7 Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipes Perfect for Busy Weeknights (2024)

Sweet potatoes are packed with antioxidants that have been shown to protect against certain cancers, and they’re among the richest sources of beta-carotene out there, which is good news for everything from your immune system to your gut health. Stuffed sweet potato recipes make for healthy go-to meals when we’re strapped for time. Not just because they’re healthful, but also because they’re a filling base that plays well with any number of proteins and flavor profiles.

Plus, if you have leftovers, a sweet potato is a great way to give them new life. Have some leftover chili in the fridge, but not enough for a full meal? It’ll be perfect on a sweet potato. Leftover curry? Spoon it over a sweet potato.

Aside from its sidekick role with leftovers, the sweet potato is perfectly comfortable taking center stage. We rounded up seven of our favorite recipes to highlight the versatility of this orange wonder.

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1. Egg-Stuffed Sweet Potato

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Image credit: Calla’s Clean Eats

It’s amazing that we didn’t even consider egg-stuffed sweet potatoes an option before, but this super healthy, easy breakfast option is now going straight into heavy rotation. We recommend pre-baking a batch of sweet potatoes, then tossing one back in the oven with a cracked egg, which yields a low-effort breakfast (or lunch!) that couldn’t be healthier. For lunch, we’d serve it with a simple side salad or a prepared French lentil salad.

Try the recipe from Calla’s Clean Eats.

2. BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato

If you’ve ever dipped sweet potato fries in barbecue sauce, you already know this is a great pairing. Barbecue chicken has that deep, smokey-sweet flavor, so it works perfectly in a sweet potato. If you want to avoid refined sugars, there are some great unsweetened barbecue sauces out there (we’re fans of this Primal Kitchen version, or you could always make your own).

Try the recipe from Downshiftology.

3. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Spanish Tuna and Olives

7 Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipes Perfect for Busy Weeknights (3)

Image credit: Irena Macri

Gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30-friendly, these stuffed sweet potatoes are a great option for people with a wide range of dietary needs. They’re also protein-packed, thanks to the tuna filling, and incredibly flavorful. As the recipe author notes, this dish is an ideal make-ahead option: Bake a few sweet potatoes and mix up the Spanish tuna filling in advance, then combine for a super quick lunch or dinner.

Try the recipe from Irena Macri.

4. Quinoa & Red Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potato

This is one of those healthy, tasty weeknight dinners that make takeout feel like a waste of money. We’d definitely recommend making a double batch of the quinoa and red lentil filling — it makes a fantastic side dish for another meal, or can easily serve as a light lunch with a simple green salad.

Try the recipe from Pick Up Limes.

5. Turkey Taco-Inspired Stuffed Sweet Potato

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Image credit: Cookin Canuck

This dinner is super fast, filled with healthy protein, and utilizes delicious, taco-inspired spices that appeal to even the pickiest eaters. We’d serve with some simple broccoli sauteéd with garlic and olive oil, or stay really on-theme with a Healthy Street Corn Salad or a delicious, fresh Avocado Salad.

Try the recipe from Cookin Canuck.

6. Tandoori Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potato

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Image credit: Rainbow Plant Life

As recipe author Nisha notes, this recipe is a really great beginners’ option if you’re unfamiliar with Indian cooking but love the flavors and want to give it a try. It’s also really quick, so it works great for busy evenings. If you have more time, consider making her vegan play on palak paneer to go with it, and we recommend making a double batch of the Tandoori chickpeas, too. They’re so crunchy and flavorful, you’ll want to snack on them all day.

Try the recipe from Rainbow Plant Life.

7. Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Sweet Potato

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Image credit: Brownie Bites

This is sort of an inverted shepherd’s pie: Rather than filling a pie dish and layering mashed potatoes on top, this quick weeknight variation involves simply stuffing cooked sweet potatoes with a turkey-based version of shepherd’s pie filling, then broiling. This dish would be fantastic served with some simple roasted carrots or green beans.

Try the recipe from Brownie Bites.

Read next: 10 Easy Weeknight Meals to Make After a Really Long Day

7 Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipes Perfect for Busy Weeknights (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to sweet potato to make it taste good? ›

Salt, Pepper, and Butter – the OG classic way of serving your sweet potatoes. Greek Yogurt and Green Onion – one of my personal favorites! you can do sour cream instead of Greek Yogurt if you prefer. Maple Syrup, Cinnamon, and Butter – ok, I'm a big fan of savory but this combo is also a favorite!

What meat goes best with sweet potatoes? ›

Let's delve into the meats that harmonize best with sweet potato mash, creating a perfect balance of savory and sweet.
  1. Pork Tenderloin: A Symphony of Flavors. ...
  2. Roasted Duck: An Opulent Pairing. ...
  3. Grilled Chicken: A Lighter Complement. ...
  4. Braised Beef Short Ribs: Comfort in Every Bite. ...
  5. Seared Salmon: An Unexpected Harmony.

Why are stuffed sweet potatoes good for you? ›

One stuffed sweet potato is pretty filling so you may find that it makes an entire meal for you - depending on how hungry you are of course! The first sweet potato is stuffed with avocado and black beans. This will provide some good anti-inflammatory fat, plus iron and plant-based protein from the black beans.

How many sweet potatoes do I need for 7 people? ›

“A general guideline to estimating how many sweet potatoes you need when hosting friends or family for a meal is one medium sweet potato per person,” Burgess says, as if she's done this many times before.

How do you dress up a baked sweet potato? ›

Toppings for Baked Sweet Potatoes:

Maple syrup, butter and toasted pecans. Sour cream, chives, salt, and pepper. Blue cheese, walnuts and honey. Mini marshmallows, brown sugar and cinnamon (pop it under the broiler to toast the marshmallows a bit).

What does baking soda do to sweet potatoes? ›

Baking Soda – boiling the potatoes in baking soda draws out the starch and allows the outside to get brown and crispy. Sweet Potatoes – yams work fine too. Extra Virgin Olive Oil – gets infused with rosemary and garlic and is the key to getting that crispy exterior.

What is good on top of a baked sweet potato? ›

Place the potatoes on the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until tender. Make a slit in the top of each sweet potato and add a tablespoon of your favorite topping. TOPPING OPTIONS: Basic: sea salt, freshly ground pepper, with 1 tablespoon butter, ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, yogurt, or nut butter.

What is the tastiest sweet potato? ›

While Beauregards may be the most common sweet potato, Jewels are right next to them in terms of being a great, classic sweet potato. They have a pretty, thin orange skin, and bright orange flesh that screams "sweet potato." (Or "yam," wrong as that may be. Shrug.)

Is it better to boil or bake sweet potatoes? ›

Baking can also cause an 80% drop in vitamin A levels, twice as much as boiling. Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, boiling rather than baking should be recommended for cooking sweet potato.

What does stuffed sweet potatoes contain? ›

Make the filling: In a medium-small bowl, mix together the quinoa, spinach, feta, red onion, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. (I like to slightly over-season my filling so that it's flavorful amongst the whole potato.)

Is it OK to eat a sweet potato everyday? ›

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

What is the healthiest way to eat sweet potatoes? ›

Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.

How many sweet potatoes for 10 adults? ›

Peel and season with butter and salt to taste. Use 1 medium sweet potato per person.

Can I prep sweet potatoes ahead of time? ›

Potatoes: Peel or pare and chop up to a day in advance. Store in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator. Sweet potatoes: Peel and chop 3 to 4 days in advance. Store in a sealed bag or container with an airtight lid in the refrigerator.

How many sweet potatoes do I need to feed 8 people? ›

Four large sweet potatoes can easily feed 8 people or more if it's the main side dish. For the holidays when you have lots of sides, it can serve 10 to 14.

What goes good with a baked sweet potato? ›

If you're serving your oven baked sweet potatoes as a side dish, pair them with your favorite protein or vegetarian chili. For a topping, stick to butter, Greek yogurt, or sour cream, or try adding a dollop of cilantro lime dressing, tzatziki, chipotle sauce, pesto, guacamole, or a drizzle of tahini sauce.

What are the tips and tricks of sweet potatoes? ›

Selection and storage tips: Choose firm, small- to medium-sized potatoes with smooth skin. Avoid cracks, soft spots and blemishes. Choose sweet potatoes with a bright, uniform color. Store them in a cool, dark, dry place for use within two to three weeks or at room temperature for up to a week.

What do Americans put on sweet potato? ›

The American tradition of cooking sweet potatoes with marshmallows is a bit of a leap for the European reader. But it always pays to keep an open mind.

How do you prop a sweet potato? ›

Here's one way to do it:
  1. fill up a tray with about 2 inches of potting soil.
  2. place the sweet potato sideways in to the tray so it is about half buried.
  3. water it and wait until it creates sprouts.
  4. remove those sprouts with scissor and cut the sprouts in to multiple sprouts at each node.
Feb 23, 2023

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