These Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Lime Crema are the perfect meal prep item, since they’re already pre-portioned and ready to go. There are a lot of options for toppings and seasonings with this recipe, so get creative, use up whatever you have hanging out in the fridge, and make it new each time!
This recipe pairs well with Cilantro Lime Rice!
Portions
The portion size for this dish changes quite a bit with the size of your sweet potato, and also whether or not you choose to use a whole or a half potato per serving. I used one half potato per serving, but if you wish to have a whole sweet potato per serving, you can roast them whole, making sure to add to the cook time so they are soft all the way through. The seasoning can be added after roasting, once the potatoes are cut open and mashed.
Add-ons and Substitutions
As you can probably imagine, this recipe is SUPER customizable. You can add anything to these sweet potatoes that you might like. Think about taco or nacho toppings for inspiration. Add corn to the bean and pepper mix, avocados as a topper, cilantro, or maybe even some crispy crumbled tortilla chips! There are lots of options. :)
If you don’t want a spicy chipotle lime crema, you can make my classic Lime Crema instead. And if you can’t find jerk seasoning, any number of seasoning salts would work in its place. You could use something like Tajín, Lowry’s, or even something like Tony Chachere’s.
Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Lime Crema
Servings 4Ingredients
- 2 lbs. sweet potatoes ($1.93)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided ($0.26)
- 2 tsp jerk seasoning (or seasoning salt of choice) ($0.20)
- 1 clove garlic ($0.08)
- 1 red bell pepper ($1.50)
- 1 15oz. can black beans, drained ($0.59)
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin ($0.03)
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided ($0.04)
- 1 lime, zested and juiced ($o.22)
- 1/2 cup sour cream ($0.45)
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1 jalapeño (optional), sliced thin ($0.10)
- 1 green onion, sliced ($0.10)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. To make the Chipotle Lime crema, zest and juice the lime. Combine the sour cream with 1 Tbsp lime juice, about 1/2 tsp lime zest, the chipotle powder, garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir the ingredients together, then refrigerate until ready to use.
- Wash then dry the sweet potatoes. Use a fork to prick the skins several times all over. Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, then use 1 Tbsp olive oil to coat the surface of all four pieces.
- Season the cut sides of the sweet potatoes with Jerk Seasoning, or whatever seasoning salt you prefer. Coat the surface of a baking sheet with a thin layer of oil, then place the sweet potatoes cut side down. Bake the sweet potatoes for 30 minutes, or until they are soft, you can see the juices oozing out from underneath, and the skins look a little wrinkly.
- While the sweet potatoes are baking, Mince a clove of garlic, dice the red bell pepper, slice the jalapeño and green onion.
- Add the minced garlic to a skillet with the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for one minute, then add the diced bell pepper. Sauté the pepper for 2-3 minutes, or just until it begins to soften, then add the black beans, cumin, salt, and green onion. Stir and cook until the beans are heated through.
- When the sweet potatoes come out of the oven, use a spatula to flip them over. Mash the flesh of the sweet potatoes with a fork, then pile the bean and pepper mixture over top. Add the sliced jalapeño and a dollop (or drizzle) of the chipotle lime crema to each, then serve.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Loaded Sweet Potatoes – Step by Step Photos
Begin preheating the oven to 400ºF. Next, make the Chipotle Lime Crema, so the flavors have a bit of time to blend. Zest and juice one lime, then stir together 1/2 cup sour cream with 1 Tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp zest, 1/2 tsp chipotle powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Refrigerate the crema until it’s time for it to be used.
Wash and dry two sweet potatoes. Use a fork to prick the skins several times. Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, then use about 1 Tbsp oil to coat all surfaces of all four pieces. Season the cut sides of the sweet potatoes with jerk seasoning (or any other seasoning salt, Tajín would be great). Lightly coat a baking sheet with oil to prevent the sweet potatoes from sticking, then place the potatoes on the sheet cut sides facing down.
This is the jerk seasoning I used, and I’m pretty sure I got it at Kroger. Any salted seasoning blend will work well. I like that this one also has a little sugar for a touch of sweetness.
Bake the sweet potatoes for about 30 minutes, or until they’re soft all the way through, the juices are starting to ooze out from underneath, and the skins look a little wrinkly. The total baking time will vary with the size of your sweet potatoes.
While the sweet potatoes are baking, prepare the toppings. Drain a 15oz. can of black beans, mince one clove of garlic, dice a red bell pepper, slice a green onion, and thinly slice a jalapeńo. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium, then add the minced garlic and sautè for about one minute. Add the diced bell pepper and sauté for another 2-3 minutes, or just until they begin to soften. Finally, add in the drained black beans, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, and the sliced green onion. Stir and cook until heated through.
Use a spatula to flip the baked sweet potatoes over, then use a fork to mash the flesh.
Top the sweet potatoes with the bean and pepper mixture, a few slices of jalapeño and a drizzle or dollop of the chipotle lime crema, then they’re ready to serve!
Dig in! :)
Any thoughts on whether this will freeze well? wondering how big of a batch to make. thanks!
If you wrapped the potatoes individually or sealed really well I think it could work. I would freeze the crema separate from the potatoes. Or just wait to make the day of serving.
I’ve made this three times now and it is a go to favorite. It is a forgiving recipe and I have added veggies to the top like zucchini to make it a little more filling and its still wonderful. The first time I made it I was distracted and sprinkled cinnamon instead of cumin on the topping and it was still really good. Hands down one of my favorite meals now.
Hot diggity dog this recipe is SO GOOD!!!!! Like the hot, spicy, 20x better cousin of a baked potato.
I’m new to cooking and was pleasantly surprised at how flavorful and delicious this recipe was. I recommend adding a heavier protein (meat like ground beef or meat substitute) if you want something super filling. However, I have a small appetite and this was perfect as is! The beans aren’t spiced because the jerk seasoning and the crema pack powerful flavors that work in harmony. The jalapeno was a perfect fresh topping to this dish.
I just made this and I loved it! I could find jerk seasoning or chipotle powder at the store but roasted the sweet potatoes with garlic salt and cinnamon instead and I liked it. Used a blend of tumeric paprika and curry powder in the crema, and it still tasted good I’ll definitely look for that chipotle powder for when I make this again! Corn was a leftover chopped cucumber was a nice addition to the bean mix! Love this site and the detail in these recipes!! Love that all your veggie meals are so flavorful and filling with variety!
Absolutely fantastic! I bought jerk seasoning specifically for this recipe and I’m happy I did, it will definitely go to the top of my spice rack and see a lot of use. I added corn and onions to my filling because I had them on hand and love them, and I made the sauce with half sour cream and half greek yogurt to make it almost like taziki. I think this might be one of my new favorite lunches.
We eat these probably twice a month now. They are so easy and incredibly flavorful. Not to mention filling. I think the recipe is one of the few recipes I have found online which is totally perfect as it is!!
We LOVE this recipe. We make it at least twice a month! We’ve added frozen corn to the toppings before when we have it on hand which is a great addition. Also, the Penzey’s smoky 4S seasoning salt is a nice ~fancy~ seasoning to use in place of jerk seasoning if you ever get the chance to try it out! Thanks for all the great recipes. :)
Oh that’s a great idea to add corn. Penzey’s is the best!
i made these for the first time last night and they’re AWESOME. reheat really well and were super filling. i added chorizo to the bean mixture because my boyfriend insists on eating meat for dinner — might be something to consider if you want the recipe to be even more filling. :)
Never wrong to add Chorizo! Thanks for sharing Michelle!
We love this meal! It’s become a staple in our meal rotation and would be great for meal prepping.
It’s a great one for meal preps!
Trader Joe’s sells cans of ‘Cuban style’ black beans. Adds a nice amount of extra flavor to the beans and some more veggies in the form of onion and green bell pepper.
I also do half sour cream half Greek yogurt for the Crema to make it a little healthier. I also you a bit more lime juice to give it some extra zip and counter balance to the rest of the meal.
I’ll also throw in some crushed red pepper to the beans/bell pepper mix if I’m missing the jalapeño and want a little extra spice.
These are a great, easy meal for nights when you don’t have much time to cook (especially if you have leftover baked sweet potatoes). Loved the sauce – not eating dairy so I made cashew sour cream and blended it up with the other sauce ingredients and a splash of water. Beans were good but would’ve liked a little more complexity from them. I’ll definitely make this again!
Do you think the sauce would be good with mayo instead of sour cream? I can’t have dairy right now.
Hmmm, mayo is quite a bit heavier than sour cream, so I’m not sure how that might taste.
Jennifer use a non-dairy sour cream; check out Ripple Foods.
I used a harissa mix for all the seasoning and pickled jalapenos- absolutely delicious.
For a non-dairy alternative, put a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight, make sure not to shake it or jostle it before opening; open and scoop out the coconut cream that rose to the top.
Just made this for meal prep and it’s the perfect filling yet healthy lunch! It’s so flavorful and delicious. I substituted Greek yogurt for sour cream and couldn’t even tell the difference. So yummy- I will definitely be making again!!
LOVE these. Have made them three times, now, and about to make them again. I substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream, and sometimes I’ve used chili and cayenne powders when I didn’t have chipotle. Only complaint is that the directions are weirdly disorganized; not as easy to follow as everything else on this site.