The sweet potato isn’t just a swap for the tortilla. The natural sweetness of the potato does something to the spiced, savory taco meat that a flour shell never quite manages. It cuts through the heat. It rounds out the edges. And the
Every bite has something happening on three levels at once, and it’s the kind of combination that makes people ask for the recipe before they’ve finished eating.
This is a real weeknight dinner. The sweet potatoes go in the oven while you make the crema and char the corn. The meat cooks in about ten minutes. Everything comes together, and the finished plate looks like you actually tried.
Why Sweet Potato Works as a Taco Shell
The sweet-savory contrast is the whole point. Taco seasoning is built on cumin, garlic, and heat. A flour tortilla is neutral, so it just delivers the meat without adding anything of its own. A sweet potato adds something. The natural sweetness creates a counterbalance that makes each bite more interesting, the way a squeeze of lime makes everything taste brighter without tasting like lime.
I tested this first with a russet potato, and it works, but it doesn’t sing the same way. The sweetness in a sweet potato is what makes this combination feel intentional rather than just convenient.
The broil step is what makes the whole dish land. After you fill the potato with taco meat and chihuahua cheese, two to three minutes under the broiler gets the cheese bubbling and golden-edged. That’s the moment it all comes together.
What You Need
For the sweet potatoes: four medium sweet potatoes, olive oil, and kosher salt. Medium is the right size here. Too large and you’re eating half a dinner per bite of potato. Too small and there’s no room for filling.
For the taco meat: one pound of ground turkey or ground beef, one tablespoon of olive oil, one packet of taco seasoning, and eight ounces of chihuahua cheese. I use Siete Mild taco seasoning because most taco seasoning packets are sodium-heavy and mask every other flavor in the dish.
Chihuahua cheese: it melts smooth and even, without the slightly greasy pool. A mexican cheese blend works too, or use my favorite cashew queso for a dairy free option.
For the street corn salsa: olive oil, fresh corn (about one ear), avocado, garlic, lime juice, finely chopped cilantro, and kosher salt. It’s the same one I use on my pork tenderloin tacos!
Sour cream crema: sour cream, lime juice, garlic, kosher salt, and onion powder. Use a dairy free sour cream or cashew cream isntead of sour cream for dairy-free!
How to Make Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Step 1. Roast the sweet potatoes: Poke the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, rub them with olive oil, and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Place on a sheet pan and roast for 50 to 60 minutes, until fork-tender and the skin has started to wrinkle.
Step 2. Make the corn salsa: Cook the corn in skillet until you see deep golden-brown spots across the kernels. That’s the char you’re looking for. Remove from the pan and stir together with the remaining salsa ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Step 3. Brown the taco meat: Cook the ground turkey or beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into pieces, until no pink remains. Add the taco seasoning following the packet instructions. When it’s done, the meat should look saucy and glossy, not dry.
Step 4. Fill and top with cheese: Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise. Fill the center of each half with taco meat, then cover generously with chihuahua cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes until melted.
Step 5. Assemble: Top each half with the street corn salsa and a drizzle of crema. Add extra cilantro and serve immediately.
Want to speed up the sweet potato cooking to 30 minutes? Cut them in half lengthwise and roast them cut-side-down at 425 for 30 minutes. It’s what I use to make my street corn sweet potato taco bowls. Or add roasted sweet potatoes to my ground beef taco bowls.
Variations and Swaps
Ground turkey or ground beef both work here. Turkey is leaner and slightly milder in flavor, which I’ve found makes this more friendly for picky eaters at the table. Beef has more richness and a deeper savory quality. The protein content per serving is high either way, which is exactly what keeps this dinner filling.
For the cheese, Monterey Jack melts similarly to chihuahua and is a solid swap. Pepper Jack adds heat, which works well if you’re already going spicy with the salsa. Cheddar works but has a stronger flavor that competes a bit with the taco seasoning.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written, as long as your taco seasoning is certified gluten free. Siete is.
For a vegetarian version, black beans or pinto beans seasoned with the same taco seasoning work in place of the meat.
More Taco Recipes
Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
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Ingredients
Tacos Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- 5 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil spray
- 1 lb ground turkey or ground beef
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 packet taco seasoning I use Siete Mild taco seasoning
- 8 oz chihuahua cheese or shredded Mexican cheese
Street Corn Salsa
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup fresh corn about 1 ear
- 1 large avocado diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoon lime juice about 1 lime
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Sour Cream Crema
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 Tablespoon lime juice about 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Poke holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork. Rub them with olive oil or cooking spray and sprinkle generously with salt. Roast for 50-60 minutes, until fork tender and the skin is crispy.5 medium sweet potatoes, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, Kosher salt to taste
- Stir together the crema ingredients and store in the fridge. Add enough milk until it’s a drizzling consistency.1/2 cup sour cream, 2 Tablespoon lime juice, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Drizzle olive oil or spray nonstick spray in a medium skillet over medium high-heat. Cook the corn until charred, 3-4 minutes. Stir together with the remaining salsa ingredients and store in the fridge.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup fresh corn, 1 large avocado, 1 clove garlic, 2 Tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- In the same skillet, brown the ground turkey until no pink remains and follow package instructions to stir in the taco seasoning.1 lb ground turkey, 1 packet taco seasoning
- When the sweet potatoes are done, carefully cut them in half down the center. Fill with taco meat and sprinkle with cheese. Broil in the oven for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Top with avocado corn salsa and a drizzle of crema and extra cilantro.8 oz chihuahua cheese
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe by: Molly Thompson of What Molly Made | Photography by: Sierra Inn
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