Chili-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

I grew up in southwestern Louisiana, just a few miles from Opelousas, which was then called the sweet potato capital of the South. We ate sweet potatoes often, but they were frequently served in very sugary dishes. My Aunt Dean made her special sweet potato casserole for our big family gatherings, drizzling drained canned sweet potatoes with cane syrup, then topping them with pecan pieces and marshmallows.  She baked the casserole until the juices were bubbling and the marshmallows were bronzed and crisp. It was sweet on sweet on sweet, and we thought it was perfect.

In years since I’ve fallen in love with savory sweet potato dishes. These chili-stuffed sweet potatoes, which I have slightly adapted from The Bon Appétit Cookbook, are an easy-to-make meatless main dish.

I cut the ends from the potatoes and place them on a foil-lined sheet pan before baking. The oven proceeds to do its magic.

While the potatoes bake in the oven, just a few steps bring together a hearty vegetarian topping that’s spiced just right.  Chopped onions and red bell pepper start the sauté. Next, chili powder, cumin and oregano join garlic to build up flavors. Fire-roasted tomatoes and black beans simmer with all these elements. And then fresh yellow squash and jalapeños go in last.

Once the potatoes are baked, their naturally sweet interior is ready to be fluffed up.

The buttery, sweet flesh is just the canvas for the chili mixture. 

Topped with a squeeze of lime, some plain yogurt, and a bit of cilantro or parsley, it’s a fiesta on a plate.

Chili-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Dawn Dobie

A filling and festive meatless main dish with lively colors and flavors.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 4 large sweet potatoes scrubbed well
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper diced
• 1 large red onion chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 15- ounce can fire-roasted chopped tomatoes
• 1 15- ounce can black beans drained and rinsed thoroughly
• 2 cups diced yellow squash
• 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño chile
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 lime wedges
• Plain nonfat yogurt optional
• Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut 1/4 inch off end of each sweet potato and place on foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until tender.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large, wide nonstick skillet. Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and continue cooking another 8 minutes or so. Add garlic and stir for one minute. Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, and oregano over vegetables and stir for one more minute, allowing the spices and herb to bloom.
• Stir in canned tomatoes, with their juices, and the drained beans. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
• Add diced squash and jalapeño to chili mixture. Cover and cook for about 7 minutes, until squash is just tender.
• Place one sweet potato on each plate. Split each potato open, mashing flesh within with a fork. Spoon some chili onto the sweet potatoes.
• Serve potatoes with lime wedges, which each person can squeeze over the chili. Pass around yogurt and chopped cilantro (or parsley), if desired.

Notes

Chili can be made up to the point of adding the beans two days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat to bubbling simmer, then add freshly chopped squash and jalapeño.

You can use leftover chili for quesadilla or burrito filling or to top baked russet potatoes.

Adapted from The Bon Appétit Cookbook (Ed. Barbara Fairchild), 2006.