Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

Name: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: 600 g (1⅓ lb) sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in 1.5 cm (⅝ in) cubes; 3 tbsp olive oil, divided; 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika; 6 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, divided; 1 red onion, small, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 chipotle in adobo, chopped; or ½ tsp chili powder; 2 cans (2 × 15 oz) black beans, 2 × 400 g, drained; 100 ml (⅓ cup) water; 150 g (⅔ cup) sour cream, or Greek yogurt; 1 lime, zest and juice; 1 pinch fine sea salt; 12 small corn tortillas, or flour tortillas, see Flour Tortillas; 100 g (3½ oz) feta or queso fresco, crumbled; 1 avocado, sliced; cilantro, pickled red onion from Quick Pickles, lime wedges

Roasted sweet potato, smoky beans and a quick lime crema

Makes: 12 tacos
Hands-on: 20 min
Total: 40 min
Level: Easy

A vegetarian taco with real substance: caramelized cubes of roasted sweet potato, black beans cooked down with cumin and chipotle, and a cool lime crema to bring it together. Warm the tortillas properly and these are as good as any meat taco.

Ingredients

Filling

600 gsweet potatoes (1⅓ lb)peeled, cut in 1.5 cm (⅝ in) cubes
3 tbspolive oildivided
1 tspsweet smoked paprika
6 gfine sea salt (1 tsp)divided
1red onionsmall, finely chopped
2 clovesgarlicfinely chopped
1 tspground cumin
1chipotle in adobochopped; or ½ tsp chili powder
2 cansblack beans (2 × 15 oz)2 × 400 g, drained
100 mlwater (⅓ cup)

Lime crema

150 gsour cream (⅔ cup)or Greek yogurt
1limezest and juice
1 pinchfine sea salt

To serve

12small corn tortillasor flour tortillas, see Flour Tortillas
100 gfeta or queso fresco (3½ oz)crumbled
1avocadosliced
cilantro, pickled red onion from Quick Pickles, lime wedges

Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten-free
Allergens: milk, mustard, sulphites
Origin: Mexico (inspired)
Season: Autumn, Winter

Method

Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Toss the sweet potato with 2 tbsp oil, the paprika and half the salt on a sheet pan. Roast until tender and caramelized at the edges, 25–30 minutes, turning once. 28 min
Mix the crema ingredients.
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and chipotle and cook 1 minute. 6 min
Add the beans, water and the rest of the salt. Simmer, mashing about a third of the beans, until thick and creamy, 5 minutes. 5 min
Warm the tortillas one at a time in a dry hot pan, about 30 seconds per side, until soft and lightly charred in spots. Stack them in a clean towel to keep warm.
Fill each tortilla with beans, sweet potato, crema, cheese, avocado, cilantro and pickled onion. Serve with lime wedges.

Why it works

High oven heat browns the outside of the sweet potato while the inside turns soft, concentrating its sugars. Partly mashing the beans gives a creamy base that keeps the fillings from falling out. A dry, hot pan makes corn tortillas pliable; cold ones crack.

Common mistakes

Cold tortillas: they crack and taste raw. Always warm them.
Crowding the sheet pan: the sweet potato steams instead of browning.

Variations

Vegan: Use a vegan yogurt for the crema and skip the cheese.

Make ahead and storage

The beans and roasted sweet potato keep 4 days in the fridge.

Notes

Corn tortillas are gluten-free; check the label. Fan oven: 200°C (400°F). Mustard and sulphites only from the pickled onion.