Everyone needs a new go-to when it comes to weeknight dinners! These Vegan Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes were an instant favorite in my house, and a super filling plant-based meal. Make them in under an hour for a dinner win!
I am so into this recipe! Vegan Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are a totally well-rounded, filling, colorful dinner, but most importantly, they're EASY to make! Make the filling while the sweet potatoes are cooking and before you know it, dinner is done, you're taking that first delicious bite, and everything feels right in the world. At least...that's how I feel when dinner is made and on the table! Let's get into the details of this all-star weeknight vegan meal.
Ingredients in Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
This ingredient list is absolutely filled with fresh ingredients! It's colorful, filling, and totally kid-friendly. If you store the filling and the sweet potatoes separately, the leftovers the next day are out of this world.
- Sweet potatoes - Leave the skin on, scrub them clean, and dry them well before using!
- Olive oil and salt - Cooking essentials! Keep both next to the stove and measure out as needed.
- Yellow onion - Dice your yellow onion small and get ready to cook it while the sweet potatoes are baking. This provides a perfectly fragrant base for the filling!
- Garlic - I used five large cloves of garlic in this dish! In a dish like this it isn't a strong garlic flavor even with all these cloves - I promise!
- Jalapeno - I remove the stem and seeds, which makes the jalapeno flavor more mild and not as spicy. You can use a half of a jalapeno if you're serving anyone who's extra sensitive to heat, like little kids! Keep in mind that once jalapeños are cooked you barely notice them.
- Roma tomatoes - I use the whole tomato, seeds and juices included! The juices will help the tomatoes break down and create an incredible filling to stuff your sweet potatoes with.
- Tomato paste - A couple tablespoons of tomato paste help thicken the sauce and add concentrated tomato flavor, which I love.
- Homemade Taco Seasoning - Use a full batch of my from-scratch recipe for the perfect Mexican food flavor.
- Black beans - One can, drained and rinsed, adds plant-based protein and perfect texture to every bite of your Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
- Cilantro leaves - Remove the large stems, then dice your cilantro as small as possible. I love that cilantro adds both a beautiful garnish and a delicious, fresh flavor!
- Green onions - Just like the cilantro, I love that we're getting a pop of green and zesty flavor from this topping.
- Lime - Just a small lime, juiced, finishes your Stuffed Sweet Potatoes off with a really wonderful citrus zing. It's *chef's kiss* perfect!
How to Bake Sweet Potatoes
Baking sweet potatoes is similar to baking russet potatoes! Preheat your oven to 400F and poke holes all over the sweet potatoes with a fork. Coat each side of the potato with a bit of olive oil using a silicone brush and give them a sprinkle of salt. Bake them for about 50 minutes, until you can easily pierce through the thickest part of the sweet potato with a knife.
To cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot pressure cooker, place your sweet potatoes on the steamer rack in the pot with 1 cup of water and cook on manual high pressure (valve sealed, not venting!) for 25 minutes. Manually release the steam and use tongs to transfer the potatoes to a cutting board.
For the best flavor and crispy flavorful sweet potato skins, I recommend the oven method. With a stuffed sweet potato I love to eat the nutrient-rich and flavorful, crispy sweet potato skin in each bite. But, if you don't plan to eat the skin, then the Instant Pot method is much faster.
All About Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables! Their vibrant orange color lets you know you are getting tons of immune-boosting vitamin A. One sweet potato offers almost 700% of your daily recommended vitamin A, which is great for vision and bone health (source). Sweet potatoes also have dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. I love that they have a natural sweetness and comforting, creamy texture!
Stuffed Sweet Potato Toppings
The fun is all in the toppings! My whole family loves having a dinner that they can dress up and make their own. Many of my favorite sauces and toppings would be delicious with these Stuffed Sweet Potatoes! Here are several things you could have out on the table:
These Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are a totally vegan weeknight dinner that everyone loves. They're also gluten-free, nut-free, grain-free, soy-free, and refined sugar-free! If you love easy dinner recipes, subscribe to my newsletter to receive a free guide with 10 Easy Vegan Weeknight Dinners! You can also drop a review below, which is so helpful to me, or tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations.
More Mexican Food Favorites
- Sheet Pan Veggie Black Bean Tacos
- Easy Southwestern Jicama Black Bean Slaw (vegan)
- Mexican Veggie Burrito Bowls
- Sheet Pan Vegan Nachos
- Creamy Vegan Mexican Casserole with Black Beans, Quinoa, and Bell Peppers (Gluten-Free)
- Easy Vegan Tostadas with Refried Beans
- Spanish Rice and Beans
- Best Vegan 7-Layer Dip
- Three Bean Chili
- Easy Vegan Baked Taquitos
Vegan Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes were an instant favorite in my house, and a super filling plant-based meal to make in under an hour!
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes, skin on, scrubbed clean and dried well
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 5 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed, diced
- 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped (include the seeds and juices)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 batch Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 1, 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, large stems removed, diced
- 2 green onions, diced
- 1 small lime, juiced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Poke holes all over the sweet potatoes using a fork. Coat the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil using a silicone brush. Make sure all sides of all four potatoes are generously covered in oil. Sprinkle each sweet potato generously with salt. Place the sweet potatoes directly on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes until a knife easily can pierce through the thickest part of the thickest sweet potato.
- While the potatoes are baking, in a large skillet warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute for 7 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook over low heat for another 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes until they start to break down.
- Add tomato paste, taco seasoning and black beans. Saute another 3-5 minutes until everything is well combined and looks saucy. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro, green onions and fresh lime juice. Set aside.
- When the sweet potatoes are done cooking, halve each of them lengthwise. Use a fork to mash the inside of the sweet potato to create a well in the center. Place each sweet potato on a plate. Top each half of the sweet potatoes with the black bean tomato mixture (in the center well). Garnish with more cilantro and green onions if desired.
- More serving suggestions: vegan sour cream, sliced avocado, homemade guacamole, and/or jalapeno chimichurri sauce.
- Enjoy immediately while hot with a fork and knife. The sweet potato skin should be nicely seasoned and crunchy and is edible.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 55
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven and Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Leave a Reply