Loaded Sweet Potato Skins (Printable)

Crispy sweet potato skins filled with a savory black bean mix, cheese, salsa, and fresh avocado topping.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sweet Potatoes

01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean

→ Filling

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste
11 - 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or thawed

→ Toppings

12 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
13 - 1/2 cup fresh salsa or pico de gallo
14 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
15 - 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Fresh lime wedges for serving

# How-to Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until tender when pierced. Let cool slightly.
03 - While potatoes bake, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced red onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and diced bell pepper; cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Stir in rinsed black beans, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and corn kernels. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through. Remove from heat.
05 - Once cool enough to handle, slice each sweet potato in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out most of the flesh, leaving about a 1/4-inch border to maintain the shell shape. Reserve scooped flesh for another use.
06 - Lightly brush the insides of potato skins with olive oil. Return to the oven cut side up and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until edges begin to crisp.
07 - Fill each skin generously with the black bean mixture. Top evenly with shredded cheese. Return to oven and bake for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from oven. Top each stuffed potato with fresh salsa, diced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of crispy skins and creamy spiced filling hits every comfort button without leaving you heavy
  • These look like they came from a restaurant but secretly use mostly pantry staples
  • They reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, if there are any left
02 -
  • Leaving that 1/4 inch border when scooping is crucial or the skins will collapse under the weight of the filling
  • The extra crisp step after scooping is what separates restaurant quality from sad soggy skins
  • Let the filling cool slightly before stuffing so it does not melt the cheese too fast in the second bake
03 -
  • Place a wire rack on your baking sheet for the second bake so air circulates and the bottoms get crispy all over
  • If the cheese is browning too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last few minutes

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