Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

These Southwest stuffed sweet potatoes (Southwest Sweet Potatoes) with black bean salsa are loaded with fiber, plant-based protein, and tons of flavor to satisfy as a quick, hearty, meat-free meal! It's Gluten-free, Dairy-free, WFPB, Vegan + ready in just 15 minutes!

Simple Southwest Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Salsa

I’ve made no secret that I love Southwestern flavors and ingredient combinations. They’re splashed all over this blog, including with tostadas, tater tot nachos, vegan elote, and butternut squash bean burritos. This time, it’s the turn of these super simple, nutritious, delicious veggie-loaded southwest stuffed sweet potatoes. You may recognize it from the cover of my cookbook, Plant-Based on a Budget.

This Southwest sweet potato recipe loads up tender, creamy cooked sweet potatoes (microwave, air fryer, and oven baked methods included below) with a simple, tasty black bean salsa combining beans, corn, tomato, and green onions with cumin and optionally some chili powder.

Top that with optional garnishes like guacamole and vegan sour cream for a simple ‘comfort food’ meal that’s the perfect blend of sweet, savory, tender, and firm. The combination also makes for a hearty, wholesome, nourishing, and satisfying meal.

Best of all, when making microwave sweet potatoes, you can enjoy these Southwest stuffed sweet potatoes in as little as 15 minutes. Plus, the toppings and potatoes store well for a quick and delicious meal-prep lunch or dinner on the go and throughout the week and a crowd-pleasing appetizer for game days and taco Tuesdays!

The Ingredients

These black bean stuffed sweet potatoes require just 6 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) for the base ingredients, plus 3 optional but highly recommended garnishes. Most of which are simple-to-find, pantry-friendly ingredients!

• Sweet potatoes: I used medium microwaved sweet potatoes. However, you could also roast or air fry whole sweet potatoes (methods below).
• Beans: I use canned black or pinto beans. Use low-sodium if preferred, or cook the beans from dry.
• Corn: Use canned or frozen and thawed.
• Tomato: Use regular tomatoes in-season and cherry tomatoes out of season. Alternatively, use a quick tomato salsa like Pico de Gallo.
• Green onion: I love the mild flavor, though finely diced regular onion/ red onion will work, too.

If you use sweet/red onion and want to reduce the intense raw flavor, soak the chopped onion in ice water for 10 minutes.

• Spices: I used a simple combination of cumin, salt, and black pepper for these black bean stuffed sweet potatoes. However, add more flavor with chili powder and/or smoked paprika and chipotle powder. Or even use taco seasoning instead of individual spices.
• Garnishes: I love to garnish these stuffed southwest sweet potatoes with store-bought or homemade guacamole (or a creamy avocado aioli), vegan sour cream, and minced cilantro.

What Else Could I Add to The Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes?

These southwest sweet potatoes are also fairly versatile. Here are a few optional ingredients you could add to your stuffed potatoes.

• Vegan butter: There’s something addictive about a buttered baked potato, so optionally fluff up the flesh with some vegan butter before topping it with the black bean salsa.
• Finely sliced chili or jalapeños: To add to the black bean salsa for spice.
• Hot sauce: To drizzle over the southwest stuffed potatoes for extra heat.
• Bell pepper: Add finely chopped red bell pepper to the black bean salsa topping for extra crunch and freshness OR turn it into a cooked topping (FAQ for method).
• Vegan cheese: My favorite way to add cheese is to sprinkle a melty dairy-free cheese over the black bean salsa stuffed sweet potato and heat it until melted. Then top with any remaining garnishes. Alternatively, use some easy vegan cheese sauce.
• Shredded cabbage: Or a simple homemade slaw will work to add extra ‘crunch.’
• Pickled red onions: For tangy crunch.
• Lemon/Lime wedges: To serve as a garnish to the black bean stuffed sweet potatoes. The lime juice works wonders for adding depth.

How to Make Stuffed Southwest Sweet Potatoes?

The simplicity of these stuffed southwest sweet potatoes makes them a great, last-minute meal any day of the week, in just 3 simple steps.

• 1) First, rinse, dry, prod, and prepare the sweet potatoes. I used microwaved sweet potatoes for a quick meal. Check below for alternative cooking methods.
• 2) Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. To do so, rinse and drain the beans and corn, dice the tomato, and slice the green onion. Then, in a small bowl, combine all the above with the spices and mix well.
• 3) Once the sweet potatoes are ready, slice them in half and use a spoon to mash the sweet potato within. Top them with the bean and corn mixture, and then optionally garnish with guacamole, vegan sour cream, and minced cilantro. Enjoy!

How to Cook the Whole Sweet Potato?

While microwaved sweet potatoes are certainly quick and simple, they won’t provide you will the super crispy, lightly caramelized skin that some people prefer. For that, you’ll need to turn to alternative methods, like air fryer whole sweet potatoes or traditional oven-baked ones.

No matter which method you use, start by washing and drying the sweet potatoes, prodding them with a fork several times all over the potato, and brushing them with oil.

Air Fryer Whole Sweet Potato

Transfer the prepared sweet potatoes to your air fryer basket and cook them for 35-45 minutes at 390F/200C, flipping halfway. They’re ready when the outside is crisp, and the inside is tender and easy to poke with a sharp knife/skewer.

I recommend initially checking on the sweet potatoes at 30 minutes as their size and your air fryer model can affect the cooking time.

Baked Sweet Potato

Spread the prepared sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 425F/220C for 40-50 minutes or until they’re crisp outside and tender in the middle. No need to flip halfway.

If you cut them in half before baking (rub the interior with olive oil, too), and bake them cut-side-up. These should take around 20-30 minutes instead.

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Use even-sized sweet potatoes: So they cook at an even rate.
• Don’t forget to prod the potatoes: This helps the heat permeate the potato and also stops steam from building up within and causing potato explosions.
• Finely dice the veggies: So you can eat a bit of everything in each bite of these southwest black bean stuffed sweet potatoes.
• If you have leftover toppings: Black bean salsa will work with tacos, tostadas, in a rice bowl, burritos, etc.

Serving Recommendations

These southwest stuffed sweet potatoes are hearty enough to be enjoyed as a stand-alone meal. However, they will also work as a hearty side dish alongside:

• Corn on the cob or Vegan Elote
• A side salad
• The protein of your choice (like marinated tofu, vegan pulled jackfruit, etc.)
• Grain – like quinoa or Mexican rice

How do you enjoy eating these stuffed southwest sweet potatoes?

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make ahead: You can prepare the baked sweet potatoes and the black bean salsa topping in advance and store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge for 4-5 days. Only make guacamole when serving, as it browns quickly.

Store: Once assembled, I recommend enjoying the southwest-loaded sweet potato immediately or within a day (especially when garnishing with guac and fresh cilantro).

Reheat: You can reheat the sweet potato in a microwave for 2-3 minutes, air fryer for 5-7 minutes, or in the oven for around 10-15 minutes, then load them with the toppings and enjoy.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Nachos [Vegan Black Bean Nachos]
• Crispy roasted potato wedges
• Easy vegan jalapeno poppers
• Vegetable Fajita Tacos
• Chickpea and Walnut Meat Tacos [Walnut Chorizo Tacos]
• Vegan Tostadas [Jackfruit Carnitas Tostadas]

If you try this easy southwest stuffed sweet potato recipe (Southwest sweet potatoes), I’d love to know what you think in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla