I have been craving sweet potatoes topped with some sort of spicy meat for weeks! And I just kept putting it off and putting it off! I guess I just wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted, and as the meal approached each week I’d kinda of go “eek!” and push it off another week 😂.
So, taco potatoes, I know you can see them all over the internet, right? But I have to say, they’re all just straight up tacos piled on top of russet potatoes. Like Taco Bell taco type filling on a potato. It just doesn’t jive in my head.
I call my recipe tacos, but they’re loaded with onions and peppers and jalapeños and garlic and all things holy and delicious for loaded tacos! And these are sweet potatoes, not russet baked potatoes. You may say, what’s the big deal!?!?! Let me tell you! The spiciness of the taco mix and the avocado crema with the sweetness of the sweet potato creates and beautiful marriage of flavors that you just don’t get with a russet potato.
I mean, honestly, a russet potato has nutrients but it’s not like they’re loaded up with nutrients. It’s just one big carb plopped onto your plate! Why not just use taco shells and save on the pretty unnecessary carb loading? Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are loaded with vitamins. Loaded. So, I just really don’t get the point of russet potatoes stuffed with taco meat. Definitely when the taco meat is just straight up ground beef and seasoning. Boooorriinngg!
Okay, I’m being snooty. But in all earnestness, sweet potatoes are awesome with a nice spicy Texmex topping. They perfectly balance out and compliment the heat of the jalapeños and chipotles in adobo! And speaking of chipotles in adobo, adding those the avocado crema takes avocado crema to a whole new level! Zesty from the lime and smoky and spicy from the chipotles, the avocado crema is out of this world!
Hey, you may love taco stuffed russet potatoes and think I’m being totally unfair to them here! As I often say (much to my son’s annoyance), you do you! If you don’t want to use sweet potatoes here, absolutely swap them out for russet potatoes! But I highly recommend trying taco stuffed sweet potatoes!
Enjoy!
Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Spicy Avocado Crema
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Southwestern, Texmex
- Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients
Taco Potatoes
4 sweet potatoes
1 lb 90% lean ground beef
½ sweet onion, finely diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, deseeded if desired, minced
1 lime juiced
1 – 2 TBs olive oil
Taco Seasoning
1½ TBs chili powder
2 tsps ground cumin
2 tsps ground paprika
2 tsps dried oregano
1 tsp chipotle powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
Avocado Crema
1 avocado
¼ cup cotija
1 chipotle in adobo sauce
2 TBs nonfat Greek yogurt
1 lime juiced
handful cilantro
good pinch of salt & pepper
To Serve
cilantro, roughly chopped
tortilla strips
sour cream
cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place one rack in the middle and a piece of aluminum foil on a rack below it.
Rinse the potatoes clean and pat dry. Stab each potato all over one side with a fork. Rub each potato with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place the potatoes, stabbed side up, directly on the middle rack and bake 45 to 60 minutes (depending on size), or until a knife inserts smoothly into the center,
When there is about 10 to 15 minutes left on the potatoes, start the taco filling. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil (start with 1 tablespoon and add more if needed) over medium heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, or until just starting to soften. Add the garlic and jalapeños and continue to cook for an additional minute.
Add the ground beef to pan and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned through. (NOTE: if you are using a higher fat ground beef, drain off any excess fat before adding the taco seasoning.) Mix together the taco seasoning in a small bowl and then sprinkle over the taco mix. Pour the lime juice over the top and stir to combine.
Meanwhile, make the avocado crema. In a food processor, add the avocado, cotija, chipotle in adobo sauce, yogurt, lime juice, a handful of cilantro, and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Process until smooth.
When the potatoes are done, plate them and carefully slit them open down the middle, squeezing at the ends to open them up. Fill them with the taco meat and tops with the avocado crema and any additional fixings you desired: cilantro, tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream!
Enjoy!
Keywords: taco potatoes, taco stuffed potatoes, taco stuffed sweet potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, how to bake sweet potatoes, texmex sweet potatoes
