Mexican black bean stuffed sweet potatoes
This is a frequent weeknight dish that we eat throughout the seasons because the ingredients are widely accessible year-round and it’s extremely affordable. Inspired by Mexican cuisine, it’s packed with flavor and feels so cozy, but it’s light enough that it works in warmer weather too. Beans are such a delicious, affordable, and sustainable option for protein. They’re rich in fiber and high in antioxidants while also using less water than other protein sources AND they help restore nitrogen to the soil. Talk about cool beans (don’t hate me). While this recipe uses canned beans for ease and timing, feel free to soak and cook dried black beans instead. You can also cook the sweet potatoes ahead of time and leave them whole. This makes for an even shorter cooking time and easy meal prep. Sometimes I add some greens like chopped kale, spinach, or chard to the beans to get in (or use up) some extra greens that I have on hand. While the cilantro, scallions, and avocado are optional, I feel like the more the merrier with this dish.
Mexican black bean stuffed sweet potatoes with spicy cashew sauce
ingredients
Mexican black bean loaded sweet potatoes
4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt
2 - 14 oz can black beans
1 - 14 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
tamari
maple syrup
quick-pickled red onions (recipe coming soon!)
scallions, avocado, cilantro chopped (optional)
spicy cashew sauce
1/2 cup raw cashews
water
1 clove of garlic, grated
1 tbsp of your favorite hot sauce (to taste depending on your heat preference) or 1/2 jalapeño grated (or more depending on your heat preference)
juice from 2 limes
salt
instructions
Boil some water (enough to cover the ½ cup of cashews). Pour over the cashews and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Stab each sweet potato roughly 10-15 times all over with a fork (or until you’ve worked through your rage). Put the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and cook for 40 minutes or until completely tender.
While the sweet potatoes are cooking, make the black beans. Place a wide pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil. Then, add the onion and cook until translucent.
Next, add the garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, and oregano. Stir constantly for another minute or so until fragrant (but make sure the spices don’t burn!). Add the black beans, diced tomatoes, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
Turn heat to low and cover the black beans to cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the tomatoes break down and all of the flavors start to meld together. Check every 5 minutes or so. Once done, turn off heat and taste. Add a splash of tamari and 1 tsp of maple syrup. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Once it tastes like a flavor explosion, set aside.
While the black beans are cooking, make the spicy cashew sauce. In a blender or food processor, combine the cashews, juice from 2 limes, garlic, hot sauce (or jalapeño), 1/3 cup of water, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth and light. If it’s too thick, add more water to get it to your desired consistency. Taste and, if necessary, add more hot sauce, salt, or lime juice.
Now, to combine! Cut the cooked sweet potatoes in half down the middle length-wise and lay open in a bowl or on a plate. Then, top the sweet potatoes with the black beans. Next, top with the spicy cashew sauce, pickled red onions, and if adding, the scallions, avocado, and/or cilantro.
Enjoy!
