Description
A wholesome and flavorful vegetarian dish featuring roasted sweet potatoes stuffed with a zesty black bean filling seasoned with cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Perfect for a nutritious lunch or dinner, topped with fresh cilantro and optional extras like cheese, avocado, or salsa.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Black Bean Filling
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper (any color), diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garnish and Optional Toppings
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Optional: shredded cheddar or Cotija cheese
- Optional: avocado (sliced or mashed)
- Optional: sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Optional: salsa
- Optional: hot sauce
Instructions
- Prep Sweet Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub the sweet potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt, then prick each several times with a fork to allow steam to escape while roasting.
- Roast Sweet Potatoes: Place the sweet potatoes directly on an oven rack or a baking sheet. Roast them for 45-60 minutes until they are very tender when pierced with a fork.
- Sauté Aromatics: While the sweet potatoes are roasting, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper, cooking for 5-7 minutes until they soften. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Combine Black Bean Filling: Add the rinsed black beans, vegetable broth, ground cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 5-10 minutes so the flavors meld. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then stir in the lime juice.
- Stuff and Serve: Once the sweet potatoes are roasted, remove them from the oven and slice them lengthwise. Scoop out some of the flesh if desired and fluff it with a fork. Spoon generous amounts of the black bean filling into each sweet potato. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and add your preferred optional toppings such as cheese, avocado, sour cream, salsa, or hot sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute vegetable broth with water for a lighter filling.
- For a non-vegetarian twist, add cooked ground turkey or chicken to the black bean mixture.
- Adjust the spices according to your heat preference, increasing chili powder or adding cayenne pepper if desired.
- This recipe can be prepared ahead by roasting sweet potatoes and storing the black bean filling separately. Reheat and assemble before serving.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
