This Black Bean and Cumin-Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos recipe is one of my family’s favorite dinners. And even more importantly, it’s one of my 3-year-old’s favorite meals too. When you can get a preschooler to clean her plate, you know it’s a winner, right?
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s totally a weeknight meal–the beans simmer away on the stovetop, the potatoes and onion roast in the oven, and all you have to do is wait until they’re done. Make things come together even faster by prepping the vegetables the night before.
I also love these sweet potato tacos as a meal prep meal because both the vegetables and the black beans will last a few days in the fridge. The vegan crema, if you’re making it, will keep for a few days too, although you may need to add a bit of water to get it to a nice consistency before serving.
Like most taco recipes, you can totally change up the recipe with the fixings. If you’re vegetarian, use dairy crema or sour cream, or try queso fresco on top. And if you’re vegan? Don’t skip the crema! It totally brings everything together.
Other ingredients we like on our Black Bean and Cumin-Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos:
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Cilantro
- Toasted pepitas
- Pickled jalapeños or onions
- Hot sauce
- Grated Monterey jack
- Cilantro pesto
- Diced tomatoes or pico de gallo
Photos by Sunny Frantz
Black Bean and Cumin-Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 12 tacos
Ingredients
For the tacos:
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 small red onion, cut into 8 wedges, then broken apart
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or any other neutral cooking oil)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup mild tomato salsa
- 12 small corn tortillas, warmed
For the crema:
- 1/2 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked in water for 4-8 hours and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt to taste
- 2-4 tablespoons water
For serving:
- Cashew crema (recipe above), crema mexicana or sour cream
- Lime wedges, cilantro, lettuce, additional salsa, tomatoes, cheese and/or any other taco toppings you like
Instructions
For the tacos:
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Combine the sweet potato, onion, oil, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt in a bowl and stir to coat. Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a sheet pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the onions are beginning to brown, stirring halfway through cooking time.
- When potatoes are almost done, combine the black beans and salsa in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until warmed through.
- Fill each tortilla with beans and sweet potatoes, then finish with a squeeze of lime juice and your choice of toppings.
For the crema:
- Combine all of the ingredients except the water in a blender. Puree until smooth, adding 2 tablespoons of water if needed to get the blender going. If the mixture is too thick, add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until the crema reaches the right consistency - it should be thinner than sour cream, but thicker than a salad dressing.
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