Mexican Style Loaded Sweet Potatoes
We are ditching "boring" diet food this year. These Mexican-Style Loaded Sweet Potatoes are packed with protein, fiber, and flavor. It’s the perfect meal prep to keep you on track without sacrificing taste.
Equipment
- Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper (for easy cleanup)
- Mixing Bowls
- Chopping Board & Knife
Ingredients
The Base
- 2 medium Sweet Potatoes: Look for potatoes that are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil: For roasting.
- Salt & Black Pepper: To taste.
The Fresh Salsa
- 2 medium Tomatoes: Finely chopped.
- ½ Red Onion: Finely chopped adds a nice crunch.
- 1 Jalapeño: Seeded and minced keep seeds if you like the heat!.
- ¼ cup Fresh Cilantro: Chopped.
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Salt & Black Pepper
The Filling
- 1 cup Cooked Quinoa: White or tricolor quinoa works great.
- 1 cup Black Beans: Canned rinsed and drained or freshly cooked.
- 1 Avocado: Diced.
Drizzle: Cilantro Lime Crema (I use a store-bought version for quick meals, but you can whisk up sour cream/yogurt with lime juice and cilantro too).
Instructions
- Roast the Sweet Potatoes Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly and cut them in half lengthwise. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and black pepper.
- Bake: Pop them in the oven for 30–45 minutes. You’ll know they are done when a fork slides easily into the thickest part of the flesh.
- Prepare the Fresh Salsa While the oven does the hard work, let’s make the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro. Add a teaspoon of olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
- Mix: Give it a good toss. Letting this sit for 10 minutes allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
- Make the Filling In a large mixing bowl, take your cooked quinoa and black beans. Add the fresh salsa you just prepared and the diced avocado.
- Dress It Up: Drizzle some Cilantro Lime Crema over the mixture and gently toss everything together. Be careful not to mash the avocado too much!
- Assemble and Serve Once the sweet potatoes are out of the oven, let them cool for a minute. Use a fork to gently mash the center of the potato to create a little "boat" or depression.
- Load It Up: Heap a generous amount of the quinoa-bean salad on top of each potato half.
- Garnish: Finish with an extra drizzle of crema, a squeeze of lime, or fresh cilantro.
Notes
Chef’s Tips for Success
- Meal Prep Hack: If you are making this for the week, keep the avocado separate until you are ready to eat to prevent it from browning. You can roast the potatoes and mix the quinoa/bean salad on Sunday night!
- Protein Boost: Want even more protein? You can add some grilled tofu or a sprinkle of hemp seeds to the filling.
- Kid-Friendly Version: If making this for little ones, you can skip the jalapeño in the salsa and serve the crema on the side for dipping.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!