Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soft Tacos

If you are a soft taco lover, then this sweet potato and black bean taco is something you would want to try. The best taco for vegetarian and vegan foodies and it is so filling and easy to make.

My little one loves tacos, especially soft tacos. He would be happy to get a potato-filled soft taco or wrap at Taco Bell. He would always get some kind of soft taco at restaurants.

Sweet potato is one of our favorites and it pairs marvelously well with black beans. I have to admit that it took me a while to make this Sweet potato taco. I have always stuck to the traditional onion, bell pepper, beans, and cheese kind of filling.

Sweet potato and black beans taco is one of the kind of soft taco that I don't care for the cheese. The sweet potatoes give the tacos the sweetness and texture and we don't miss the cheese at all.

Why make these soft tacos?

• The first and foremost reason that you have to try this sweet potato soft taco right away is because it is the most delicious kind of taco.
• Even if you are a meat lover, you will fall in love with this meatless soft tacos and it will soon become one of your favorite for meatless Monday dinners.
• This is the perfect recipe for Vegan soft tacos. You don't need the cheese at all or any kind of dairy.
• Roasting the sweet potatoes brings out the most flavor and they are delicious when paired with the black beans.
• This sweet potato taco is perfect for those who are looking into meal planning. Everything can be made ahead of time and then assembled just when ready to eat.
• Kids or adults will come back for seconds (and thirds). It is perfect if you are planning for Taco Tuesday with a bunch of friends and family.
• You can use as many additional toppings or just not use any at all and it will be all still delicious. So these tacos are very adaptable that way.

Ingredients and substitutes

Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable recipe.

Sweet Potatoes - The star of the recipe is sweet potato. I use the regular ones that I buy from regular grocery stores. I don't use the Indian store sweet potatoes as they are much firmer and don't roast the same.

Black beans - I use the canned black beans most of the time as they are convenient and do not require too much pre-planning. We could use dry beans as well, but make sure to soak and cook them before. If using canned black beans, drain the beans and rinse well before using.

Tortillas - Use store-bought or make your tortilla. I have used both flour tortillas and corn tortillas and they both work well. Just heat the tortillas in the oven or microwave for a few seconds and use.

Spices - I have used roasted cumin powder, red chili powder, and taco seasoning along with salt and pepper. We could use paprika instead of red chili powder for a less spicy soft taco option.

Other vegetables - I have used onion, garlic, cilantro, and some lime juice to flavor the black beans and sweet potato tacos.

Honey - I have roasted the sweet potatoes with a little honey which can be skipped if making it entirely vegan. We could also swap the honey for some maple syrup and keep it vegan.

Step-by-step process

Roast the sweet potatoes -

• Wash and peel the sweet potatoes and dice them into even-sized pieces. I like to keep them around 1-inch cubes.

• Place them in a bowl and drizzle some olive oil (around 1 Tablespoon), salt, pepper, and also a drizzle of honey. Skip the honey if keeping it vegan or swap it with maple syrup.

• Place the prepared sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake them in a preheated 425F oven. It will take about 20 to 25 minutes depending on how big the cubes are. Flip the sweet potatoes once or twice in between baking to ensure an even roast.

• The sweet potatoes are ready when they are tender and start to brown around the edges.

Prepare the black beans -

• Most of the time, I use canned organic black beans. It is just easier to use canned beans as there is no soaking and cooking time. If you are a better planner and have a weekly meal plan, then soak the dry black beans overnight and cook until they are just tender.

• If using canned beans, drain the beans and give them a quick wash.

• Heat a cast iron or any heavy skillet and add 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the onion to the pan and saute until they are tender.

• Now add the minced garlic and the spice powders - red chili powder (cayenne), taco seasoning, and roasted cumin powder. Add the salt needed and stir it.

• Add the drained black beans to the pan and mix everything well. Cook until the flavors infuse (about 2 to 3 minutes).

Finish the soft taco filling -

• Once the sweet potatoes are roasted, add them to the pan along with the black beans.

• Add the chopped cilantro and in the end, add freshly squeezed lime juice and mix everything to combine.

• The sweet potato and black bean filling is now ready to be used for the soft tacos assembly.

Assembling the soft tacos

I used flour tortillas (soft taco size) for making vegetarian black beans and sweet potato tacos. Slightly warm the tortillas and keep them wrapped in a soft kitchen cloth in a tortilla box until ready to serve.

Fill each tortilla with the prepared black beans and sweet potato filling and then top with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and more lime juice as needed.

This spicy black bean dip would be a great filling alternative to these soft tacos. Just roast the sweet potatoes and use them along with the spicy black bean dip. And if you love butternut squash, then swap the roasted sweet potatoes with this savory oven-roasted butternut squash.

If you are looking for a low-carb alternative, use Romaine lettuce instead of flour tortilla.

My husband loves making his soft taco with corn tortillas. That would be a great option to keep this recipe gluten-free.

Skip the honey and sour cream and make these sweet potato black bean tacos as a vegan dinner.

Expert Tips

• This is a great recipe for a weeknight dinner. Having all the ingredients ready makes assembling the tacos a breeze.
• The sweet potatoes can be roasted ahead of time and refrigerated. This cuts down the cooking time and it will take just about 15 minutes from start to finish.
• if you are using dried black beans, process them ahead of time and keep them frozen until ready to use.
• Use corn tortillas or Romaine lettuce for a different flavor option.

Frequently asked questions

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soft Tacos

Sandhya Ramakrishnan

If you are a soft taco lover, then this sweet potato and black bean taco is something you would want to try. The best taco for vegetarian and vegan foodies and it is so filling and easy to make.

5 from 57 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8 servings

Calories 256 kcal

Equipment

• oven
• Baking sheet
• Skillet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 Tortilla (soft taco size)
• 2 large Sweet Potatoes
• 1 can Black beans
• 1 cup Onion (chopped)
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic (minced)
• ¼ cup Cilantro (chopped)
• 2 teaspoon Honey (Can be skipped or swapped with maple syrup)
• 1 teaspoon Red chili powder (Can be substituted with paprika)
• 1 teaspoon Roasted cumin powder
• 2 teaspoon Taco seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon Lime juice
• as needed Salt
• as needed Black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 teaspoon Cooking oil

Optional serving ingredients

• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Fresh lime

Instructions

 

Roast the sweet potatoes -

• Wash and peel the sweet potatoes and dice them into even-sized pieces. I like to keep them around 1-inch cubes.
  2 large Sweet Potatoes
• Place them in a bowl and drizzle some olive oil (around 1 Tablespoon), salt, pepper, and also a drizzle of honey. Skip the honey if keeping it vegan or swap it with maple syrup.
  2 teaspoon Honey, as needed Salt, 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, as needed Black pepper
• Place the prepared sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake them in a preheated 425℉ oven. It will take about 20 to 25 minutes depending on how big the cubes are. Flip the sweet potatoes once or twice in between baking to ensure an even roast.
• The sweet potatoes are ready when they are tender and start to brown around the edges.

Prepare the black beans -

• Most of the time, I use canned organic black beans. It is just easier to use canned beans as there is no soaking and cooking time. If you are a better planner and have a weekly meal plan, then soak the dry black beans overnight and cook until they are just tender.
  1 can Black beans
• If using canned beans, drain the beans and give them a quick wash.
• Heat a cast iron or any heavy skillet and add 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the onion to the pan and saute until they are tender.
  2 teaspoon Cooking oil, 1 cup Onion
• Now add the minced garlic and the spice powders - red chili powder (cayenne), taco seasoning, and roasted cumin powder. Add the salt needed and stir it.
  1 Tablespoon Garlic, 1 teaspoon Red chili powder, 1 teaspoon Roasted cumin powder, 2 teaspoon Taco seasoning, as needed Salt
• Add the drained black beans to the pan and mix everything well. Cook until the flavors infuse (about 2 to 3 minutes).
  1 can Black beans

Finish the soft taco filling -

• Once the sweet potatoes are roasted, add them to the pan along with the black beans.
  2 large Sweet Potatoes
• Add the chopped cilantro and in the end, add freshly squeezed lime juice and mix everything to combine.
  ¼ cup Cilantro, 1 Tablespoon Lime juice
• The sweet potato and black bean filling is now ready to be used for the soft tacos assembly.

Assembling the soft tacos -

• I used flour tortillas (soft taco size) for making vegetarian black beans and sweet potato tacos. Slightly warm the tortillas and keep them wrapped in a soft kitchen cloth in a tortilla box until ready to serve.
  8 Tortilla
• Fill each tortilla with the prepared black beans and sweet potato filling and then top with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and more lime juice as needed.
  Guacamole, Salsa, Sour cream, Fresh lime
• If you are looking for a low-carb alternative, use Romaine lettuce instead of flour tortilla.
• My husband loves making his soft taco with corn tortillas. That would be a great option to keep this recipe gluten-free.
• Skip the honey and sour cream and make these sweet potato black bean tacos as a vegan dinner.

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 7gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 480mgPotassium: 536mgFiber: 8gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 12176IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 3mg

Keyword How to make vegetarian black beans soft taco, Soft tacos with roasted sweet potatoes and black beans

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