Southwest Loaded Sweet Potato

Switch up the way you eat and serve sweet potatoes. Instead of a plain sweet potato, make it enjoyable by creating a loaded sweet potato with some pizazz! This loaded sweet potato recipe is so easy!

It all begins with a simple baked sweet potato. Then, with a few magical ingredients, a simple baked sweet potato transforms into a sweet, savory, and delicious meal packed into one lovely vessel.

Jump to:

• Options for Cooking Sweet Potatoes
• Recipe Ingredients
• Ingredient Substitutions
• How to Make the Stuffed Potatoes
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

What I love most about sweet potatoes are their crispy skin and creamy sweetness. However, since I'm more of a savory girl, I enjoy adding something extra to my sweet potatoes.

Although you can make a loaded sweet potato with any ingredients you love, I chose a Mexican stuffed sweet potato full of goodies.

Options for Cooking Sweet Potatoes

Baking

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. Give your sweet potatoes a good wash and scrub.
3. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and poke 4 to 5 holes in each sweet potato with a fork or sharp knife.
4. Bake in the oven for approximately 60 minutes, or until soft.

Instant Pot

1. Small potatoes: Pressure cook for 10-12 minutes. 
2. Medium potatoes: Pressure cook for 14-16 minutes. 
3. Large potatoes: Pressure cook for 18-20 minutes.
4. When the cooking time ends, allow the pot to naturally release pressure for 8-10 minutes

Crock Pot

1. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes.
2. Wrap each sweet potato in foil, no need to add butter or oil.
3. Place the sweet potatoes in a 6-quart slow cooker.
4. Cook for 5 hours on low or 8 hours on low.

Microwave

1. Pierce the potato several times, and wrap it in a paper towel.
2. Microwave the wrapped sweet potato for 4 - 6 minutes, or until it is soft to the touch. 

Recipe Ingredients

You would be surprised how many different ingredients fit inside a sweet potato. And the more, the merrier.

• Sweet Potatoes: Choose red or orange, known as "moist" varieties. There are 16 different varieties of sweet potatoes.
• Black Beans: Black beans are rich in antioxidants, which can protect the cells in your body and reduce your risk of conditions like heart disease and cancer.
• Corn Salsa: I make my corn salsa every summer with fresh corn. Then I add it to recipes.
• Tomatoes: I chose grape tomatoes in various colors because of their vibrant colors and tough skin. They tend to be less watery than other tomatoes.
• Cilantro: I love the fresh taste of cilantro. Its freshness brings the other ingredients to life.
• Green Onions: n terms of flavor, scallions have the sharp, spicy, peppery flavor that white and yellow onions produce.
• Jalapenos: Jalapenos aren't hot unless you include their seeds and inner veins. I do, however, suggest you use gloves while handling and cutting jalapenos to avoid a transfer burn on your skin or in your eyes.
• Pic de Gallo: I also make my own Pico de Gallo from fresh tomatoes from my garden. But pico de Gallo is also available in the produce section of most grocery stores.
• Guacamole: My husband is the guacamole master, but today, I opted for store-bought guacamole for my loaded sweet potato recipe.

Ingredient Substitutions

• If you don't like sweet potatoes, choose a large baking potato instead.
• Choose pinto beans as a hearty replacement for black beans.
• Trader Joe's makes a great jarred corn salsa.
• Choose sturdy tomatoes like Romas instead of grape tomatoes for fewer watery seeds.
• Try red or white onions instead of green onions.
• If you are sensitive to spice, avoid using jalapeno peppers. However, if you like it spicy, add some jalapeno seeds to the mix.
• Use your favorite salsa instead of pico de gallo.
• Some people taste soap when they eat cilantro. If that sounds like you, skip it and add fresh parsley instead.

How to Make the Stuffed Potatoes

First, choose large sweet potatoes so they are easy to stuff. Next, select similar-sized potatoes and scrub them thoroughly since the skins remain on the potatoes and are edible, as well as the vessel for holding all the ingredients.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Or choose one of the other cooking methods.
2. Using a knife, poke holes into the sweet potatoes and place them on the rack in the oven.
3. I suggest placing a baking sheet on the rack directly below the cooking sweet potatoes to catch any liquids dripping during baking.
4. Cook for 1 hour until the skin is crispy and the center is soft to the touch.
5. In the meantime, prepare the other ingredients.
6. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes.
7. Next, using an oven mitt, hold on to each potato and slice each in half lengthwise in the center.
8. Then, holding the potato with the oven mitt, squeeze both ends toward the middle, which reveals the inside fresh and opening of the potato.
9. Or, slice each potato in half lengthwise, creating two servings.
10. Now, begin by adding guacamole to the center of the potato, followed by the beans and other ingredients.
11. Finish with cilantro, pico de gallo, and other chosen ingredients.

Serving Suggestions

I served this loaded sweet potato recipe as an entree with a green salad with vegan ranch dressing. Or try Mexican chopped salad or Mexican quinoa salad.

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• Scrub the outside of the sweet potatoes with a brush under water to remove any excess dirt.
• Be sure to poke holes in the sweet potato skin, which allows steam to escape. Otherwise, they could explode—it doesn't happen all the time, but it happens occasionally. The potato is full of water, trying to turn to steam or water vapor.
• Place a baking sheet on the rack under the sweet potatoes to keep your oven clean.
• While the potatoes cook, prepare the other ingredients to keep your oven clean.
• When cooking with jalapenos, always wear gloves to prevent burning your skin or eyes.

Enjoy this savory, delicious, loaded sweet potato! It melts in your mouth!

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📖 Recipe