Description
Baked Mexican sweet potatoes are loaded up with a veggie black bean filling, cheddar cheese, and a mix of fresh and savory garnishes. It’s a quick and easy meal that really satisfies. Make it in 35 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, or more for brushing on skins
- Flaky sea salt (optional), for sprinkling on skins
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper (cored and seeded), diced
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 Jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1 cup (canned) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (canned) corn, well drained
- 1/2 cup water or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning, or 1 store-bought envelope taco seasoning mix*
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (dairy or plant-based)
- OPTIONAL GARNISHES: guacamole or cubed avocado, diced tomato or pico de gallo, sour cream (dairy or dairy-free), chopped cilantro, wedges of lime.
HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING: 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 425°F. Rinse potatoes under water and scrub the skins clean with a vegetable brush. Dry them with a lint-free towel. Pierce the potatoes several times with a fork on all sides.
- Line a baking tray with aluminum foil or parchment paper (for easy clean-up). Transfer sweet potatoes to the tray. If desired, brush skins with oil and sprinkle well with flaky salt for a good crust. Slice the centers of the potatoes open lengthwise. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until fork tender.
- In the meantime, heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper to the pan. Sauté 4 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add minced garlic and jalapeño to the pan. Sauté 1 minute. Add black beans and corn. Mix to combine. Pour water or vegetable stock into the pan. Sprinkle in taco seasoning mix (or spices: chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, sweet paprika, and sea salt). Stir to combine. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until all of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove pan from heat. Stir in half the cheddar cheese.
- With the hot baked potatoes still on the tray, gently flake the flesh with a fork to loosen it up. If desired (optional), add pats of butter and a pinch of sea salt.
- Divide veggie and black-bean taco filling between the potatoes. Spoon it in, stuffing them well. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Bake the taco stuffed sweet potatoes for 5 to 8 minutes or until the cheese is warm and melted.
- Immediately transfer to individual plates and serve. Let people load up the potatoes with all their favorite garnishes.
Notes
How to make this recipe vegan: Instead of dairy cheddar cheese and sour cream, use plant-based (shredded) cheddar cheese and plant-based sour cream.
How to prep ground beef to use as a topping: Add oil to large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic for 4 minutes. Add ground meat. Crumble the meat while cooking. When meat is halfway cooked, add bell peppers to the pan. Continue cooking 3 to 4 minutes until peppers are slightly softened and meat is cooked. Drain off all the grease. Add black beans, corn, taco seasoning and a long drizzle of olive oil (to rehydrate the meat in a healthy way). Cook 1 minute more to warm the beans and corn.
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Mexican-American