Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

My stuffed sweet potatoes bring a zesty, colorful and healthy slant to meal time. Whole sweet potatoes are roasted until tender, then stuffed with a spiced mixture of chorizo, black beans, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and pepper jack cheese for a little taste of autumn on a plate!

Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Zesty Morsels

One of my favorite ways to usher in the autumn season is with vibrant, fall-colored dishes that are loaded with lots of warming spices and delicious textures.

And when I think of fall, I often think of sweet potatoes with their brilliant orange color and their sweet-savory flavor, partnering so well with a variety of unique ingredients.

Craving a mildly spicy, cozy, and nutritious meal that would be a comfort on a cool evening, I created this stuffed sweet potatoes recipe.

It’s brimming with flavorful pork chorizo, a whisper of cinnamon and cumin, a teeny dash of orange zest, some hearty black beans and juicy cherry tomatoes, plus a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds and an ooey-gooey pepper jack cheese topper.

Pure bliss on a plate, these stuffed sweet potatoes are super warming, nutritious and comforting—everything I crave on an early fall evening!

My Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe

Sweet potatoes innately have a lot of sweet, earthy flavor, which makes them a terrific vessel to roast off until tender and fill with a variety of zippy ingredients.

The process for this stuffed potatoes recipe is pretty easy, you just need a little patience to allow for the whole sweet potatoes to roast for roughly 45 minutes to an hour.

And while the potatoes become delectably soft and sweet in the oven, this is the perfect time to saute together the filling ingredients to have ready to then spoon into the warm sweet potatoes and top with cheese!

Here's a sneak peek of my stuffed sweet potato recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I wash and scrub my sweet potatoes to clean them thoroughly. I also use a towel or paper towels to dry them well.
2. I prick each sweet potato with a fork a few times, then place them onto a baking sheet to roast for about 45 to 60 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes), or until easily pierced with a paring knife.
3. While the sweet potatoes roast, I prepare my mouthwatering chorizo filling by sauteeing some onion, then adding my chorizo, spices, garlic and orange zest, just until the meat is cooked through.
4. Next, I turn off the heat and add in my black beans, quartered cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and cilantro, and stir to incorporate. I then spoon the mixture into a bowl and set it aside.
5. Once the sweet potatoes are tender, I allow them to cool just enough so that I can handle them, then cut them open lengthwise (as you would a traditional baked potato). I either fluff the tender flesh with a fork a little bit to loosen it up, or leave it as is, and simply make room for the filling.
6. I spoon equal amounts of the filling into each sweet potato, top with my pepper jack cheese, and place back into the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes more, just long enough to melt the cheese.
7. I serve garnished with some extra cilantro leaves and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Recipe

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

These zesty stuffed sweet potatoes are filled with chorizo, black beans, tomatoes and pumpkin seeds, topped with pepper jack cheese!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Southwestern

Yield: 4 stuffed sweet potatoes

Nutrition Info: 533 calories per stuffed sweet potato

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 medium-large sweet potatoes, washed and scrubbed, and dried well
• Avocado oil or olive oil
• 1 small white onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• ½ pound pork chorizo (Mexican style), any casings removed
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup (slightly heaping) cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (roasted preferably), plus extra for garnish
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus extra leaves for garnish
• 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°, and line a medium or large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
3. To roast the sweet potatoes, prick each potato a few times with a fork, then place onto the baking sheet. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes, or until easily pierced with a paring knife or fork. Remove and allow to slightly cool just enough to handle.
4. Reduce the oven temp to 350°.
5. While the sweet potatoes roast, prepare your filling: place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and add a drizzle of avocado oil or olive oil. Once hot, add in the diced onion, and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes, just until beginning to soften.
6. Add in the chorizo, and break it up very well with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook the chorizo with the onion for a few moments, just until cooked through (if very greasy, blot with a paper towel). Next, add in the garlic, orange zest, cumin and cinnamon, and stir until very aromatic, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
7. Turn off the heat, then add in the black beans, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro, and stir to combine. Spoon the filling into a large dish, and check to see is additional salt and pepper is needed. (If you like things spicy, you can add a pinch of cayenne pepper at this point as well.) Set the filling aside for a moment.
8. Once the sweet potatoes are tender and have slightly cooled enough to handle, use a sharp knife to slice open the sweet potatoes lengthwise (take care not to cut all the way through), and gently squeeze the potatoes to open them up to make room for the filling. (At this point, you can use a fork to gently “fluff” the sweet potato flesh, or leave it as it is.)
9. Spoon about ½ cup of the chorizo filling into the cavity of each sweet potato, then top each with about ¼ cup of the pepper jack cheese.
10. Place the stuffed sweet potatoes back onto the baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
11. To serve, place the stuffed sweet potatoes onto a platter or onto individual plates, and sprinkle with some additional cilantro and pumpkin seeds, and enjoy.

Tips & Tidbits for my Stuffed Sweet Potatoes recipe:

• Medium-large sweet potatoes: When choosing your sweet potatoes, opt for medium-large size potatoes that are a little bit round in the middle. These are then easier to fill after roasting. Take care to wash, scrub and dry the potatoes well before baking.
• Roast the sweet potatoes without foil: When baking the sweet potatoes, there's no need to wrap them in foil—you don't want the skin to steam and become too slick. All you need to do is prick the sweet potatoes a few times with a fork before baking, place onto a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for roughly 45 to 60 minutes, depending on size.
• Fluff the sweet potato flesh, or leave as-is: When you cut into the soft, roasted sweet potatoes to create space for the filling, you can either gently fluff the interior with a fork, or leave it intact and simply spoon in the filling. If you fluff the flesh, it makes for a creamier, smoother center.
• Prepare the filling ahead: If you'd like to save some time, you can prepare the filling a day ahead of time, and simply roast the sweet potatoes the day you'd like to serve them. Then, gently reheat the filling while the potatoes roast, and stuff according to recipe directions.

Hungry for more super cozy sweet potato recipes? Check out this Sweet Potato Hash, these Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Chili Cheese Sauce, this Sweet Potato Chili, or this Sweet Potato Salad!