Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
These taco stuffed sweet potatoes are loaded with seasoned ground turkey, salsa, and all your favorite toppings — a healthy, complete dinner with 33g of protein and 7g of fiber per serving.
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes
- 4 medium sized sweet potatoes washed
Turkey Taco Meat Filling
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil preferably light
- ½ white or yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 lb ground turkey meat preferably a mix of breast and thigh
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- ½ cup frozen or fresh corn
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 cup baby spinach lightly packed and chopped
Baked Sweet Potato Toppings
- shredded mexican cheese blend
- 1 avocado pitted and cubed
- fresh cilantro chopped
- lime wedges
- Optional salsa, jalapeños, pickled onions, hot sauce, sour cream, pico de gallo, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut four approximately 12-inch squares of aluminum foil. Place the sweet potatoes on the foil and wrap tightly. Bake for 55-70 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and pierce easily with a knife.
- Towards the last 10-15 minutes of the sweet potatoes baking, heat 1½ tablespoons light olive oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Once the oil sizzles when flicked with water, add the peppers and onions and sauté, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes or until the onions start to turn translucent.
- Add the ground turkey and cook, crumbling the meat as you stir, for 4-6 minutes or until no longer pink.
- Add the corn, garlic, chili powder, oregano, paprika, cayenne, cumin, and salt. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously, until the corn is heated through and the garlic is fragrant but not burning. Taste and adjust seasoning — don't be shy here! The filling should be boldly seasoned to stand up to the potato's natural sweetness.
- Turn the heat to medium-low. Stir in the salsa and cook for 1 minute until heated through. Add the baby spinach and cook for 1-2 more minutes, stirring, until the salsa juice is mostly evaporated and the spinach is halfway wilted — it will wilt the rest of the way as the mixture cools.
- Slice the sweet potatoes open vertically and squeeze them open. Scoop the turkey filling generously into each potato. Top with shredded cheese to taste, fresh cilantro, avocado, lime juice, and any of your favorite taco toppings — sour cream, jalapeños, extra salsa, hot sauce, or pickled onions. Serve hot!
Video
Notes
- Microwave shortcut: Pierce skin with a fork and microwave 5 minutes per side instead of baking — cuts total time to ~25 minutes.
- Protein swap: Ground beef, ground chicken, black beans, or shredded rotisserie chicken all work. Add the black beans and rotisserie chicken to the skillet with the seasonings (do not saute as you would ground meat).
- Gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, thanks to a homemade seasoning blend.
- Dairy-free: Skip the cheese or use dairy-free cheese. Top with guacamole for creaminess.
- Storage: Store filling and sweet potatoes separately in airtight containers for 4–5 days.
- Make-ahead: Both components can be prepped up to 4 days ahead. Heat the sweet potatoes and filling separately and assemble just before serving.
- Freeze: Filling freezes well for up to 3 months. The sweet potatoes do not freeze well — bake them fresh.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 518kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 33gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 581mgFiber: 7gSugar: 13g
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