Roasted sweet potato cubes meet black beans in a smoky-sweet dance of cumin, lime, and chipotle. Hearty, colorful, and protein-packed with a South American soul.←Back to Taco Base Recipes
1 lb sweet potato, peeled and diced 1/2 in (1.3 cm)
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 can canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
0.5 tsp chipotle powder
0.5 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Roast sweet potato: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss sweet potato cubes with 1 tbsp oil, cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, garlic powder, and half the salt. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender with caramelized edges.
Warm beans: While sweet potato roasts, heat remaining oil in a skillet over medium. Add black beans and remaining salt. Cook 3–4 minutes, mashing about a quarter of the beans with a fork to create a creamy base while leaving most whole.
Combine: Add roasted sweet potato to the beans. Toss gently to combine. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro if using.
Taste and adjust: Add more lime for brightness or salt for depth.
Mild option: Omit chipotle powder for gentle smokiness.
Chef's Notes
Roast the sweet potato until the edges caramelize and get slightly crispy. That's where the flavor lives, and rushing this step robs you of the best part. Spread cubes in a single layer with space between them; crowding causes steaming instead of roasting. Canned black beans are perfectly fine here; just rinse them well to remove the starchy liquid. For a more complex flavor, use dried beans cooked with a bay leaf and garlic clove. Mashing about a quarter of the beans creates a creamy base that helps everything cling together in a tortilla. Don't skip the lime at the end; it brightens the dish and cuts through the richness like a tiny citrus machete. The Taco Scrolls record this as 'the humble filling that defeated a thousand skeptics.' Sweet potato and black bean have been in a committed relationship for centuries, and we're just lucky witnesses.
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Black Bean & Roasted Sweet Potato - Taco Base Recipe | Taco Ninja | Taco Ninja
