Sweet Potato Tacos

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These hearty and flavorful sweet potato tacos are loaded with refried black beans, veggies, and topped with a spicy Greek Yogurt taco sauce. They’re gluten-free, easily made vegan, healthy, delicious, and super family-friendly! The best part? They’re ready in just 30 minutes!

Sweet potatoes, hearty black beans, and Greek yogurt. Not the traditional ingredients you’d normally find in a taco, right?

But seriously, these sweet potato and black tacos are some of the most amazing taco recipes you’ll ever make! They have so much flavor and are the perfect way to get more healthy veggies into your life. This is a great recipe if this is your first time making sweet potato tacos.

I LOVE these sweet potato black bean tacos. I mean, I made them just last night but I’m already thinking about the next time I can get away with making them again.

The sweet potatoes get creamy when cooked and pair with the refried black beans perfectly. The carrots still have a bite to them which gives the veggies a bit more texture. The yogurt sauce cools things down and is silky and delicious. And cilantro – I know, you either love it or you hate it. I happen to love it (skip it if you don’t!).

The sweet and spicy flavor (can be made mild too) of these black bean sweet potato tacos is so satisfying. The best thing about these tacos is how little prep time and cook time there is! I’m tempted to have them every taco night!!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love Sweet Potato Tacos

• Family Friendly: These easy sweet potato tacos are a hit with the whole family! You can also customize the spice level for those who don’t like spicy food. The elements are easily served separately for small children who can’t eat a taco yet, so you’re not making multiple recipes. Even picky eaters will love these tacos!
• Budget Conscious: The ingredients in these sweet potato black bean tacos are all pretty inexpensive and you may even have most of them in your fridge and pantry already.
• Perfect For Busy Weeknights: I have kids, so I know what it’s like to be strapped for time on weeknights. These healthy sweet potato tacos are on the table in just 30 minutes!
• Wholesome And Healthy: These black bean tacos with sweet potato are loaded with protein, healthy carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins and minerals so you can feel good about feeding them to your family.

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🥘 Ingredients

Add these simple ingredients to your next grocery store pickup so you can make these amazing tacos! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for nutritional information.

• Refried Black Beans: Black beans are loaded with antioxidants and the flavor goes so well with the sweet potatoes. Whole Foods sells really nice (vegan!) refried black beans if you’re searching for a good brand.
• Sweet Potatoes & Carrots: Your daily value of Vitamin A! Dice the sweet potatoes into small (½ inch) cubes for even cooking. You don’t have to peel your potatoes for this dish (plus there are lots of nutrients in the skin!). Carrots provided added texture, and they pair really well with the sweet potatoes.
• Red Onion & Garlic: We caramelize the onion slightly in the pan and it adds a wonderful sweetness to the tacos. Fresh garlic adds great flavor to the veggies!
• Spices: Chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and taco seasoning add heat and a depth of flavor.
• Toppings: I used chopped cilantro to keep it simple, but you can use any toppings you like! See our serving suggestions below for more ideas.
• Corn Tortillas: I used soft corn tortillas.
• Plain Greek Yogurt: For the creamy Greek Yogurt taco sauce!

🍲 Ingredient Substitutions

• Beans: You could also use refried pinto beans (any refried beans will work, as will my easy vegan refried beans) if you don’t have black beans!
• Sweet Potatoes: You can use regular potatoes (like gold or red potatoes) if you’re not a sweet potato lover. Cubed butternut squash is another good option!
• Carrots: Swap out another veggie like chopped bell peppers or cauliflower if you don’t have carrots.
• Red Onion: Yellow, white, or sweet Vidalia onions are also good! Alternatively, add some chopped green onion (raw) to the tacos when they’re done.
• Garlic: If you don’t want to use garlic cloves, use garlic powder instead (add it to the spice blend).
• Spices: Use spices you like! You can add spices like onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, chipotle chili powder, etc. If you want to swap out one or change the amounts, you can do that too.
• Corn Tortillas: Swap these out for crispy taco shells or flour tortillas if you prefer!
• Plain Greek Yogurt: You can use any plain yogurt, mayo, or use sour cream or ricotta if you don’t have Greek yogurt.

🔪 How To Make Sweet Potato Tacos

These healthy sweet potato taco recipe comes together in just 30 minutes with minimal dishes and effort! Here is how to make sweet potato and black bean tacos:

Prep The Taco Fillings

Cut Up Your Veggies: With a sharp knife, chop the sweet potatoes, onions, and carrots into small pieces (½-inch cubes; smaller pieces cook faster) and add to a medium bowl. Chop the cilantro and add to a small bowl.

Heat The Black Beans: In a small to medium saucepan over low heat, cook the black beans over low heat and add 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning (or to taste—the more you add, the spicier it will be). Once the cooked black beans are soft to your liking, set them aside.

Cook The Veggies: Saute the onions, carrots, sweet potato cubes in a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Add in the minced garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne if using, and salt (I’d start with a ½ teaspoon salt and add more if needed). Let the mixture cook until the sweet potatoes are soft. (If you want it to cook quickly, cover the pan and just stir every couple minutes). Side note: want a char on the veggies? Turn the stove up to medium-high heat (check and stir them often though!) and they may cook a little faster too!

Make The Greek Yogurt Sauce: Prepare your Greek yogurt sauce next. Add the yogurt into a bowl and stir in 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning (taste it periodically to make sure it’s achieved the spice level you want). Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to thin out the yogurt mixture (the more water you add, the thinner it will get). Mix everything together until the yogurt sauce is smooth. You can add fresh lime juice instead of water if you want a tangy sauce. Start with just a little lime juice (1-2 teaspoons) and try it before adding more.

Assemble The Tacos

Heat Up The Corn Tortillas: You can do this in a dry skillet or, if you have a gas range, right over an open flame. Place warmed tortillas on a plate lined with a clean cloth napkin or kitchen towel and wrap to keep the tortillas warmed. You can also warm tortillas in a microwave.

On Each Charred Tortilla: Put a large spoonful of black beans (about 2-3 tablespoons). Next layer on ⅓ cup of the cooked sweet potatoes, carrots, and onion. Finally, drizzle on 1-3 tablespoons of the Greek yogurt sauce and sprinkle on a little fresh cilantro. Serve Immediately: Eat these delicious tacos while they’re hot!

💭 Expert Tips

• Chop Veggies Evenly: Cut your sweet potato and carrots into similar sized cubes, so they cook evenly. 
• Modify Spices To Your Preference: Adjust all of the spices and salt to your tastes—for a spicier taco, add more taco seasoning and cayenne! You can also make your own taco seasoning at home using this Old El Paso taco seasoning recipe – it’s cheaper and more flavorful than store bought!
• Roast The Sweet Potatoes: Try roasting the sweet potatoes instead of sautéing them for a more caramelized flavor. Simply add them in a single layer to a prepared baking sheet (a large baking sheet or sheet pan with parchment paper) and bake until soft and lightly browned. You can prepare the other parts of the roasted sweet potato tacos while the sweet potatoes roast. Alternatively, cook them in an air fryer, in an Instant Pot, or even in foil packets on the grill!
• Build Right Before You Eat: Assemble the tacos right before you eat them so they don’t get soggy!
• Don’t Overfill The Tacos: All those flavors are so yummy, but a taco that’s too full ends up being more of a mess on your hands and your plate. Just make a few more tacos, or add the taco fillings to a bowl, cut the tortillas into triangles or strips, and bake until crispy for a fun taco bowl!

📖 Variations

One of my favorite things is how versatile this sweet potatoes recipe is! Try any and all of these variations:

• Add Cheese: Cheese would go so well with these sweet potato tacos! Try a shredded Mexican blend of cheeses or try feta cheese, goat cheese, or a vegan cheese if you don’t do dairy. I’m having a hard time deciding on which one to try next!
• Roasted Sweet Potato And Cauliflower Tacos: Toss chopped cauliflower with olive oil and taco seasoning and roast it along with some sweet potatoes.
• Sweet Potato Tacos With A Quick Cabbage Slaw: Shred up some green or red cabbage (tip: this can be done really fast in a food processor!) and mix with some fresh lime juice and salt to make a delicious tangy slaw for your vegetarian sweet potato tacos.
• Sweet Potato And Portobello Mushroom Tacos: Add cleaned and diced portobello mushrooms to the pan about halfway through the cooking process. Stir often to make sure they don’t stick. This will add a lovely umami flavor and meaty texture to your vegetarian tacos!
• Sweet Potato Tofu Tacos: Add cubes of tofu to add some healthy plant-based protein to your tacos. I would roast the sweet potatoes and cubed tofu for this, but you could pan fry the tofu in a separate pan. I recommend using super firm or extra firm tofu for this. If you can only find firm, use a tofu press to get the excess water out of the tofu so it can get crispy!
• Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes: For a unique variation, skip the tortilla and stuff all your taco fillings in a sweet potato! Use a fork to prick a few holes into each sweet potato and bake them whole for around an hour (until a fork sinks easily into them). Cut open the sweet potato (lengthwise) and use a fork to lightly mash up the insides. This makes more room for the filling. Add the refried black beans, some walnut taco meat, cooked veggies, your Greek yogurt sauce, and the cilantro and enjoy!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Serve these tacos with sweet potatoes as an easy lunch or as dinner on your next taco night! Here are a few of my favorite pairings:

• With A Side: Serve two or three tacos along with a healthy side dish such as Mexican fruit salad, vegetarian taco soup, or chips and this healthy 7 layer taco dip.
• With A Main Dish: Serve one or two tacos as a side dish alongside a meatless main. Try Mexican rice casserole, an air fryer quesadilla, or this layered taco casserole with tortillas.
• With A Variety Of Toppings: Feel free to use a bunch of taco toppings that you enjoy! I kept it simple with fresh cilantro, but other ideas include shredded cheese (cotija cheese would be great here), sliced olives, pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole or sliced avocado, a cabbage slaw, finely diced white onion, a squeeze of lime (or fresh lime wedges), a lime crema, this dairy-free taco sauce, or this smoky red pepper crema, hot sauce, sliced jalapenos, or whatever your favorite toppings are.

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

• Gluten-Free Option: Most corn tortillas are already gluten-free, just check to make sure yours are certified gluten-free.
• Vegan-Option: It’s so easy to make vegan tacos! Swap the Greek yogurt for vegan mayo, vegan sour cream, or plain coconut yogurt. You can also add dairy-free cheese to your vegan sweet potato tacos.
• Make it Kid Friendly: Truth be told, these tacos are already super kid friendly! But since some kids can be sensitive to spicy food, to make it 100% picky-eater proof, you can switch out the yogurt sauce for some shredded cheese and reduce the spices a bit. Your kids will go crazy for this recipe!

🫙 Storage Directions

Here is how to store and keep these sweet potato tacos:

• Refrigerating: Allow the sweet potato taco components to cool to room temperature, then place in separate airtight containers. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Reheating: Reheat the veggies in the microwave or a skillet and reheat the tortillas in a dry skillet or over an open flame (or in the microwave).
• Make Ahead: Cook the veggies ahead of time and follow the reheat instructions above. For best results I do recommend serving the same day or next day if you need to. You can also prepare the Greek yogurt sauce ahead of time. Wait until you are ready to serve to warm the tortillas or build the tacos.

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🍠 More Delicious Sweet Potato Recipes!

• Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry
• Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
• Sweet Potato Dahl
• Curried Sweet Potato Soup
• Air Fried Sweet Potato Fries
• Pumpkin And Sweet Potato Soup
• Sweet Potato Cauliflower Curry
• Thai Sweet Potato Soup

And if you’re looking for more Vegetarian Mexican recipes, I’ve got a bunch! My favorite (besides this sweet potato tacos recipe) is this recipe for vegan enchiladas with black beans and sweet potatoes.

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