Turn sweet potatoes and black beans into a simple, healthy dinner with these tacos! 30 minute meal.
Turning healthy ingredients into a vibrant dinner always feels a little magical to me. These sweet potato and black bean tacos are just such a meal.
Smoky roasted sweet potatoes, hearty black beans, and a variety of toppings make this a satisfying meat-free dinner. It’s also is ready to go in about 30 minutes.
Roasting the sweet potatoes in the oven is hands-free and gives me time to make some seasoned black beans on the stovetop. (Want to make your beans from scratch ahead of time? Here’s how to make them on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker.)
Be sure to let the sweet potatoes roast for the full 30 minutes: as they cook, they will first get quite soft, and then they will slowly crisp as their sides puff up and the edges brown.
I also toss the sweet potatoes with a little chili powder to contrast their natural sweetness and bring some heat to the tacos. Use your favorite chili spice blend!
Feel free to top your tacos anyway you like – I like tomatillo salsa verde, some sliced avocado, and crumbed cotija cheese, but a quick cabbage slaw, another salsa, or sliced jalapeños would all be nice additions.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos Recipe
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Be sure to let the sweet potatoes roast for the full 30 minutes: as they cook, they will first get quite soft, then they will slowly crisp as their sides puff up and the edges brown.
Ingredients
For the roasted sweet potatoes:
- 1 to 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups cubed)
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
For the beans:
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 cup diced)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- Apple cider vinegar or water, as needed
To serve:
- 10 to 12 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup tomatillo salsa verde, homemade or store-bought
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced thin
- Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- Lime wedges
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
Method
1 Preheat oven to 425F.
2 Roast the sweet potatoes: In a medium-sized bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons oil, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Spread on a baking sheet in an even layer. Bake 15 minutes, then use a spatula to flip and stir the sweet potatoes. Roast another 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes have puffed up and have crisp, roasted edges.
3 Make the black beans: While the sweet potatoes roast, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño, and sauté 2 minutes more. Fold in beans.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft and seasoned, about 10 to 15 minutes. If beans seem dry or bottom of pan starts to sizzle, add a splash of apple cider vinegar or water as needed. Taste and add salt as needed.
4 Warm the tortillas: Briefly heat the tortillas one or two at a time in a dry skillet until warm. Transfer to a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Alternatively, warm a stack of 5 or fewer tortillas a time in the microwave, covered with a damp paper towel, in 30 second bursts until warmed through.
5 Serve the tacos: Layer tacos with sweet potatoes and black beans. Serve with avocado slices, salsa, minced cilantro, and cotija cheese, letting everyone top their own tacos.
