Roasted Sweet Potato, Pinto Bean, and Swiss Chard Tacos

Let’s talk about sweet potatoes for a second. So sometime within the last year or so, I have came to realize that the vegetable that most of us consider a “sweet potato” is actually a yam. Yes, the huge orange root vegetable that we often develop into casseroles around Thanksgiving and is popping up everywhere (even Sonic?) in fry and tot form is a yam. Apparently, there is a vegetable that is really a sweet potato, although I had never actually consumed it until this week. Sweet potatoes by the correct name are actually a pale yellow, cream color.

All of this back information aside, I was hoping to make roasted sweet potato tacos (sweet potatoes as in the yam variety) this week. The hubbs was headed to the store, so 1-1/2 lbs. of sweet potatoes went down on the list. So what did he came home with? Of course, this week of all weeks was the time the store actually carried real sweet potatoes and had them labeled as such. Guess I really got true sweet potatoes!

Grocery store stories aside. These tacos are some of the best vegetarian tacos I have made. Roasted sweet potatoes mixed with taco seasoning combined with pinto beans and sauteed Swiss chard. Quick. Filling. Healthy. Love it. Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Roasted Sweet Potato, Pinto Bean, and Swiss Chard Tacos
Adapted from Joanne Bruno’s recipe on Marcus Samuelsson’s Blog

Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 Tbsp. homemade taco seasoning
juice 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 can pinto beans, rinsed
1 large bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and roughly chopped
1 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper
Cojita cheese, crumbled
corn tortillas

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a medium bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, and taco seasoning. Roast for 18-20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and starting to brown on the edges.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the paprika and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the beans. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through.

Top the tortillas with the potatoes and then the Swiss chard mixture. Sprinkle Cojita cheese over the top. Enjoy.