Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
A quick and easy vegetarian recipe for sweet potato and black bean tacos with avocado, toasted pepitas, and cotija cheese.
I recently turned sweet potatoes and black beans into a healthy, simple lunch with these delicious sweet potato and black bean tacos. I love that these tacos use pantry ingredients and are so easy to make! I topped our tacos with sliced avocado, cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and pickled serrano. My husband and I devoured these tasty guilt-free tacos in minutes and I’ll definitely be making them again soon.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
Taco Filling:
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp coriander
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 2½ tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup water
- Juice from ½ a lime
Other Ingredients:
- 6 corn tortillas, warmed
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- Cotija cheese, crumbled
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Pickled serrano
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Hot sauce
- Lime wedges
How to Make Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Roast the sweet potatoes by tossing the sweet potatoes, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1½ tablespoons of oil then toss to coat evenly.
Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet in a single layer and place into the oven for 10 minutes. Flip them over and continue to roast for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and tender. Pour the roasted sweet potatoes in a large serving bowl; set aside loosely covered by a foil tent.
Meanwhile, toast the pepitas by placing them in the same bowl (that you seasoned the sweet potatoes in) then toss the seeds to coat them in any excess oil and seasonings. Pour onto the same baking sheet (that you roasted the sweet potatoes on) and place into the oven to toast for 3 minutes, until toasted golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Prepare the black beans while the sweet potatoes are roasting by heating the remaining tablespoon of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Add the drained & rinsed black beans and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste; cook stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Remove 1/2 cup of the black bean/onions and add to the roasted sweet potatoes; toss to mix evenly then pour into a serving bowl; set aside.
Make the mashed black beans by adding the water to the remaining black beans in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, mashing with a potato masher, until creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and season if needed.
Heat the corn tortillas over a stove-top flame, in a damp towel in the microwave for 30 seconds, or quickly dipped in a skillet of HOT oil. Side Note: I cook mine over the flame on my gas stove.
Prepare the tacos by spooning some mashed black beans down the center of each warmed corn tortilla then top with some of the sweet potato and black bean mixture. Add toasted pepitas, sliced avocado, crumbled cotija cheese, cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, and lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
Taco Filling:
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp coriander
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 2½ tbsp vegetable oil divided
- ¼ cup pepitas pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup yellow onion diced
- 1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup water
- Juice from ½ a lime
Other Ingredients:
- 6 corn tortillas warmed
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- Cotija cheese crumbled
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Hot sauce
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Roast the sweet potatoes by tossing the peeled and diced sweet potatoes, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1½ tablespoons of oil then toss to coat evenly.
- Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet in a single layer and place into the oven for 10 minutes. Flip them over and continue to roast for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and tender. Pour the roasted sweet potatoes in a large serving bowl; set aside loosely covered by a foil tent.
- Meanwhile, toast the pepitas by placing them in the same bowl (that you seasoned the sweet potatoes in) then toss the seeds to coat them in any excess oil and seasonings.
- Pour onto the same baking sheet (that you roasted the sweet potatoes on) and place into the oven to toast for 3 minutes, until toasted golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Prepare the black beans while the sweet potatoes are roasting by heating the remaining tablespoon of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the drained & rinsed black beans and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste; cook stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- Remove 1/2 cup of the black bean/onions and add it to the roasted sweet potatoes; toss to mix evenly then pour into a serving bowl; set aside.
- Make the mashed black beans by adding the ½ cup of water to the remaining black beans in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, mashing with a potato masher, until creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and season if needed.
- Heat the corn tortillas over a stove-top flame until pliable & a bit charred. You can also heat them in a damp towel in the microwave for 30 seconds, or quickly dipped in a skillet of HOT oil. Side Note: I cook mine over the flame on my gas stove.
- Prepare the tacos by spooning some mashed black beans down the center of each warmed corn tortilla then top with some of the sweet potato and black bean mixture. Add toasted pepitas, sliced avocado, crumbled cotija cheese, cilantro leaves.
- Serve immediately with salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, and lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!
This looks really good and perfect for the vegetarians.
The prep time is so minimal. I love how I can whip this up in no time.
I love tacos
I’ve loved tacos since childhood.
Awesome and interesting food. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!