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A colourful sweet potato and black bean taco topped with red cabbage slaw, cilantro and a creamy sauce on a plate. There's a jar of queso sauce with a spoon in it in the background.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 12 tacos
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

These delicious sweet potato black bean tacos with chipotle sauce and slaw are quick and easy to whip up for a crowd-pleasing meal packed with bold flavours.


Ingredients

For the Roasted Sweet Potato

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes (595 g, approx 5 cups cubed)
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • salt

For the Slaw

  • 2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 lime, juiced (approx. 3-4 tbsp)
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped 
  • pinch of sugar
  • salt and pepper

For the Queso

For the Black Beans

  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced (115 g/1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ cup water
  • salt and pepper

For Serving

  • 12 small corn tortillas or flour tortillas

Instructions

  1. Soak Cashews: Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with just boiled water. If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, you can soak for a minimum of 15 minutes. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak for a minimum of 1 hour. After soaking, drain well.
  2. When you’re ready to proceed, preheat the oven to 425 F.
  3. Make the Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Add the sweet potato cubes, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder and cumin to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil, season with a pinch of salt, then toss with your hands to coat and spread in a single layer. Roast on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes until tender.
  4. Make the Slaw: Add the cabbage, lime juice, salt and a pinch of sugar to a mixing bowl and mix with your hands, massaging the cabbage to coat. Add the cilantro and toss to combine. Set aside.
  5. Make the Queso: Add the soaked cashews and the rest of the queso ingredients to a high-powered blender. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and season with more salt or blend in a bit more water to adjust the consistency, if needed.
  6. Cook the Onions: Heat 2 tsp oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened.
  7. Add the Spices: Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
  8. Add the Black Beans and Water: Add the black beans and water and bring to a simmer. Once the mixture is simmering, reduce the heat to low and cook about 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid is reduced. Note: You can smash some of the beans with a potato masher, fork or back of a wooden spoon for a refried bean-like texture, adding more water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
  9. Warm Tortillas: If desired, warm tortillas over medium heat in a large pan or directly on a gas range.
  10. Assemble Tacos: Place a scoop of the black bean mixture into a warm tortilla, top with sweet potatoes and a little slaw. Drizzle the queso over top. Add any other toppings you desire and enjoy. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Notes

Queso can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge in a sealed container. The slaw can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the fridge. The cashews can be soaked in advance up to overnight.

Leftover sweet potato and black bean mixtures can be stored 3-4 days in a sealed container in the fridge and used in taco bowls, salads or for more tacos. Reheat as needed in the microwave or on the stovetop before adding to tortillas.

Nutritional facts are an estimate based on creating 12 tacos including using all of the queso sauce and will vary based on the tortillas used.

The queso and slaw are optional. If you’re not making that portion of the recipe, see blog post above for alternative topping and sauce ideas.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 taco
  • Calories: 236
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 32 g
  • Fiber: 6 g
  • Protein: 10 g