Summer is definitely here, and in the lineup of grilled foods and salads we love to mix it up with this tasty taco recipe! Our very favorite tacos are this vegetarian version containing black beans and roasted sweet potato. We LURVE anything with sweet potato and the spicy-sweet combo in these tacos is unbeatable. And then there are those 25 lbs of black beans we ordered back at the beginning of quarantine that we need to work our way through… For bonus points, this recipe is remarkably healthy as well!
While you can use any tortillas you like, we prefer the taste of soft corn tortillas as the taco shell - they are more fragile than flour tortillas, so a bit messier to eat (just a heads up if you are planning to serve these to someone you are trying to impress with your stellar table manners).
This taco recipe was first discovered on the Smitten Kitchen blog and you can read all about how she makes them HERE. But we have changed it up slightly and prefer our black beans made with THIS recipe from the Serious Eats blog. Jenna (of Vintage Diva Glamour Den fame) has adapted the bean recipe for our instant pot which means making these tacos for dinner doesn’t require planning quite so far ahead. BTW, those two food blogs are our go-to favorites for finding new recipes.
Please note: this post contains affiliate links meaning if you make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you.
And while I’m never a fan of extraneous appliances, I have become a convert to the Instant Pot since Jenna dragged it home. It does a lot of things really well, and it does save a lot of time for fiddly high maintenance stove-top recipes with long simmer times.
Sweet Potato and Bean Taco Recipe
Makes enough for approximately 12 6” tacos
Ingredients
For the Pickled Onions
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tbsp coarse koshersalt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c cold water
For the Roasted Sweet Potato
2 lbs (about 4 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 heaping tsp kosher salt (we like to use coarse grain)
1 to 3 tsp chili powder depending on how spicy you want this to be and the level of spice of your chili powder; add chipotle powder, cayenne, or hot sauce to taste if your chili powder is mild and you want more spice
For the Black Beans*
*this makes way more than you will need for this recipe, but they are an excellent side with rice for many other meals, and we have successfully frozen the leftovers for future use
1 lb dried black beans
water to cover
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
8-9 cloves peeled garlic, smashed with the flat of a knife
2 bay leaves
fresh thyme sprigs, oregano or other herbs (optional)
1 juicing orange such as Cara Cara, halved**
**don’t use navel oranges for this as the pith imparts a bitter flavor
For Serving
12 6” tortillas, heated or grilled
avocados, sliced
fresh cilantro, chopped (if you like it - I do not, but my kids say it is essential!)
limes, cut into wedges
salt
Directions
Pickled Onions
Mix vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a jar or plastic container until dissolved. Add onions and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to a week in the fridge. Use as a delicious condiment on tacos, sandwiches, burgers, and fajitas.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Preheat oven to 400’ F. Toss potato cubes with oil and seasonings. Spread coated cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 40-45 minutes.
Black Beans
For instant pot beans: add beans to pot, cover with an inch or 2 of water. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves and any herbs. Squeeze juice from orange halves into pot then add the halves. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes and let pressure release naturally. For stovetop beans, cover and bring to a boil, uncover and reduce heat to a simmer for 3 hours or until beans are done. You must check to make sure the liquid level stays high enough and stir occasionally so the beans don’t stick and burn on the bottom. With either method, once beans are cooked remove orange peel and any whole seasonings. Simmer over medium high heat uncovered until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To Serve
Char grill tortillas over a gas burner OR wrap them in foil and heat in the oven 5 minutes during the end of the potato roasting. Assemble the tacos on the tortillas with a spoonful of black beans, and a heaping spoon of roasted sweet potato. Top with avocado, pickled onion, cilantro, and a pinch of coarse salt. Serve with lime wedges for a squeeze of fresh lime juice over each mini taco.
