Traditional stuffed potatoes aren’t exactly light summer fare—all that cheese, sour cream, and bacon can put you in a carb-and-fat coma and leave you feeling sluggish and weighed down. But these stuffed sweet potatoes are different! And, as you might expect, they’re vegetarian, delicious, and easy to put together before throwing in the oven for 40 minutes. That leaves you enough time to do something else… Make a puzzle with the kids! Have a nice glass of wine! Scroll through Pinterest! Whatever suits your fancy, because tonight’s dinner is basically making itself.
Topped with a Mediterranean-inspired quinoa salad instead of all that cheese, these stuffed sweet potatoes are perfect for a summer dinner. It’s also a dinner that’s packed with good-for-you ingredients—healthy fat from avocado and olives, protein from the feta and quinoa, and plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Of course, we also mentioned that the usual potato is swapped for sweet potato. The orange root vegetable is fiber-packed, but also a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals (think iron, calcium, selenium, vitamin C and B).The balance of macronutrients means this is a dinner that will keep you full and satisfied without that sluggish feeling. Just what we want for a summer evening.
Recipe and photo by Ana Stanciu
Summer Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Skip the cheese and sour cream and top your baked potatoes with a light quinoa salad instead.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 ripe avocado peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/2 small red onion finely minced
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork a few times. If you plan on eating the skin, you can rub it with olive oil and season with salt and pepper so it gets crisp in the oven.
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Bake the potatoes for 30-45 minutes, or until tender.
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While the sweet potatoes are baking, combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently to mix.
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Slice the sweet potatoes in half and divide the quinoa mixture over the top, then serve.
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