Smoky Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Avocado Crema
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 55 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour10 minutesminutes
Servings 4stuffed potatoes
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potatoes
4mediumsweet potatoes8 to 10 oz each, scrubbed
2teaspoonsolive oilfor the skins
½teaspoonkosher saltfor the skins
For the Black Bean Filling
1tablespoonolive oil
1smallred onionfinely chopped, reserve a spoonful raw for the top
3clovesgarlicminced
1 ½teaspoonsground cumin
1teaspoonsmoked paprika
½teaspoonchili powder
30ouncescanned black beanstwo 15 oz cans, rinsed and drained well
1cupcorn kernelsfresh or frozen
1limejuiced, added off the heat
½teaspoonkosher saltor to taste
For the Avocado Crema
1largeripe avocado
½cupplain Greek yogurtfull fat
1limejuiced
1small clovegarlicraw
½teaspoonkosher salt
¼cupcold wateradded a tablespoon at a time to thin
⅓cupcilantrochopped, most for the top and a little in the crema
Instructions
Bake the Sweet Potatoes
Heat the oven to 425F. Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes and prick each one several times with a fork.
Rub the skins with olive oil and kosher salt and bake unwrapped on a foil-lined sheet pan for 45 to 55 minutes, until a knife slides into the thickest part with no resistance. Do not wrap them in foil, which steams the skin.
Make the Black Bean Filling
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the chopped red onion 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Stir the cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder into the oil and cook 45 seconds, until the aroma deepens. Blooming the spice in fat keeps it from tasting chalky.
Add the rinsed black beans and the corn and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bottom of the pan is dry when you drag a spoon across it.
Mash about a third of the beans against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon so the filling binds and holds its shape.
Off the heat, stir in the juice of 1 lime and season with salt. Adding acid off the heat keeps it bright.
Blend the Crema and Assemble
Blend the avocado, Greek yogurt, juice of 1 lime, the small raw garlic clove, a small handful of cilantro and the salt until completely smooth.
Add cold water a tablespoon at a time, up to ¼ cup, until the crema falls off a spoon in a thick ribbon. Taste and add more salt.
Split each baked potato lengthwise, press the ends toward each other to open it, and fluff the flesh with a fork.
Fill with the hot bean mixture, spoon the cold crema over the top, and finish with chopped cilantro, a little raw red onion and lime wedges.
Notes
Cook the pan dry: canned beans carry a lot of liquid and a wet filling turns the potato watery from the inside.
Mash a third of the beans: the released starch binds the filling so it sits in the potato instead of rolling off.
Bloom the spices in oil: 45 seconds in fat, never dumped onto wet beans.
Keep the crema green: use a full lime, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and make it the same day.
Dairy free crema: swap the yogurt for 2 tablespoons olive oil and ⅓ cup water plus an extra squeeze of lime.
Heat level: mild as written. Add 1 minced chipotle in adobo plus 1 teaspoon of the sauce for real warmth.
Storage: beans 4 days, potatoes 4 days whole and unsplit, crema same day. Never store them assembled.