I’ve never loved baked potatoes. I know… that’s hardly the way to begin a baked potato post. In my world (growing up), they came 2 ways: On our dinner table – plain with just a bit of margarine (sorry mom!)… and at the Yorktown Mall food court – those giant sour-cream-piled ones that seemed like a heart attack on a plate. (Which, by the way, were considered the “healthy” option because they were baked not fried! Gotta love the midwest in the 90’s).
The kind that wasn’t an option? This kind… baked sweet potatoes stuffed with black beans, a little bit of cheese (which is optional), toasted pumpkins seeds for crunch, and a big dollop of creamy chile-spiced greek yogurt. Healthy comfort food at it’s finest (and easiest).
There are no ingredient measurements here – use this as inspiration and stuff to your own heart’s desire! I had these cute mini potatoes which were the perfect serving size for a simple dinner (well, 1 for me, 2 for Jack)… if your potatoes are larger you may want to cut them in half. I’m currently using J.R. Watkins chili powder, and it’s awesome.
healthy loaded sweet potatoes
- sweet potatoes
- cheddar cheese (optional)
- black beans
- toasted pumpkin seeds
- greek yogurt + lime + salt + chile powder
- (vegan sub: chipotle cashew cream or avocado cream)
- chives
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Poke holes into your sweet potatoes and bake them on a baking sheet (don't wrap them in foil), for about 40-45 minutes or until they're fork tender.
- Remove from the oven. Slice them open, and scoop out a little bit to make room for your stuffing. (I also gently mash a little bit of the inside with the back of my fork).
- Optional step: Sprinkle cheese on top and pop them back in the oven (I switch to broil) for a few minutes for the cheese to melt.
- While you wait for your cheese to melt, mix together greek yogurt with a squeeze of lime, salt and a bit of chile powder. Taste and adjust, making it as spicy/tangy as you like.
- Stuff with black beans, spicy pumpkin seeds, and top with chile-spiced greek yogurt.
- Sprinkle some chives on top, dust with extra chile powder, and dig in.
In my country I cant buy a sweet potato because in supermarket dont have it. ?
Love me some loaded potatoes! Although my carb-loving self would probably prefer regular loaded potatoes (heart attack on a plate indeed!), the part of me that wants to live to see 50 chooses these instead 🙂
I also included this recipe as a roundup of my favorite healthy recipes on my blog (giving you full links and credit, of course) – I hope that’s ok!
These look absolutely delicious!
These look great. I’ve gotten into a beetroot and feta baked potato stuffing rut, this is inspiring me to branch out.
Additionally, you should unfollow people who aren’t following you. I fell for a paid blog scam when I started blogging six years ago.
I’m excited to try these! This night be a silly question, lol, but how do you prepare your black beans. I’ve never used them, believe it or not, do they need to be just heated through (canned) or do you cook dried beans? Thanks! Lol!
Hi Daniella – not a silly question! Here, used canned beans and just drained and rinsed them (the potato was hot so room temp beans became warm, but you could heat them up a bit if you wanted).
Occasionally I’ll cook my own – I soak them overnight, rinse, then cook in a pot filled with (water filled about 2 inches above the beans)… cook until tender – usually 30-45 minutes. Hope that helps!
Oh great! Good to know! Thanks! We’re going to make your taco salad this week too 🙂
Had to let you know I did end up making the sweet potatoes and your taco salad late last week. My husband loved it too! It’s nice to get more meatless meals in that have lots of flavour! I believe his exact words were, “this is like a flavour explosion in my mouth”. Hahaha… thanks!
Ha, that’s the best feedback ever – so glad you liked the recipes!
I will take baked sweet potatoes over normal baked potatoes any day. These look fabulous!
how do you make the toasted pumpkin seeds “spicy”?
I actually just found these really tasty ones in the bulk bins (at whole foods)… To make some yourself, toast them in a skillet with a tiny bit of oil, salt, and chile powder (or cumin, corriander, whatever spices you like).
Sweet potatoes are my newest go-to food. I bake several at a time and enjoy them in fall/winter for breakfast. 1 Tbls. butter, mascarpone, or greek yogurt, and then a healthy sprinkle of chipoltle chili powder. Per your suggestion, will now complete my dish with toasted pumpkin seeds.
Hope you like it with the pumpkin seeds (I just love that extra crunch) 🙂
These are on my menu plan for the week! So good!
thanks Cara! Hope you like 🙂
Funny, I grew up with my mom always wrapping sweet potatoes in foil. This would be a great way to rebel against her…
Ha, that’s so funny…
I just (recently) learned that the skin caramelizes better w/o foil because the skin doesn’t steam…
Always loved sweet potatoes but never prepared them this way. Just made these for my family and they were a hit. What a great package: easy to make, amazing taste and healthy! Thanks!
Hi Luigia – so glad you (and your family) liked them!!
I have a sweet potato for dinner a couple times a month actually. Usually when my husbands away or something like that, they’re my ‘no clean up’ meal when I’m by myself and it’s usually just salt and pepper with a dab of butter…anyway, the black beans would be such a great addition to my solo-dinner plate and pepitas? LOVE. Never would have thought of the chili lime addition and I bet it is fabulous with the sweet of the potato.
I’m like you too, I don’t do regular potatoes. For some reason I tell myself a sweet potato is okay but plain isn’t. I know they’re healthier but plain potatoes with these toppings would also be dreamy I suspect.
Stomachs growling……….thx.
Hi Angela – thanks, yep, I think it’s the perfect “alone meal”… I hate to cook something complicated just for myself 🙂
I love stuffed potatoes so much!! These look perfect!
these look perfect! i never liked them either growing up but now i love baked sweet potatoes 🙂
Thanks Lisa, me too 🙂
I have never been much of a stuffed potato fan until I had stuffed sweet potato. The combination of veggies you have suggest have got this meat loving girl wanting to go vegan for a day!
ha, thanks Belinda!
I love stuffed sweet potatoes. They’re my favorite quick meal, especially when topped with guacamole! If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from? There’s a Yorktown mall in the Chicago burbs (where I grew up) and just wondering if we frequented the same food court! 🙂
Hi Dana,
Yep, that’s the one, ha! (I grew up in Darien)
I have to say though that here in Argentina malls used to serve the same baked potatoe. It’s a global thing.
Loved the vean filling, by the way.
Ha, good to know, I shouldn’t be so quick to make fun of the midwest 🙂
Yes! Certainly is the same one! 🙂 I have fond memories of the mall being one of the first places my friends and I were able to hang out at by ourselves as teenagers…
ha, yep, me too… small world!