Tex-Mex · main

Skillet Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

Skillet Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos reads sweetness 5.8, sourness 5.1 and citrus 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Tex-Mex main, about 31 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 4.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 5.8 · Sourness 5.1 · Citrus 4.8 · Richness 4.4 · Allium 4.1 · Salinity 3.9 · Earthy 3.5 · Umami 3.3 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Smoke 2.3 · Heat 2.0 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Fruity 1.6 · Bitterness 1.5 · Nutty 1.3 · Funk & Ferment 0.8 · Floral 0.8

What's in it (15)

• red-skinned sweet potatoes — 1134 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• salt — 7 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 9 g
• chili powder — 15 g
• cumin — 10 g
• smoked paprika — 5 g
• black beans
• vegetable broth — 118 g
• lime juice — 30 g
• corn tortillas — 800 g
• cotija cheese — 57 g
• cilantro — 15 g
• avocado — 150 g

Time & effort: about 31 min (30 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 169.9 kcal, 4.8 g protein, 3 g fat, 32.7 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potato and 1 teaspoon of the salt, cover, and cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 8-9 minutes.
2. Uncover and raise the heat to medium-high. Continue cooking, stirring only occasionally now, until the cubes are deeply browned and caramelized on several sides, 5-6 minutes; transfer to a plate.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden at the edges, 4-5 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Add the black beans and vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer over medium heat, mashing about a third of the beans against the pan with a spoon, until the liquid thickens into a light sauce that coats the beans, 4-5 minutes.
6. Return the sweet potatoes to the skillet and stir to combine. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lime juice; taste and add more salt if needed. Remove from heat.
7. Warm the tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, 20-30 seconds per side, until charred in spots and pliable; wrap in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
8. Divide the filling among the tortillas. Top with cotija, cilantro, and avocado, and serve with lime wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Spicy Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos — Mexican
• One-Pot Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potato — American
• Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls — Mexican
• Vegetarian Fajita Bowl with Peppers and Black Beans — Tex-Mex
• Southwest Quinoa Stuffed Peppers — Tex-Mex · Southwestern

Keep reading: what sweetness, sourness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.