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Whole sweet potatoes for microwave sweet potato with white beans and lemon tahini
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Microwave Sweet Potato with White Beans and Lemon Tahini

Microwave-tender sweet potatoes filled with warm cumin-garlic white beans and a lemon-tahini drizzle. A two-serving meal with soft, not crisp, potato skins.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Potato standing time 2 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

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

Method
 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

Timing: About 10 minutes preparation plus 10–15 minutes cooking and standing, or 20–25 minutes total. The card displays the upper estimate and separates the 2-minute potato stand from the remaining 13-minute cooking allowance. Cook the beans while the potatoes microwave. Thick potatoes or a lower-powered microwave can take longer; use the fork-tender check.
Keep the water separate: Use 3 tablespoons for the bean topping, plus more if needed, and a separate 1–2 tablespoons for the tahini sauce. Add sauce water by the teaspoon after thoroughly stirring the tahini.
Sesame and alternatives: Tahini contains sesame. If desired, replace the tahini sauce with 3 tablespoons plain yogurt mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice; this changes the flavor and adds dairy. For a sesame allergy, omit tahini and use only a tolerated alternative.
Storage: Refrigerate potatoes, beans, and sauce in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep 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 the refrigerated sauce afterward. Add a splash of water to loosen the beans if needed.