Name: Stuffed Sweet Potato with Black Bean Taco Meat
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 3 medium sweet potatoes, washed and scrubbed; 1-2 Tbsp olive oil (or any oil you like); ⅓ cup walnuts, raw; 1-2 Tbsp olive oil (or any oil you like); 1 small yellow onion; 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped; 1 Tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp fennel seeds ((optional)); 1 tsp onion powder; ½ cup canned tomatoes; ⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes; 1 Tbsp molasses ((or sub maple syrup or brown sugar)); 1 tsp salt; ⅓ cup water or vegetable broth; 1 ½ cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed; ⅓ cup corn * ((either fresh or frozen)); 2 cups spinach ((optional)); 1/2 tsp red chili flakes ((optional, for heat))

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Looking for a new healthy dinner idea? Look no further than this Taco Stuffed Sweet Potato! It's filled up with a smoky black bean "meat" for a delicious plant-based meal.

An overhead shot of roasted sweet potato, stuffed with black bean filling. The potato is topped with guacamole, cashew cream, and finely sliced green onion.

If you are a fan of sweet potatoes, you have to make this recipe! It's packed full of flavor - sweet from the potato and the corn, smoky from the black beans and the tomato paste, and spicy from the addition of red pepper flakes.

I enjoy a stuffed sweet potato for dinner quite often, because it's hearty and filling, and so versatile. You can stuff it with literally anything! This recipe makes three servings in total, which means you can save the rest and serve it for lunch the next day.

Ingredients You Need

Sweet potatoes. You will need three medium sweet potatoes for this recipe.
Black beans. Either cooked from scratch or canned. Rinsed and drained.
Walnuts. For texture and nutty flavor. You can also omit them if you have a nut allergy.
White onion. For flavor!
Red bell pepper. For some extra veggies!
Canned tomatoes. We use chopped canned tomatoes, but whole tomatoes can work as well.
Spices: smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, onion powder, fennel seeds, salt.
Tomato paste. Brings umami flavor to this dish.
Sun-dried tomatoes. They give a chewy texture and a deep, salty flavor.
Molasses. Gives a smoky and umami flavor.
Corn. Either fresh, canned, or frozen corn can work well here.
Olive oil. Or any kind of oil, for cooking.

An overhead shot of gathered ingredients needed for making stuffed sweet potato.

How to Make a Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potato

Start by roasting your sweet potatoes first, because this will take some time. Wash and scrub your sweet potatoes under cold water. Then, place them on a baking pan. Use a fork to poke holes in the skin and bake for about an hour or until soft.

Roasted sweet potatoes on a white baking pan.

Meanwhile, start preparing the black bean filling.

Add walnuts to a blender and blend for 30 seconds or until flour is formed (it's okay if there are a few bigger pieces). You can also chop them really small if you don't have a blender.

Next, heat a cast-iron skillet or frying rimmed pan. Once hot, add the walnut flour and toss for 1-2 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the pan.

An overhead shot of finely ground walnuts, toasting on a black cast-iron skillet.

Continue by heating some olive oil and add the onion and red bell pepper. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until caramelized. Then, add the spices and tomato paste. Stir and let them cook for 1-2 minutes.

A close-up shot of onions and red bell peppers, cooking in a black cast iron skillet.

At this time, add black beans, canned tomatoes, water, toasted walnut flour, sun-dried tomatoes, molasses, salt, and corn. Simmer for 10 minutes or until no liquid remains.

Lastly, stir in the spinach and let it cook for 2-3 minutes or until it's soft.

Cut open the sweet potatoes in the middle and fill them up with the black bean mixture. We cannot skip the toppings on any stuffed sweet potato! Our go-to's are homemade guacamole, alongside some sunflower cream cheese!

An overhead shot of sweet potato filling, cooked in a black cast-iron skillet. A wooden spoon placed on the right side of the pan.

Can you freeze a stuffed sweet potato?

Yes, you can! This stuffed sweet potato recipe is perfect for freezing because the potatoes can last for up to 3 months in the freezer! For best results, we recommend you freeze the potato and the filling separately.

Storage Instructions

Fridge: Once leftovers are completely cool, save them in separate containers for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Once the sweet potatoes are completely cool, wrap them in parchment paper and transfer them to a bag. Freeze the potatoes for up to 3 months. Add the black bean mixture to a container and freeze for up to 1 month.

How to Re-heat

If your leftovers are frozen, let them thaw for at least a couple of hours or overnight before serving.

Oven: Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Lay sweet potatoes on a baking pan and cook for 10-15 minutes or until hot.

Stovetop: To a pan, add a drizzle of oil or a splash of water. Once hot, add the black bean mixture and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Microwave: Add sweet potato on a plate and top with the black bean mixture. Microwave for 2 minutes or until hot.

An overhead shot of three roasted sweet potato, stuffed with black bean filling. The potatoes are topped with guacamole, cashew cream, and finely sliced green onion.

My Best Tips

Use sweet potatoes of similar size. This will ensure that they will cook evenly.
Cook your sweet potatoes in advance. This recipe can be made pretty fast if you roast your sweet potatoes in advance. The black bean "meat" takes less than 30 minutes to prepare!
If you are allergic to nuts, skip the walnuts. While they do play a role in the texture and the flavor, it's totally okay to omit them if needed.