Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potato

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These Stuffed Sweet Potatoes filled with Southwest flavors including black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes are easy to make, healthy, and made with pantry staples.

296 CAL 56g CARBS 4g FAT 14g PROTEIN 7
5 Comments

There are so many things to love about these Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes filled with black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes and then topped with melted cheese. They are a perfect meal to clean out your pantry and make a great vegetarian meal that is filling and healthy.

Growing up, I don't think I saw a sweet potato all year until Thanksgiving rolled around, and then it was to eat them mashed up and covered in marshmallows and other sweet stuff. I never really liked that dish growing up, and because of that, it never occurred to me that sweet potatoes could be served in any other way.

Fast forward to when I was a young adult, living on my own. I often made a meal out of a baked potato topped with a microwaved box of frozen cheesy broccoli. I figured, I was eating semi-healthy and within budget and that's all that really mattered at that time.

I never gave any potato other than the typical Russet a second glance. I never thought about what I was missing, nutrition-wise. Then, one day I came across a recipe for a baked sweet potato covered in chili and cheese and I never looked back. Luckily, I was feeling adventurous that day and decided to step out of my cooking comfort zone or I never would have had the pleasure of incorporating the sweet potato into lots of my recipes.

Now, here we are, in the present and all I can think about is eating a stuffed sweet potato for lunch every single day. I've discovered over the years that not only do they offer endless combinations in terms of stuffing options, but sweet potatoes are also packed with good-for-you fiber, carotenoids, vitamin E, and potassium. Plus they are affordable, last for a long time in the pantry, and are generally available.

Although I can usually be found stuffing whatever leftover protein and veggies I have into my spuds, this Southwest-inspired combination with black beans, tomatoes, peppers, spices, and cheese is one of my favorites. Bake your sweet potatoes in advance on the weekend (or just use the microwave) and make the filling. Then just stuff them when it’s time to eat.

Two baked stuffed sweet potatoes with black beans, corn, melted cheese, and tomatoes.

What Makes Sweet Potatoes Healthy?

In addition to the nutritional information listed above, sweet potatoes are great in other ways as well.

  • They are a good source of beta-carotene. You know how carrots have that orange color too? You can thank beta-carotene for that. This substance is a precursor to vitamin A, which means your body turns it into vitamin A. It's also a carotenoid and antioxidant.
  • They have anti-inflammatory properties that help your body heal itself.
  • They contain antioxidants that can fight the aging process and protect your cells from free radicals.
  • Sweet potatoes are good for your digestive system in that they contain fiber, which keeps you running smoothly.
  • They are low on the glycemic index, which means they don't make you feel hungry 30 minutes after you eat them. They stick around, digesting slowly, and thus keep your blood sugar from becoming too high.
  • Sweet potatoes are low fat and gluten-free.

Ideas for Customizing Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Stuffing a potato is easy and Tex Mex flavors lend themselves to all sorts of customization:

  • Sub green onions for white or red.
  • Add in any kind of bell peppers you like, or try a diced poblano for a little heat. 
  • You can use any can of diced tomatoes as well, but drain them first. You could also use salsa or pico de gallo.
  • You'll want to add black olives to the top of the potato or into the mix if you love them like I do. 
  • You can add more or less chili powder, depending on how much heat you like in your meals.
  • You can also add even more heat with a spicy Tabasco Chipotle hot sauce — one of my favorite toppings for Tex Mex foods. Or add some jarred or fresh jalapenos.
  • Add a dollop of low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt to the top of your potato.
  • Add diced chicken to the potato toppings for a little extra lean protein.

Southwest stuffed baked sweet potatoes with corn, black beans, green pepper, tomatoes, and shredded cheese.

What's the Difference Between a Sweet Potato and a Yam?

When it comes to the tubers you're used to seeing in your grocery store, really nothing is going to be different whether its marked "yam" or "sweet potato." There are 16 varieties of sweet potato, so you're probably buying one of the varieties.

If you truly want a yam, you're doing to have to look to an entirely different family of tubers. Real yams originated in Africa and Asia and they are actually related to lilies. They have the same shape as a sweet potato, but have black or dark brown, rough skin and white, purple or red insides. Yams are drier and contain more starch, like a regular white potato.

Whether you sweet po-tay-toe or sweet po-ta-toe, you're gonna love this Southwestern dish for lunch or any meal, any day of the week.

Looking for more potato recipes?

This recipe was originally posted in 2015 but has been updated with new photos and cooking tips.

The Recipe
Stuffed sweet potatoes with Southwest ingredients including black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, green peppers, and cheese.

Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potato

296 CAL 56g CARBS 4g FAT 14g PROTEIN 7
PREP TIME: 15 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 30 Min
5 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 4 sweet potatoes
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, diced (optional)
  • 14 oz. canned diced tomatoes with green chilis, drained (like Rotel)
  • 14 oz. canned black beans, drained
  • 1 cup canned corn
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 8 tbsp. reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

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Instructions

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1

Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until tender. To microwave, pierce the potatoes with a knife and microwave for 10-12 minutes until softened or according to your microwave’s settings.

2

Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a pan. Add the garlic, scallions, and green pepper. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.

3

Add the diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, and spices. Cook for 3-4 minutes until warmed though.

4

If desired, scoop out the baked potatoes and mix with the filling. Then divide up between the potatoes and top with 2 tbsp. of cheese. You can also just fill the potatoes.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1 stuffed potato
Amount Per Serving
Calories 296
Calories from Fat 37
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g
6%
Saturated Fat 1g
6%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 4mg
1%
Sodium 1043mg
45%
Total Carbohydrate 56g
17%
Dietary Fiber 13g
48%
Sugars 8g
Protein 14g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
5 Comments
On Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potato
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J. Ford
November 7, 2023 - 08:13
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5
Delicious! I have seen many versions of this recipe but have been hesitant to try it because sweet potatoes don't seem like a likely pairing for southwest flavors. I was very pleasantly surprised at how tasty this is. Very easy to make, simple ingredients, lots of flavor in a healthy, hearty meal. Thank you!
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James Pate
April 2, 2020 - 15:46
Wonderful! And, as mentioned, VERY filling. One half would have been enough (but I managed to make it through)
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Shawn Perlman
April 2, 2020 - 12:43
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5
We loved this. I made them with jarred salsa instead of the diced tomatoes and left out the green pepper since I didn't have any. Still was delicious and really filling. Kids loved it too.
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Robin Perley
February 9, 2017 - 20:41
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5
I made this without the cheese (because I forgot to buy it!) and without the cumin, chili powder or paprika. The spicy tomatoes were enough for me - I didn't drain their thick sauce. I also used a red pepper instead of green and 1/2 potato for each serving. Wow, was it good! I will definitely be making this again!
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Megan Eaton
February 1, 2016 - 16:50
Add a Rating:
4
Soooo good!!! I added the entire can of rotel so it was deliciously spicy! Definitely a repeat!
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