These Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are a filling twist on taco night, stuffed with peppers, onions, black beans, corn, and cheese. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a hearty, easy vegetarian dinner for any night of the week!
Vegetarian Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
We’re a huge fan of Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors in this house, and love to incorporate sweet potatoes whenever we can (like my beef and sweet potato taco casserole). There are so many health benefits to sweet potatoes, plus they’re just so tasty and filling – how can I resist?!
These Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are our latest taco night infatuation. The sweet potatoes are loaded with a filling of Tex-Mex ingredients – black beans, corn, peppers, onions, and cheddar cheese – then baked ’til the cheese is perfectly melty.
Add your favorite toppings, like salsa, sour cream, and guacamole, and you have all the flavors of a taco atop a perfectly cooked sweet potato. Absolute perfection!
What You’ll Need
You’ll need sweet potatoes plus a handful of Tex-Mex ingredients and seasonings for this recipe.
- Sweet potatoes – I love sweet potatoes in this recipe because they’re more flavorful than other potatoes, plus they offer many benefits. But you could swap them for russet potatoes if you prefer – if you do, be sure to check out my favorite baked potato recipe.
- Olive oil – Olive oil helps the vegetables saute – feel free to use your favorite neutral cooking oil.
- Onion – Onion is a classic taco addition – I use sweet Vidalia onion in this recipe, but yellow or red onion would work too.
- Green bell pepper – Bell peppers are a favorite taco ingredient in our house. I use green peppers here, but any color will work.
- Garlic – Garlic adds a delicious earthy flavor and fragrance that absolutely belongs in tacos!
- Jalapeno – Jalapeno adds spice to the tacos. Feel free to leave it out for less spice, or add the seeds for more spice.
- Black beans – Black beans add protein and substance to the tacos – feel free to add more than my recipe calls for! Be sure to drain and rinse the beans well.
- Corn – Corn adds sweetness and delicious texture. It’s one of my family’s top taco ingredients, and we use fresh sweet corn kernels whenever possible. This time of year I opt for frozen corn. But canned corn will also work – just be sure to drain and rinse it first.
- Water – Water creates a sauce that helps the spices stick to the vegetables.
- Spices – I made a homemade taco seasoning with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and paprika. Feel free to swap those for 2 tablespoons of your favorite prepared taco seasoning if you prefer.
- Cheddar cheese – Cheddar adds more protein, plus extra flavor and a creamy, cheesy texture. And really, what’s a taco without cheese, right?!
Can I Add Meat To These?
While I wrote this recipe without meat, you can absolutely add some if you desire. I simply wanted a vegetarian stuffed sweet potatoes recipe for those times when I want a filling meal without meat. With the addition of black beans and cheddar cheese, there’s a good amount of protein in this meal to fuel my day!
If you want to add meat, it’s easy to do. Just include some cooked ground taco-spiced meat, like beef, turkey, or chicken – they’re all great options that will make this an even heartier dish.
Topping Ideas
The best part about these taco stuffed sweet potatoes is loading them up with toppings! You can essentially use any of your favorite taco or Tex-Mex toppings. Here are some of my family’s favorites:
- Sliced avocado
- Guacamole
- Chopped tomato
- Pickled red onions
- Pico de gallo or fresh salsa
- Sliced green onion
- Sour cream
- Chopped cilantro
- Fresh lime juice
- Taco sauce
- Hot sauce
- crumbled goat cheese or cotija cheese
How to Make Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Here’s how to make these Mexican sweet potatoes!
- Prepare the sweet potatoes. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Poke them with a fork and microwave for 4 minutes, flipping halfway. Place on a baking sheet and slice the centers open.
- Cook the vegetables. Saute the onion and green pepper until tender, then add the garlic and jalapeno, followed by the black beans and corn.
- Add the seasonings. Add the water and seasonings. Simmer over medium heat until the water has evaporated. Add salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the filling to the sweet potatoes. Fill each sweet potato with the vegetable mixture. Top with cheddar cheese.
- Bake. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is warm and melted. Top with desired garnishes and serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these stuffed sweet potatoes with a little toppings bar so that everyone can add their desired toppings, as little or as much as they want. This way everyone gets exactly what they like, plus it’s super fun!
This is a filling dish, as the black beans and cheese add a good amount of protein – feel free to pile on the beans! And the sweet potatoes are loaded up with veggies, so I usually don’t find the need to serve them with anything else. But you could always add a simple green salad. Or my cucumber salad or creamy coleslaw would also work great. And my family would never, ever turn away this fresh mojito fruit salad!
If you’re serving this for a taco-themed gathering, also think about adding a cocktail. Of course, my mind goes to drinks with tequila, like a classic margarita, a spicy cucumber margarita, or a paloma. For a NA drink, a strawberry lemonade would be perfect with this dish! Find more delicious drink options here.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover stuffed sweet potatoes can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Store any toppings separately. Note that some, like guacamole, won’t keep well for 3 days.
Reheat the sweet potatoes in the oven or microwave until heated through.
More Sweet Potato Recipes:
- Sweet Potato Bowl
- Smoked Turkey Chowder with Sweet Potatoes
- Beef & Sweet Potato Hash
- Mexican Grilled Shrimp Bowls with Sweet Potatoes
- Cheesy Beef and Sweet Potato Taco Casserole
- Slow Cooker Beef and Sweet Potato Soup
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Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 small green bell pepper diced
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 small jalapeno seeded and minced (optional)
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn fresh, frozen, or canned
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- Garnishes all optional and to taste: pickled red onions, sliced avocado, guacamole, chopped tomato, sliced green onion, salsa, sour cream, chopped cilantro, taco sauce, fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Wash and dry each sweet potato. Poke each one a few times with a fork and then microwave them for 4 minutes, flipping them halfway through. When the potatoes are soft, place them on a baking sheet and slice the centers open with a sharp knife.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and green pepper and saute until they are tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and jalapeno and saute for an additional minute.
- Next add the black beans and corn. Mix to combine.
- Add the water, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and paprika. Stir to combine and simmer over medium heat until all of the water has been evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Fill each sweet potato with the vegetable mixture. Top with cheddar cheese and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is warm and melted.
- Serve the potatoes immediately, topped with your favorite garnishes.
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