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Spicy Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

Name: Spicy Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos
Prep time: 42 min
Total time: 42 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: red-skinned sweet potatoes — 680 g; olive oil — 41 g; chili powder — 10 g; cumin — 5 g; smoked paprika — 5 g; salt — 5 g; white onion — 110 g; garlic — 9 g; jalapeno — 100 g; black beans — 851 g; vegetable broth — 118 g; lime juice — 30 g; corn tortillas — 800 g; cotija cheese — 57 g; cilantro leaves — 15 g; shredded red cabbage — 237 g

Spicy Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos reads sweetness 5.2, sourness 5.0 and citrus 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 42 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 4.3 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.6 / 10
Sour & Bright — 6.4 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 3.8 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 5.2 · Sourness 5.0 · Citrus 4.9 · Salinity 3.9 · Umami 3.8 · Richness 3.8 · Allium 3.5 · Earthy 3.2 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Smoke 2.4 · Heat 2.3 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Nutty 1.5 · Bitterness 1.5 · Fruity 1.4 · Funk & Ferment 0.8 · Floral 0.8

What's in it (16)

red-skinned sweet potatoes — 680 g
olive oil — 41 g
chili powder — 10 g
cumin — 5 g
smoked paprika — 5 g
salt — 5 g
white onion — 110 g
garlic — 9 g
jalapeno — 100 g
black beans — 851 g
vegetable broth — 118 g
lime juice — 30 g
corn tortillas — 800 g
cotija cheese — 57 g
cilantro leaves — 15 g
shredded red cabbage — 237 g

Time & effort: about 42 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 218.7 kcal, 9.6 g protein, 2.3 g fat, 41.7 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (10 steps)

Preheat the oven to 425 F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potato cubes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Spread in a single layer.
Roast, stirring once halfway through, until the sweet potatoes are tender and caramelized at the edges, 25-28 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes.
Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the black beans, vegetable broth, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the beans are creamy, 8-10 minutes.
While the beans simmer, mash about a third of them against the side of the skillet with a spoon to thicken the mixture.
Stir the roasted sweet potatoes and the lime juice into the bean mixture; taste and add more salt if needed.
Warm the tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly blistered and pliable, about 30 seconds per side.
Fill the warm tortillas with the sweet potato and black bean mixture.
Top with the cotija, cilantro, and shredded cabbage, and serve immediately with lime wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Skillet Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos — Tex-Mex
One-Pot Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potato — American
Vegetarian Fajita Bowl with Peppers and Black Beans — Tex-Mex
Turkey Taco Skillet with Corn and Black Beans — Tex-Mex
Sheet-Pan Chorizo and Potato Hash with Eggs — Mexican

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.