Microwave main · lemon tahini
A soft sweet potato makes an easy base for savory beans and a tangy sesame drizzle. This microwave sweet potato with white beans uses the microwave for the potatoes while the beans warm on the stovetop. Lemon tahini brings the sweet and savory elements together, and the two-portion batch suits a small lunch or dinner.
Choose orange-fleshed sweet potatoes of similar size. Long, fairly narrow potatoes tend to cook more evenly than thick, round ones. The times are starting points: microwave power and potato thickness matter more than the clock. This method gives tender flesh and soft skin; it does not produce the crisp jacket of an oven-baked potato.
At a glance
- Serves: 2
- Estimated preparation: 10 minutes
- Estimated cooking: 10–15 minutes
- Estimated total: 20–25 minutes, including the 2-minute potato standing time; thicker potatoes may need longer
- Equipment: microwave-safe plate, small saucepan, fork, tongs or oven mitts, small bowl
Microwave Sweet Potato with White Beans and Lemon Tahini
Ingredients
- 2 medium orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, about 8 ounces each
- 1 can cannellini or great northern beans, 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- 3 tablespoons water for the beans, plus more if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt for the beans, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1–2 tablespoons water for the sauce
- 1 small pinch salt for the sauce
- Optional: 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and black pepper
Method
- Prepare the potatoes. Scrub under running water, dry, and prick each potato several times with a fork. Place apart on a microwave-safe plate. Do not wrap in foil.
- Microwave and check. Cook on high for 5 minutes in a roughly 1,000-watt microwave. Turn each potato carefully using tongs, then cook 3 minutes more. Test the thickest part with a fork: it should slide through easily. Continue in 1-minute intervals if necessary, removing a potato that finishes first. Lower-powered microwaves and thicker potatoes need longer.
- Warm the beans. While the potatoes cook, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, keeping it pale. Add beans, 3 tablespoons water, cumin, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring, and cook 4–6 minutes until hot throughout. Add another tablespoon of water if the pan dries out.
- Mix the sauce. Stir tahini thoroughly in its jar before measuring. Whisk it with lemon juice and the pinch of salt. It may become stiff at first. Whisk in water a teaspoon at a time until it drizzles from a spoon.
- Open and fill. Let potatoes stand for 2 minutes. Carefully split lengthwise, avoiding escaping steam. Fluff the flesh with a fork, divide the beans between them, and drizzle with sauce. Finish with parsley or pepper if using.
Get a smooth lemon-tahini drizzle
Stir the tahini in its jar before measuring, combining the oil and sesame paste. Keep the 3 tablespoons water for the beans separate from the 1–2 tablespoons allowed for the sauce.
Lemon may make the tahini stiff at first. Whisk in water by the teaspoon until the sauce falls from a spoon in a thick ribbon. Taste with a bite of sweet potato before adding more lemon. After the potatoes stand for 2 minutes, open carefully, fluff the centers, and divide the beans before drizzling.
Why these ingredients work together
The beans give each forkful a savory counterpoint to the sweet potato. Cumin adds a warm, earthy flavor, while the lemon cuts through the rich sesame sauce. Use canned cannellini beans for a creamy topping or great northern beans if those are in your cupboard; both are already cooked.
Rinsing beans removes the canning liquid and lets you control the topping’s consistency. Keep a little water in the saucepan so the beans stay moist. The beans should be moist enough to spoon over the potato, with just a little liquid around them. If liquid pools in the pan, simmer briefly before filling the potatoes.
Useful swaps and common fixes
- No tahini: mix 3 tablespoons plain yogurt with 1 teaspoon lemon juice instead. This changes the flavor and adds dairy.
- Sesame allergy: omit tahini; use the yogurt option if tolerated or simply finish with lemon and a little olive oil.
- Hard potato center: continue microwaving in short intervals. Cut unusually thick potatoes in half if necessary and return cut-side down to the plate.
- Dry edges: stop as soon as the center is tender; repeated long cooking bursts can dry the outside.
- Bitter sauce: tahini varies by brand. Use a fresh, well-stirred jar and taste before adding more lemon.
Serving and storing
Serve with cucumber slices or a simple green salad. For another pantry-based meal, browse our bean and lentil recipe ideas. If you prefer a larger oven dinner, try sheet pan kielbasa with cabbage and potatoes.
Following USDA leftovers guidance, refrigerate potatoes, beans, and sauce within 2 hours, or 1 hour when above 90°F. Use shallow covered containers at 40°F or below and use within 3–4 days. Store the sauce separately when possible. Reheat potatoes and beans to 165°F, checking with a thermometer, and add sauce afterward. A splash of water helps loosen refrigerated beans.
Printable recipe
Print the measured ingredients and step-by-step instructions using the recipe card below.
THE COMPLETE RECIPE
Microwave Sweet Potato with White Beans and Lemon Tahini
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 2 medium orange-fleshed sweet potatoes About 8 ounces each; similar size.
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini or Great Northern beans Drained and rinsed.
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic Finely minced.
- 3 tablespoons water For the beans, plus more if needed.
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt For the beans, plus more to taste.
- 2 tablespoons well-stirred tahini For the sauce.
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice For the sauce.
- 1-2 tablespoons water For the sauce; whisk in by the teaspoon until it drizzles.
- 1 small pinch salt For the sauce.
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley Optional, for serving.
- black pepper Optional, for serving.
Equipment
- 1 microwave-safe plate
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 Fork
- 1 tongs or oven mitts
- 1 Small bowl and whisk
- 1 Measuring cups and spoons
Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes. Scrub sweet potatoes under running water and dry. Prick each several times with a fork and place apart on a microwave-safe plate. Do not wrap in foil.
- Microwave until tender. In a roughly 1,000-watt microwave, cook on high for 5 minutes. Carefully turn each potato with tongs and cook for 3 minutes more. Test the thickest parts with a fork; it should slide through easily. Continue in 1-minute intervals if necessary and remove a potato that finishes first. Thicker potatoes and lower-powered microwaves need longer.
- Warm the beans while the potatoes cook. Heat olive oil in the saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, keeping it pale. Add drained beans, 3 tablespoons water, cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4–6 minutes, stirring, until hot throughout. Add another tablespoon of water if the pan dries out.
- Mix the lemon-tahini sauce. Stir the tahini in its jar before measuring 2 tablespoons. Whisk with lemon juice and the small pinch of salt. If it stiffens, keep whisking while adding the separate 1–2 tablespoons sauce water a teaspoon at a time, until it drizzles from a spoon.
- Stand, open, and fill. Once tender, let potatoes stand for 2 minutes. Carefully split lengthwise, avoiding escaping steam, and fluff the flesh with a fork. Divide the beans between the potatoes and drizzle with sauce. Add optional parsley or black pepper and serve.
Notes
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