Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with a little oil and set it aside. Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under cool running water until the water runs mostly clear, then let it drain while you prepare the vegetables.

Set a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle in the olive oil, tilting the pan so the bottom is evenly coated. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the diced onion, red bell pepper, and sweet potato. Sauté for about 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn golden and fragrant. The sweet potato will begin to soften but won’t be fully cooked at this stage, which is exactly what you want.

Season the mixture with the salt, then add the minced garlic, jalapeno, chipotle pepper in adobo, and any extra adobo sauce that clings to the spoon. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic softens and turns lightly golden and everything smells deeply aromatic.

Sprinkle in the chili powder, paprika, dried oregano, chipotle chili powder, and onion powder. Stir well to coat the vegetables in the spices, and let them toast for about 30 seconds, stirring continuously so the spices don’t scorch. This brief toasting step helps bring out their full, smoky flavor.

Pour in the vegetable broth and tomato sauce, stirring to combine and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer so it’s hot and bubbling around the edges.

Carefully transfer the simmering broth and vegetable mixture to the prepared 9x13 casserole dish. Add the rinsed rice and the drained black beans to the dish. Stir everything together thoroughly so the rice is submerged and the beans and vegetables are evenly dispersed throughout the liquid.

Cover the casserole tightly with foil, a heatproof lid, or an inverted sheet pan to trap the steam. Place it in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. After this time, check the rice; it should be mostly tender. If it still has a firm center, re-cover the dish and return it to the oven for another 5 minutes or so.

Once the rice is cooked, remove the cover and sprinkle the shredded Mexican blend cheese evenly over the top of the casserole. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and lightly golden in spots.

Take the casserole out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro, avocado slices, salsa, and radish slices if you like, then scoop generous portions onto plates and enjoy warm.