Spicy Green Herbed Crispy Rice Sweet Potato Bowl with Spicy Yogurt

A spicy green herb mixture is stirred into crispy rice and topped with roasted sweet potato wedges and a drizzle of sriracha yogurt. Green rice is a great way to give tired looking greens that are on their way out a second life. In this recipe spinach is quickly cooked down to keep it’s vibrant green color before its pureed with cilantro, serrano and green onion.

Spicy Green Herbed Crispy Rice Sweet Potato Bowl with Spicy Yogurt

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Sweet potato – Sweet potatoes are a nutritious root vegetable with bright orangey flesh. Sweet potatoes have a naturally sweet flavor. As they are roast the sugars slightly caramelize for a delicious side. Over half the US sweet potato crops are grown in North Carolina. I cut the sweet potatoes into larger spears in this recipe though they can also be cut into cubes.
• Spinach – Cooked spinach is blended with cilantro and serrano pepper to create a green sauce that is added to the fried crispy rice to season it while adding some greens. While I cook fresh spinach, frozen spinach can be thawed and used as well.
• Cilantro – Cilantro is a divisive herb; I’m on the side that loves it. Cilantro is the leafy part of the coriander plant with a tangy, citrusy flavor. It adds an herby flavor to the green rice.
• Greek yogurt – How does Greek yogurt differ from regular yogurt? It’s strained to remove any excess whey – resulting in a richer, creamier consistency yogurt. Full-fat (5% fat) Greek yogurt is combined with sriracha to create a tangy spicy yogurt sauce to complement the green crispy rice and sweet potato.

How to Make Spicy Green Herbed Crispy Rice Bowl

1. Make the spicy yogurt. In a small bowl whisk together the Greek yogurt, sriracha and 2 tablespoons of water until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Make the spinach and cilantro sauce. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted but the leaves are bright green, about 1 minute. Remove with tongs to a blender or food processor fitted with the blade attachment with the cilantro, serrano, green onion and ¼ cup water. Puree until smooth and set aside.
3. Cook the crispy rice. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add the vegetable oil and heat through. Add the butter and allow to melt, the add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is crispy all over and pale brown in some spots, about 10 minutes.
4. Mix the green crispy rice. Add 1/3 cup of the green puree and stir to combine.
5. Roast the sweet potatoes. Heat the oven to 400ºF. Arrange the sweet potatoes on a medium baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 25 minutes.
6. Assemble and serve. Divide the arugula into serving bowls and top with rice, sweet potatoes, feta and radish (if using). Drizzle with the spicy yogurt sauce and garnish with dill. Serve immediately.

Why Use Day Old Rice?

This recipe calls for day old white rice, and while it may seem like additional prep work to think about making rice in advance, it is a good way to utilize leftover rice.

Day old rice is best for this dish because it is dried out – if you try to crisp up fresh rice it will just steam rather than fry. If short on time, make the rice then spread it out in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze it for about 30 minutes. This will quickly dry it out.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

• If you aren’t a fan of spice opt to omit the serrano pepper.
• The spinach in the recipe can easily be swapped with kale or chard.
• Substitute the Greek yogurt with mayonnaise or sour cream if needed.
• To make this recipe vegan, substitute the yogurt with a vegan option and omit the feta cheese.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Crispy Pork Belly in Cashew Gochujang Sauce
• Spicy Shrimp Bowl with Crispy Rice and Kale
• Roasted Salmon with Citrus Salad and Brown Butter Over Crispy Rice
• Seared Steak with Refried Pinto Beans and Crispy Rice

Spicy Green Herbed Crispy Rice Sweet Potato Bowl with Spicy Yogurt

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the spicy yogurt sauce:

• ¼ cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons sriracha

For the green herbed rice:

• 1 cup spinach
• ½ packed cup cilantro
• 1 medium serrano pepper, halved and seeds removed
• 2 green onions, stems removed
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 4 cups day old long-grain white rice
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt, as needed

For serving:

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2” chunks
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt, as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
• 4 cups wild arugula
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• 1 medium watermelon radish, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dill sprigs, for garnish

Instructions:

For the spicy aioli:

• In a small bowl whisk together the Greek yogurt, sriracha and 2 tablespoons of water until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the green herbed rice:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted but the leaves are bright green, about 1 minute. Remove with tongs to a blender or food processor fitted with the blade attachment with the cilantro, serrano, green onion and ¼ cup water. Puree until smooth and set aside.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add the vegetable oil and heat through. Add the butter and allow to melt, the add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is crispy all over and pale brown in some spots, about 10 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of the green puree and stir to combine.

For serving:

• Heat the oven to 400ºF. Arrange the sweet potatoes on a medium baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 25 minutes.
• Divide the arugula into serving bowls and top with rice, sweet potatoes, feta and radish (if using). Drizzle with the spicy yogurt sauce and garnish with dill. Serve immediately.

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