, stirring frequently for about 6 minutes, until slightly tender.
- Add the spices, broth, chickpeas, quinoa, diced tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper and mix well. Bring to a boil, cover and then reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally until the quinoa and sweet potato are cooked through, adding a little more broth if needed as it cooks.
- Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Garnish with cilantro when ready to serve.
Notes
- This dish can be kept up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge, you can also freeze it up to 3 months.
This is a good recipe.. I tweaked it by adding diced summer squash and zuchini and celery and cutting back on onion 1/4 c (dietary reasons (Low fod map).)..I only used 3/4 cup of quinoa…it is a tasty fall dinner in one skillet which I like.
Thanks Tracy!
I made this recipe and it was so delicious I canโt wait to let others taste it. I think it will be a hit. I added chicken kettle &fire broth in the place of vegetable broth which gave it a more flavorful taste.
Excellent recipe! Really enjoyed it as a main course. I accidentally grabbed and opened a can of tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes. Will make again. Thanks for a great recipe!