Loaded Sweet Potatoes
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Sweet potatoes weren't native to Mexico until Spanish conquistadors brought them from Peru in 1521—now they're taco truck gold.

Loaded Sweet Potatoes

Get ready to indulge in these scrumptious stuffed sweet potatoes! Baked until they're tender and fluffy, each potato is generously piled high with savory spiced beef, zesty fresh salsa, and creamy guacamole for a flavor explosion. Perfect for a cozy dinner or a fun gathering, these loaded delights are sure to impress!

quickhealthy
nut-freegluten-freeegg-free

Prep

15

min

Cook

60

min

Serves

4

people

Level

intermediate

📝 Ingredients

Serves 4
Servings:

🥬Fresh Produce(6)

  • 1 large avocado
  • Squeeze of lime juice
  • half a red onion
  • a quarter of a red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 whole sweet potatoes
  • A splash of water

🥩Meat & Seafood(1)

  • 350g lean beef mince (≈ 12 oz) (0.77 lbs)

🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)

  • 40 g shredded cheese (about 20 g per bowl) (1.41 oz)
  • Light sour cream, to serveoptional

🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)

  • Fresh coriander
  • 1tsp paprika and 1tsp cumin (or taco seasoning) (5 ml)taco seasoning
  • salt and pepper
  • Salt & pepper

📦Other(1)

  • half a punnet cherry tomatoes, sliced

👨‍🍳 Instructions

  1. 1

    Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork, wrap them in aluminium foil.

  2. 2

    Airfryer method: 205°C for 40–50 minutes, until soft. Once cooked, turn the airfryer off and leave the sweet potatoes inside for 1 hour — this helps them caramelize and become extra soft.

  3. 3

    Oven method: Preheat the oven to 220°C, place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray, and roast for 40–50 minutes, until tender when pierced. Turn the oven off and leave them inside for 1 hour to caramelize.

  4. 4

    Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and beef mince and cook until browned. Stir in the seasoning and a splash of water, then simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened.

  5. 5

    Mix all the salsa ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mash the avocado, coriander, lime juice, onion, garlic salt and pepper.

  6. 6

    Slice the sweet potatoes open and lightly mash the inside with a fork. Top with the mince, fresh salsa, guacamole, cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.

💡 Pro Tips

  • Pierce sweet potatoes 8-12 times with a fork before wrapping to prevent bursting, as sweet potatoes contain 20% more moisture than regular potatoes and need steam vents.technique8-12 punctures
  • The 1-hour carryover cooking at residual heat converts starches to sugars through enzymatic action, increasing sweetness by up to 30% compared to immediate removal.timing1 hour carryover
  • Cook ground beef to exactly 71°C internal temperature, then let moisture evaporate for 2-3 minutes to concentrate flavors and prevent soggy sweet potatoes.technique71°C internal temp
  • Add lime juice to guacamole at a 2:1 ratio (2 tbsp lime per large avocado) to prevent oxidation through citric acid's pH lowering effect below 4.0.ingredient2:1 ratio lime to avocado
  • Lightly score the sweet potato flesh in a crosshatch pattern before mashing to create more surface area for toppings and prevent dense pockets.technique
Cuisine: mexican
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