Welcome to In Season, our series celebrating the juiciest fruit and crispest veggies in Texas. This fall, we asked local chefs to share stories about their favorite items of seasonal produce—and create original recipes that make the most of fall bounty. 

Sweet potatoes made an annual appearance on Rebecca Rather’s dinner table during the holidays when she was growing up. In her mother’s preparation, they were served in casserole form, dotted with marshmallows. As an adult, the chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author appreciates the root vegetables for their nutritional value. They can be quite nourishing when they’re not smothered in butter, sugar, and Jet-Puffed confections. 

“I use sweet potatoes a lot because they’re healthy,” Rather says. She bakes sweet potato scones, sweet potato muffins, and sweet potato pie. The vegetable is in high demand during the fall at Emma + Ollie, her charming Fredericksburg restaurant and bakery. And one way that Rather finds them especially pleasing is diced and covered in breakfast toppings.

“I started making this bowl for breakfast when I was working at Rancho Lomo,” says Rather. (Before she opened her bakery, the chef spent weekends helping friends on their West Texas ranch.) The dish is hardy, nutritious, and, frankly, delicious to eat. And while it does make a delightful breakfast, we also suggest making it for lunch or even dinner. There are no rules when it comes to sweet potatoes.

Anytime Sweet Potato Bowl 

Serves 4.
2 large sweet potatoes, diced into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, plus an extra pinch
¼ teaspoon chili powder, divided
1 can (or 1 ½ cups) black beans, drained
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups chorizo (optional)
4 eggs
2 avocados, sliced 
small jar tomatillo salsa
½ cup Mexican crema
2 cups arugula

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Toss sweet potato with olive oil and season with salt and half the chili powder. Roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet in oven until tender, about 20 minutes, in a skillet over medium heat for 10–15 minutes.
  3. Heat black beans on the stove or in the microwave. Season with salt, cumin, and the remaining chili powder.
  4. If using, brown chorizo in a skillet on the stove, breaking into crumbles as it cooks, for about 5–8 minutes.
  5. Prepare eggs to your liking. (Scrambled, over easy, or poached will all work.)
  6. Divide roasted sweet potatoes between four bowls. Add black beans on the side, top with avocado slices, egg, and chorizo. Drizzle with tomatillo salsa and crema and top with arugula.