Stuffed sweet potatoes make the best easy dinner idea! Bake them until tender, then stuff with fillings for a delicious main dish meal.

Need a healthy dinner idea? Look no further than this trusty trick: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes! Bake the spuds whole until they’re moist and tender, then top with hearty fillings to make a hearty dinner recipe. We’ve been making the loaded sweet potato for years since we were fledgling cooks, and it’s still a favorite to this day. The way the savory black beans contrast with the sweet orange flesh makes magic, in our opinion. Often when we don’t know what’s for dinner, it’s sweet potatoes to the rescue! Where’s how to assemble this easy meal.

The type of sweet potatoes to buy

When you’re making stuffed sweet potatoes, there a few things to look for when you’re shopping for your spuds. Here are two tips:

• Avoid very large potatoes. Some sweet potatoes are incredibly large, which take longer to bake. Make sure to find medium to large potatoes; avoid any potato over 1 pound.
• Look for orange-flesh potatoes. There are many types of sweet potatoes, some with orange flesh and some with white flesh. The two main types of orange flesh potatoes you’ll find at the store are Jewel, which has a light brown-orange skin and Red Garnet, which has red skin and is slightly thinner. We like Jewel sweet potatoes (pictured), but this recipe works with any type of orange-fleshed potato.

Stuffed sweet potato cooking methods

There are several ways to bake loaded sweet potatoes: the most classic way is to bake the potatoes whole. But want to cut down on the bake time? We have a shortcut that lets you significantly cut down the bake time, which we use on a regular basis. Here’s what to do:

• Classic: Make a classic baked sweet potato! Rub the skin with olive oil and prick it with a fork. Place it on a parchment lined baking sheet, then bake 20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Flip and bake 20 minutes more until fork tender (keep baking up to 20 minutes more until tender, depending on the size).
• Quick baked method: Make a quick baked sweet potato! Cut the potatoes in half, which drastically cuts down the bake time. Drizzle with olive oil and prick with a fork, then bake at 425 degrees for about 25 to 35 minutes, until tender.

Stuffed sweet potato toppings

Sure, you could serve stuffed sweet potatoes as a side dish, or stuff them with marshmallows or pecans like some people do on Thanksgiving. But the best way to stuff them, in our opinion? With savory toppings, made into a main dish! Savory toppings are the ideal contrast to the sweet flesh of the potato. The recipe below is a spin on the way we used to eat stuffed sweet potatoes years ago when we first started cooking together. The ideal toppings are:

• Sautéed black beans, cooked wtih onion, garlic and jalapeno pepepr (optional)
• Mashed avocado
• Pico de gallo (or a few slices of Fresno pepper)
• Feta cheese crumbles
• Creamy sauce (optional): You don’t need it, but we like to add a creamy sauce to bring it all together. The easiest method? Sour cream with a few shakes of hot sauce. But if you like, try Chipotle Ranch Dressing, Vegan Cilantro Sauce, Chipotle Sauce, or Cilantro Lime Sauce.

More topping ideas

Of course, you can make stuffed sweet potatoes with a myriad of different topping ideas! For us, the key is to keep it savory and top the potatoes with protein-packed ingredients, which make for a filling main dish. Here are some ideas to keep you inspired:

• Chili: Top it with black bean chili, quick chili, or vegan chili and your favorite chili toppings
• Mexican-style: Make Mexican Sweet Potatoes topped with black bean salsa and cilantro sauce
• Peanut butter sauce: Make Thai-style Sweet Potatoes with Thai slaw and peanut sauce
• Broccoli: Make Broccoli Cheese Sweet Potatoes by adding sautéed broccoli and cheese sauce
• Nachos: Add Vegan Taco Meat or taco meat, refried beans, cheddar cheese or Vegan Nacho Cheese, salsa, chopped lettuce, crushed tortilla chips
• Salmon: Top with smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onions and chives

More sweet potato recipes

Sweet potatoes are one of our top vegetables to add to healthy meals. Here are some great sweet potato recipes to try:

• Try our famous Sweet Potato Wedges
• Bake a sheet of the Best Ever Sweet Potato Fries or crispy Sweet Potato Hash Browns
• Try diced Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Go for fan-favorite Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
• Opt for decadent Sweet Potato Brownies

01

Easy Sweet Potato Wedges

02

Baked Sweet Potato

03

World’s Best Sweet Potato Fries

04

Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.