Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos (Gluten Free & Vegan-Friendly)
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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos – These black bean tacos are loaded with seasoned sweet potatoes and fresh cabbage slaw, and drizzled with chipotle crema. They’re a delicious idea for your next Meatless Monday! (Gluten-Free & Vegan-Friendly)
Happy Monday! I love a good fresh start and starting a Monday with a recipe this good feels like a very good start indeed.
Lots of you have been interested in seeing more meatless and plant-based meals, and I am here for it! They can be a great way to fit in more veggies, experiment with different cuisines, help the planet, and lighten your grocery bill.
Lately, we’ve done a cozy curry, some yummy soup, and these loaded polenta bowls. Today, I’m popping in with a Tex-Mex standby: TACOOOOOOS! (Read that again in your best Oprah voice)
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like Tex-Mex food is SO EASY to do vegetarian. Between seasoned sweet potatoes, hearty black beans, a crunchy cabbage slaw, some creamy avocado, and a little chipotle crema on top, there’s absolutely nothing to “miss” in this recipe.
It’s just flavorful, delicious sweet potato black bean tacos goodness! Here’s how we pack a TON of flavor into this recipe…
HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO OUR SWEET POTATO BLACK BEAN TACOS.
There is nothing boring going on in these sweet potato black bean tacos. Every layer adds color and flavor! Here’s what we put in them:
SEASONED ROASTED SWEET POTATOES. To start, diced sweet potatoes get tossed in a mix of olive oil, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Then they’re roasted to perfection, giving them SERIOUS flavor and a gorgeous caramelized texture I dream about.
KICKED UP BLACK BEANS. Next up is black beans! I doctor up canned black beans with a little spoonful of salsa to wake them up a bit, making them a perfect pairing for the sweet potatoes.
FRESH CABBAGE SLAW. To keep things fresh, I love adding some shredded cabbage or super-simple cabbage slaw. (You can also swap in the honey-lime cilantro slaw I use for my fish tacos!)
AVOCADO. I’ll add it to just about anything, but a few slices of creamy avocado is so nice next to the spices in the potatoes and black beans. (You can also use my homemade guacamole instead. It’s dynamite!)
CHIPOTLE CREMA. You can skip this step, but I love finishing off my black bean tacos with a little chipotle crema. It’s a yummy extra layer of flavor and kick, and the creaminess is nice with all the other flavors going on.
CORN TORTILLAS. You can wrap these sweet potato black bean tacos in flour or corn tortillas, but I prefer corn tortillas (easier for GF!). Scroll down to the FAQ below to see a tip for the BEST tasting corn tortillas. (Spoiler: it’s easy!)
FAQ + TIPS & TRICKS FOR PERFECT SWEET POTATO BLACK BEAN TACOS:
PRO TIP: WARM YOUR TORTILLAS! I recommend warming your tortillas (whether you use flour or corn) in a pan for a few minutes to take out the “raw” taste and really wake up the flavor. If you have a gas burner, you can also use metal tongs to toast them a bit over the flame before making your tacos. Store warmed tortillas in a clean kitchen towel (or tortilla warmer) before serving.
OTHER MIX-INS TO TRY. For a change of pace, you can try one of these variations:
- Cilantro Lime Ranch or Tomatillo Ranch instead of the chipotle crema
- Guacamole (any flavor!) instead of sliced avocado
- Honey Lime Cilantro Slaw instead of the quick cabbage slaw below
ARE THESE TACOS SPICY? Everyone’s spice tolerance is different, but I made these so that my spice-averse kids could eat them. I’d classify them as mild, since they’re basically at the heat level of mild taco seasoning. If you like more kick…
CAN I MAKE THEM SPICIER? Absolutely. You can add a bit more chipotle chili powder to the sweet potatoes, or use a canned chipotle chili in the crema. Or, just finish these off with some sliced jalepeños. It’s up to you!
LOVE TACOS? ME TOO! YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
- The BEST Fish Tacos with Honey Lime Cilantro Slaw
- Potato & Egg Breakfast Tacos (They’re incredible)
- Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
- Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet
- CrispyPotato Tacos from Cooktoria
- Taco Pasta Salad (Vegan)
HELPFUL FOR THESE SWEET POTATO BLACK BEAN TACOS:
Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos (Gluten Free & Vegan)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 5 Servings 1x
Description
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos – These black bean tacos are loaded with seasoned sweet potatoes and fresh cabbage slaw, and drizzled with chipotle crema. They’re a perfect for Meatless Monday! (Gluten-Free & Vegan)
Ingredients
FOR THE SWEET POTATOES:
- 5 cups diced sweet potatoes (2 large sweet potatoes)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
FOR THE BLACK BEANS
- 1 (15oz) can black beans, drained
- 1 Tbsp. salsa (green or red)
FOR THE SLAW:
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/4–1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1–2 Tbsp. chipotle crema (see below)
FOR THE CHIPOTLE CREMA
- 3/4 cup mayo or vegannaise (you can also do 1/2 mayo + 1/2 greek yogurt)
- 3 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
TO BUILD THE TACOS:
- Corn Tortillas (we like street taco size), sliced avocado, cilantro, lime wedges
Instructions
- START THE SWEET POTATOES. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place diced sweet potatoes in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, salt, onion powder, garlic powder. Drizzle with olive oil. Stir to coat well.
- BAKE SWEET POTATOES. Spread seasoned sweet potatoes out on a baking sheet, shaking to evenly distribute them. Bake at 400 degrees 20-25 minutes, or till tender. (Exact time will vary based on how small you diced the potatoes, how hot your oven is, and what color pan you used.)
- While the sweet potatoes are baking, PREPARE THE BLACK BEANS. Drain black beans, and pour into a small bowl or saucepan. Add salsa to the beans and stir to combine. Warm through in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- MIX UP THE CHIPOTLE CREMA. Next, add mayo to a jar or small bowl, and add lime juice, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, and salt. Stir to combine well.
- Lastly, PREP THE SLAW. In a medium bowl, combine slaw with lime juice and 1-2 Tbsp. of the chipotle crema. (Alternatively, you can *just* add lime juice + a pinch of salt to the cabbage.)
- When the sweet potatoes are done, BUILD YOUR TACOS. To build tacos, layer corn tortillas with sweet potatoes, black beans, and slaw. Add any additional desired toppings (avocado, cilantro, tomato, etc.) and drizzle with chipotle crema.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop, Roasting
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex, Vegetarian
Made this over a week ago & they were amazing! Can’t stop thinking about them & they’re going on the menu again this week. Great for a meat free Friday meal during lent! Actually didn’t use the tortillas & just made them as a bowl over the cabbage. Yummm!
Oh my goodness, what a sweet comment! I LOVED hearing how much you love them. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. It means so much!
Delicious! We’ve made these twice and I love that they’re so simple and tasty!
I’m so glad to hear that! They’re one of my favorite taco dinners!
This was amazing! This was our first “plant based” meal, and we’ll definitely be eating this often.
That’s WONDERFUL! I’m so glad to hear that!
Turned out great! We subbed geek yogurt for mayo. The whole family loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
That’s AWESOME! I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you so much for leaving a review. You’re the best!
Just made these for our lunch. We aren’t vegetarians but our son is, so went with meatless and we all loved them. Only thing I did differently was opened a jar of black bean and corn salsa I had on my shelf vs canned black beans and salsa. Also, I sprinkled some feta cheese sprinkles on top. Very good and filling! Recipe is a keeper. Thanks. The sweet potatoes were especially yummy.
WOW! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. I’m so glad they were a hit. Your black bean/corn salsa trick sounds like a must-try. You totally made my day!