Cheesy Tomato + Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 large or 4 small/medium sweet potatoes (halved lengthwise)

3 tbsp olive oil (divided)

2 tsp kosher salt (divided)

2 cups finely chopped veggies

1 tbsp dried oregano

2 tsp garlic powder

¼ -½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

¼ cup tomato paste

¾ cup water

2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans (drained and rinsed)

1-2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Parsley, for garnish (optional)

Look for longer (less thick) sweet potatoes so that they cook faster! If your potatoes are large, then ½ per person should work, if they’re small each person should get their own potato.

I really like these with finely chopped bell pepper and cabbage.

Note: cast-iron helps the potatoes get caramelized, but you could also just bake them on a baking sheet.

Note: these beans are also very delicious on toast (tastes like pizza) or tossed into pasta. At the end of cooking, sprinkle the cheese over top of the beans and let it melt. Scoop onto toast or pasta and devour.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large cast-iron skillet (or on a parchment lined baking sheet), add the sweet potatoes. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt all over. Use your hands to rub the oil and the salt all over the sweet potatoes. Transfer to the oven for 30-50 minutes more, or until tender (this depends greatly on the size of your sweet potatoes)..

In a separate large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, veggies, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until the veggies are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Stir in the water, beans, and remaining 1 ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring often, or until the water thickens into more of a sauce.

Once sweet potatoes are cooked through, flip them over (cut-side-up) and use a fork to mix/mash the center to make room for the filling. Sprinkle a bit of salt on top of each sweet potato. Add the filling to each sweet potato, then top with a generous amount of cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Serve topped with parsley (if using) and with a simple side salad or slaw (it’s nice to have something crunchy and bright on the side since the potato and beans are a bit mushy).