Hamdi Saidani This Sweet potato & black bean tacos Recipe is an easy and healthy recipe, which is made with sweet potatoes and black beans. It’s a perfect air-fryer meal, ready in about 40 minutes.
Sweet potato & black bean tacos Ingredients
- 2 spring onions
- 1 x 400g tin of black beans
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 sweet potatoes (250g each)
- red wine vinegar
- olive oil
- 4 regular flour tortillas
- 160g watermelon
- ½ a bunch of coriander (15g)
- ½ a fresh red chilli
- 1 lime
- extra virgin olive oil
- 30g feta cheese
How To Make Sweet potato & black bean tacos
- Prep the beans: Trim and finely slice the spring onions. Remove the shelf from the air-fryer drawer and scatter the onions into the base. Add the black beans along with half their juice, then mix in 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning. Replace the shelf.
- Season the sweet potatoes: Scrub the sweet potatoes, chop them into 3cm chunks, and add them to the air-fryer drawer on top of the shelf. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon each of red wine vinegar and olive oil, add the remaining teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Rub everything together to coat the potatoes.
- Air-fry the filling: Cook for 30 minutes at 180ºC. Shake the drawer halfway through the cooking time to ensure the potatoes cook evenly. For the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the tortillas to the drawer to warm through.
- Make the watermelon salsa: While the potatoes cook, peel and finely dice the watermelon. Finely chop the coriander stalks (reserving the leaves) and deseed and finely chop the chilli. Combine these in a bowl, squeeze over the juice of half a lime, add ½ a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and toss gently. Season to perfection with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the tacos: Remove the warm tortillas and sweet potato chunks from the air fryer. Carefully remove the hot shelf. Roughly chop the reserved coriander leaves and stir most of them into the bean mixture. Roughly mash the beans to create a thick, saucy consistency and season to taste. Spoon the mashed beans onto the tortillas, top with the sweet potato chunks and watermelon salsa, crumble over the feta, and sprinkle with the remaining coriander. Serve with extra lime wedges.
Recipe Tips
- Can I make this without an air fryer? Absolutely. For the filling, toss the seasoned sweet potato chunks on a baking tray and roast at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and golden. Warm the beans and spring onions in a pan on the stovetop.
- How to get the best flavor from the salsa: Let the salsa sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors of the chilli, lime, and coriander to meld together.
- Is there a substitute for feta cheese? Yes, crumbled cotija cheese would be a great authentic alternative. For a vegan option, use a plant-based feta or omit the cheese entirely.
- How to prevent soggy tacos: Serve the components separately and let everyone build their own tacos right before eating. This keeps the tortillas from getting soft from the bean mash and salsa.
What To Serve With Sweet potato & black bean tacos
These tacos are a complete meal, but if you want to add more to the table, consider these options:
- A big bowl of guacamole
- A dollop of sour cream or lime crema
- A side of zesty corn salad
- Pickled red onions for extra tang
How To Store Sweet potato & black bean tacos
Refrigerate: For best results, store the components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The watermelon salsa is best eaten fresh but will keep for a day. Freeze: The cooked sweet potato and black bean mixture can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw completely before reheating. Do not freeze the tortillas or the watermelon salsa.
Sweet potato & black bean tacos Nutrition Facts
(Approximate values for one serving of two tacos)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Protein: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 75g
- Fat: 14g
- Fiber: 16g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Can I use a different kind of potato?
While sweet potatoes are recommended for their flavor, you could substitute them with butternut squash, which would also work well with the Cajun seasoning.
My watermelon salsa is too watery, what can I do?
Watermelon naturally releases a lot of water. To minimize this, dice it and let it sit in a colander for a few minutes to drain some excess liquid before mixing it with the other salsa ingredients.
Is this recipe spicy?
The heat comes from the fresh red chilli in the salsa and the Cajun seasoning. You can easily control the spice level by using less chilli (or omitting it) and choosing a mild Cajun seasoning blend.
Try More Recipes:
Sweet potato & black bean tacos Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: Tex-MexDifficulty: Easy2
30
minutes480
kcalSpicy air-fried sweet potatoes and hearty black beans are piled into warm tortillas and topped with a refreshing watermelon salsa and salty feta.
Ingredients
2 spring onions
1 x 400g tin of black beans
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 sweet potatoes (250g each)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
4 flour tortillas
160g watermelon
½ bunch coriander (15g)
½ fresh red chilli
1 lime
½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
30g feta cheese
Directions
- Place sliced spring onions and half the juice from a can of beans in the air-fryer base with 1 tsp Cajun seasoning.
- Top with the shelf. Add cubed sweet potatoes seasoned with vinegar, oil, and 1 tsp Cajun seasoning.
- Air-fry at 180ºC for 30 minutes, shaking halfway. Add tortillas for the last 2 minutes to warm.
- Meanwhile, make the salsa by combining diced watermelon, chopped coriander stalks, chilli, lime juice, and extra virgin olive oil.
- Mash the cooked bean mixture with most of the coriander leaves.
- Assemble tacos with the bean mash, sweet potatoes, salsa, feta, and remaining coriander.
Notes
- This recipe is designed for a 1-drawer air-fryer, with the beans cooking under the shelf.
- Ensure sweet potato chunks are a similar size (around 3cm) for even cooking.
- For a less spicy salsa, be sure to deseed the chilli completely before chopping.
- Storing components separately and assembling just before eating will yield the best texture.