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

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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 toppings are good on a baked sweet potato? ›

Classic loaded baked sweet potato: Top with cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream, and/or green onions. Chili baked sweet potato: Top with traditional chili or vegetarian chili, plus cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, avocado (or guacamole) and/or sliced jalapeños.

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.

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

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 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.)

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.

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.

Is it better to bake a sweet potato in the oven or microwave? ›

Can You Cook Sweet Potatoes in the Microwave? Yes, you can! In fact, the shorter cook time will help the sweet potatoes retain more nutrients that are often lost in the long oven-baking process. It's not all that different than baking a sweet potato in the oven, except it's a whole lot faster.

What is the healthiest way to eat sweet potato? ›

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 potatoes do I need for 10 guests? ›

The ultimate potato weight table for feeding a crowd
Number of peopleTotal potato weightNumber of medium-size potatoes needed
10.5 lb.1
42 lbs.4
63 lbs.6
105 lbs.10
Jul 14, 2021

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.

Can I cook my sweet potatoes ahead of time? ›

When chopping sweet potatoes in advance, make sure to store them in cold water in the refrigerator. That said, if you're cooking sweet potatoes in advance, don't worry about the water. Cooked sweet potatoes do just fine when stored in an airtight container.

How do you balance sweet potatoes? ›

A bit of vinegar can give your sweet potatoes a zesty tang that offers a more complex dish. You can choose how much vinegar you'd like to add based on how much of the sweetness you want to reign in. If you're looking to remove just a tiny amount of sweetness, a splash of vinegar will do.

What makes sweet potato a super food? ›

Of the thousands of vegetables available today, sweet potatoes are considered one of the most nutritious. The orange- (or sometimes purple) fleshed vegetables are loaded with minerals and A, B, and C vitamins. This has led to sweet potatoes being called a superfood by many.

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