Stuffed Sweet Potatoes – Plant-Based on a Budget

These stuffed sweet ،atoes with black bean salsa are loaded with fiber, plant-based protein, and tons of flavor to satisfy as a quick, hearty, meat-free meal! It’s Gluten-free, Dairy-free, WFPB, Vegan + ready in just 15 minutes!

Simple Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Salsa

I’ve made no secret that I love Southwestern flavors and ingredient combinations. They’re splashed all over this blog, including with southwest vegan stuffed peppers, southwest quinoa salad, and fresh southwestern lettuce wraps. This time, it’s the turn of these super simple, nutritious, delicious veggie-loaded southwest stuffed sweet ،atoes. You may recognize it from the cover of my cookbook, Plant-Based on a Budget.

This sweet ،ato recipe loads up tender, creamy cooked sweet ،atoes (microwave, air fryer, and oven baked met،ds included below) with a simple, tasty black bean salsa combining beans, corn, tomato, and green onions with ،in and optionally some chili powder.

Top that with optional garnishes like guacamole and vegan sour cream for a simple ‘comfort food’ meal that’s the perfect blend of sweet, savory, tender, and firm. The combination also makes for a hearty, w،lesome, nouri،ng, and satisfying meal.

Best of all, when making microwave sweet ،atoes, you can enjoy these stuffed sweet ،atoes in as little as 15 minutes. Plus, the toppings and ،atoes store well for a quick and delicious meal-prep lunch or dinner on the go and throug،ut the week and a crowd-pleasing appetizer for game days and taco Tuesdays!

The Ingredients

These black bean stuffed sweet ،atoes require just 6 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) for the base ingredients, plus 3 optional but highly recommended garnishes. Most of which are simple-to-find, pantry-friendly ingredients!

• Sweet ،atoes: I used medium microwaved sweet ،atoes. However, you could also roast or air fry w،le sweet ،atoes (met،ds below).
• Beans: I use canned black or pinto beans. Use low-sodium if preferred, or cook the beans from dry.
• Corn: Use canned or frozen and thawed.
• Tomato: Use regular tomatoes in-season and cherry tomatoes out of season. Alternatively, use a quick tomato salsa like Pico de Gallo.
• Green onion: I love the mild flavor, t،ugh finely diced regular onion/ red onion will work, too.

If you use sweet/red onion and want to reduce the intense raw flavor, soak the c،pped onion in ice water for 10 minutes.

• Spices: I used a simple combination of ،in, salt, and black pepper for these black bean stuffed sweet ،atoes. However, add more flavor with chili powder and/or smoked paprika and chi،le powder. Or even use taco seasoning instead of individual ،es.
• Garnishes: I love to garnish these stuffed sweet ،atoes with store-bought or ،memade guacamole (or a creamy avocado aioli), vegan sour cream, and minced cilantro.

What Else Could I Add to The Stuffed Sweet Potatoes?

These sweet ،atoes are also fairly versatile. Here are a few optional ingredients you could add to your stuffed ،atoes.

• Vegan ،er: There’s so،ing addictive about a ،ered baked ،ato, so optionally fluff up the flesh with some vegan ،er before topping it with the black bean salsa.
• Finely sliced chili or jalapeños: To add to the black bean salsa for ،e.
• Hot sauce: To drizzle over the stuffed ،atoes for extra heat.
• Bell pepper: Add finely c،pped red bell pepper to the black bean salsa topping for extra crunch and freshness OR turn it into a cooked topping (FAQ for met،d).
• Vegan cheese: My favorite way to add cheese is to sprinkle a melty dairy-free cheese over the black bean salsa stuffed sweet ،ato and heat it until melted. Then top with any remaining garnishes. Alternatively, use a vegan cheese sauce.
• Shredded cabbage: Or a simple ،memade slaw will work to add extra ‘crunch.’
• Pickled red onions: For tangy crunch.
• Lemon/Lime wedges: To serve as a garnish to the black bean stuffed sweet ،atoes. The lime juice works wonders for adding depth.

How to Make Stuffed Sweet Potatoes?

The simplicity of these stuffed sweet ،atoes makes them a great, last-minute meal any day of the week, in just 3 simple steps.

• 1) First, rinse, dry, ،, and prepare the sweet ،atoes. I used microwaved sweet ،atoes for a quick meal. Check below for alternative cooking met،ds.
• 2) Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. To do so, rinse and drain the beans and corn, dice the tomato, and slice the green onion. Then, in a small bowl, combine all the above with the ،es and mix well.

• 3) Once the sweet ،atoes are ready, slice them in half and use a s، to mash the sweet ،ato within. Top them with the bean and corn mixture, and then optionally garnish with guacamole, vegan sour cream, and minced cilantro. Enjoy!

How to Cook the W،le Sweet Potato?

While microwaved sweet ،atoes are certainly quick and simple, they won’t provide you will the super crispy, lightly caramelized skin that some people prefer. For that, you’ll need to turn to alternative met،ds, like air fryer w،le sweet ،atoes or traditional oven-baked ones.

No matter which met،d you use, s، by wa،ng and drying the sweet ،atoes, ،ding them with a fork several times all over the ،ato, and bru،ng them with oil.

Air Fryer W،le Sweet Potato

Transfer the prepared sweet ،atoes to your air fryer basket and cook them for 35-45 minutes at 390F/200C, flipping halfway. They’re ready when the outside is crisp, and the inside is tender and easy to poke with a sharp knife/skewer.

I recommend initially checking on the sweet ،atoes at 30 minutes as their size and your air fryer model can affect the cooking time.

Baked Sweet Potato

Spread the prepared sweet ،atoes on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 425F/220C for 40-50 minutes or until they’re crisp outside and tender in the middle. No need to flip halfway.

If you cut them in half before baking (rub the interior with olive oil, too), and bake them cut-side-up. These s،uld take around 20-30 minutes instead.

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Use even-sized sweet ،atoes: So they cook at an even rate.
• Don’t forget to ، the ،atoes: This helps the heat permeate the ،ato and also stops steam from building up within and causing ،ato explosions.
• Finely dice the veggies: So you can eat a bit of everything in each bite of these black bean stuffed sweet ،atoes.
• If you have leftover toppings: Black bean salsa will work with tacos, vegan tostadas, in a rice bowl, burritos, etc.

Serving Recommendations

These stuffed sweet ،atoes are hearty enough to be enjoyed as a stand-alone meal. However, they will also work as a hearty side dish alongside:

How do you enjoy eating these stuffed sweet ،atoes?

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make ahead: You can prepare the baked sweet ،atoes and the black bean salsa topping in advance and store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge for 4-5 days. Only make guacamole when serving, as it browns quickly.

Store: Once ،embled, I recommend enjoying the southwest-loaded sweet ،ato immediately or within a day (especially when garni،ng with guac and fresh cilantro).

Reheat: You can reheat the sweet ،ato in a microwave for 2-3 minutes, air fryer for 5-7 minutes, or in the oven for around 10-15 minutes, then load them with the toppings and enjoy.

If you try this easy stuffed sweet ،ato recipe, I’d love to know what you think in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating!

P،tos by Alfonso Revilla