Tender sweet potatoes are the perfect vehicles for savory taco meat and all the fixings! These stuffed sweet potato taco boats are an easy meal that will stick to your ribs for hours. Make a batch for dinner and prep extras for easy meals all week long!
Table of Contents
Ground Beef Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
If you love baked potatoes, these sweet potato taco boats will be your new best friend! Warm sweet potatoes are roasted until soft and tender while you prepare the taco meat, then you slice them in half, mash them a bit, and add all the toppings.
They’re just as convenient as regular baked potatoes but with a cozy, comforting flavor that’s extra satisfying on those cool nights.
Plus, these stuffed sweet potatoes with ground beef are also packed with vitamin A, C, potassium, protein, zinc, iron, antioxidants, and healthy fats. They’re the perfect weeknight dinner!
Why We Love These Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Great healthy dinner option for Taco Tuesday (or any day)!
- Warm and cozy meal perfect for fall and winter
- Customize with your favorite taco toppings
- Naturally gluten-free and high in fiber
- Easy to meal prep for leftovers later in the week
- Family-friendly flavors
- Loaded with protein
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet potatoes: Since each sweet potato is a serving, I recommend looking for smaller-sized sweet potatoes or plan to split larger sweet potatoes in half after roasting. Smaller ones will cook faster too.
- Extra lean ground beef: Make sure the beef is fully thawed to cook it up quickly.
- Veggies: I like to mix diced red pepper, yellow onion, and frozen corn kernels for lots of color and flavor.
- Taco seasoning: My homemade taco seasoning uses savory spices like cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, and more. You can also use reduced-sodium store-bought taco seasoning as well.
- Salsa: Either storebought or homemade works great here. Use your favorite type!
- Shredded cheese: Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese, or smoked gouda have the perfect flavor and melty texture.
Optional Toppings
- Cilantro
- Green onion
- Avocado, avocado creme, or guacamole
- Fresh tomatoes
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
Step-by-Step Instructions
For the Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scrub sweet potatoes, pat dry, and poke 5-10 times with a fork. Arrange on a baking sheet.
- Roast sweet potatoes until tender and caramelized, about 60-75 minutes (the time will vary depending on the size of the sweet potatoes). They should be fork tender when you poke them with a fork.
- When cooked through, remove sweet potatoes from oven and allow to cool slightly (leave the oven on).
For the Taco Filling
- In a frying pan, cook the ground beef on medium heat for 5 minutes. Drain off any fat.
- Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until meat is cooked through and onion and pepper are softened.
- Add the taco seasoning, salsa and water, and stir until completely combined. Cook for 2-4 more minutes, until liquid has reduced and sauce is slightly thickened. In the last minute, add corn and toss to coat.
To assemble
- Using a knife, slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise.
- Gently mash the sweet potato filling with a fork, make sure to leave the skins intact. Season the sweet potato flesh with some salt and pepper.
- Add a bit of the meat mixture to each sweet potato. Sprinkle on half the cheese. Fill up the sweet potatoes with the remaining meat mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Place in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese has melted. Serve with desired toppings. Enjoy!
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- I would highly recommend making the taco seasoning and guacamole (if using) in advance so that all you have to do is cook the meat and sweet potatoes and assemble. You don’t want to be so busy in the kitchen that you miss out on all of the action! That’s no fun.
- If you’re really in a pinch, you can use store-bought taco seasoning, however, I always prefer to make my own since you can control the ingredients and sodium level.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I often roast a bunch of vegetables on Sunday to have them in the fridge, ready to eat later in the week. Since sweet potatoes take so long to cook, this can be a big time-saver during the week. Once roasted, the sweet potatoes will stay fresh in the fridge for about four days. Pop them in the oven to warm them up while you prepare the taco meat.
That depends on the size of your potato. Smaller sweet potatoes will take closer to 60 minutes, while larger ones will require an additional 15-20 minutes.
Yes! Just like roasting russet potatoes, it’s a good practice to poke holes in your sweet potatoes before roasting. This allows steam to escape so the potatoes don’t burst open.
Storage Guidelines
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. For meal prep, store the taco meat with the sweet potato, but leave any fresh ingredients (cilantro, lime juice, sour cream) on the side to add after reheating.
The easiest way to reheat is to microwave the whole container for 4-5 minutes until the inside of the sweet potato is nice and hot. Add your toppings and serve!
Serving Suggestions
This roasted sweet potato recipe is intended to be served as a complete meal on its own since it has protein, veggies, starches, and plenty of healthy fats! If you want to expand the meal, try pairing it with a salad or side of veggies.
- Grilled corn avocado salad
- Tossed green salad
- Extra fajita veggies
- Tortilla chips
- Fresh corn
- Grilled zucchini
Recipe Variations
- Add some beans: Add a can of rinsed and drained black beans to the taco meat mixture for extra fiber.
- Slow cook all day: My crockpot taco meat recipe slowly cooks for hours. Let it simmer all day then roast the sweet potatoes right before serving. Easy! If you have two slow cookers, you can actually slow-cook sweet potatoes whole in a crockpot for about 6-8 hours on low heat.
- Change the protein: Feel free to use ground turkey, chicken, or even plant-based crumbles in these sweet potato boats instead.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Beef and Quinoa Chili
- Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Tex Mex Quinoa Bowl
- Mason Jar Taco Salad
- Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats
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Stuffed Sweet Potato Taco Boats
Ingredients
- 6 medium sweet potatoes
- 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1/3 cup diced red pepper
- 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning
- 2 tablespoons salsa
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/3 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese or smoked gouda (shredded)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- Cilantro
- Green onion
- Avocado or guacamole
- Fresh tomatoes
Instructions
For the sweet potatoes
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scrub sweet potatoes, pat dry, and poke 5-10 times with a fork. Arrange on a baking sheet.
- Roast sweet potatoes until tender and caramelized, about 60-75 minutes (the time will vary depending on the size of the sweet potatoes). They should feel tender when you poke them with a fork.
- When cooked through, remove sweet potatoes from oven and allow to cool slightly (leave the oven on).
For the taco filling
- In a frying pan, cook the ground beef on medium heat for 5 minutes. Drain off any fat.
- Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until meat is cooked through and onion and pepper are softened.
- Add the taco seasoning, salsa and water, and stir until completely combined. Cook for 2-4 more minutes, until liquid has reduced and sauce is slightly thickened. In the last minute, add corn and toss to coat.
To assemble
- Using a knife, slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise.
- Gently mash the sweet potato filling with a fork, make sure to leave the skins intact. Season the sweet potato flesh with salt and pepper.
- Add a bit of the meat mixture to each sweet potato. Sprinkle on half the cheese. Fill up the sweet potatoes with the remaining meat mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Place in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese has melted. Serve with desired toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- I would highly recommend making the taco seasoning and guacamole (if using) in advance so that all you have to do is cook the meat and sweet potatoes and assemble. You don’t want to be so busy in the kitchen that you miss out on all of the action! That’s no fun.
- If you’re really in a pinch, you can use store-bought taco seasoning, however, I always prefer to make my own since you can control the ingredients and sodium level.
Nutrition
A version of this recipe was originally posted in October 2018 and was updated in July 2024 to include revised ingredients, photos and helpful tips.
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