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Sweet Potato Taquitos With Black Beans

Corn tortillas rolled tight around spiced sweet potato and black beans, then baked until crisp. Oven, air fryer, and skillet methods included.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword sweet potato taquitos with black beans
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 12 taquitos

Ingredients

For the Filling

  • 1 ¼ lb sweet potatoes peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 15 oz canned black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar or pepper jack optional

For Rolling and Crisping

  • 12 corn tortillas 6-inch
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil for brushing

For Serving

  • 1 cup avocado lime crema or salsa verde
  • 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Instructions

Roast the Sweet Potato

  • Heat the oven to 425F. Toss the sweet potato cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt, spread them on a sheet pan, and roast 25 minutes until the edges brown.
  • Mash the roasted cubes coarsely with a fork, leaving some pieces whole for texture.

Make the Filling

  • Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion 4 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika and stir for 30 seconds.
  • Add the black beans and the mashed sweet potato. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape when you drag a spoon through it. A wet filling will steam the tortillas and keep them from crisping.
  • Off the heat, stir in the lime juice, salt, and pepper, plus the cheese if using. Let the filling cool 10 minutes.

Roll the Taquitos

  • Stack the tortillas, wrap them in a damp paper towel, and microwave 30 to 45 seconds. Keep them covered and pull them out one at a time so they stay pliable.
  • Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling in a line just below the center of a tortilla. Roll it up tightly into a slim log and set it seam side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Repeat with the rest.

Crisp and Serve

  • Brush the outside of each roll all over with olive oil. Arrange them in a single layer, seam side down, about half an inch apart. Do not let them touch.
  • Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, turn each one over, and bake 8 to 10 minutes more until deep golden and rigid. For an air fryer, cook at 400F for 8 to 10 minutes in a single layer, turning once. For a skillet, pan fry in a thin film of oil over medium-high heat about 2 minutes per side, seam side down first.
  • Rest them uncovered on a rack for 2 minutes, then serve with the crema or salsa alongside, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Notes

  • Dry filling is everything: cook the mixture until it holds its shape on the spoon, or the tortillas steam instead of crisping.
  • Corn vs flour: corn crisps into a real snap, flour rolls without cracking but stays chewy.
  • Warm the tortillas: 30 to 45 seconds in a damp paper towel keeps them from splitting when rolled.
  • Never crowd the pan: taquitos that touch trade steam and both go soft.
  • Freezing: freeze rolled and uncooked on a tray, then bag up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 425F, adding 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Reheating: oven or air fryer at 375F for 6 to 8 minutes. Skip the microwave.