Sweet potato and black bean tacos loaded with creamy avocado crema and zingy pickled onions — these healthy tacos are one of my go-tos for a flavor-packed vegetarian dinner.
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩🍳 Recipe Tips | 🥗 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Taco Recipes
These black bean and sweet potato tacos are savory, creamy, spiced, tangy, and just the right amount of messy. Roasted, jammy sweet potatoes bring the caramelized edges, seasoned refried black beans add richness and body, and the avocado-feta crema ties it all together with a tangy, salty hit.
And don’t skip the pickled onions—they’re punchy and bright and balance everything beautifully.
I love making these vegetarian tacos for meatless dinners, and even though these are plant-based, you’re still getting around 15–18 grams protein per serving and lots of fiber, too. So it’s not just delicious—it’s satisfying too! Gluten-free and vegetarian-friendly (and easily made vegan without the feta).
👩🍳 You might also like these vegetarian Tex Mex recipes: these Taco Tuesday recipes, corn and cream cheese dip, elote pasta salad, Mexican stuffed sweet potatoes, Mexican corn and black bean salad, arroz rojo (Mexican red rice), or mushroom walnut taco ‘meat’.
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need for these sweet potato black bean tacos. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Pickled Onions: red onion, sugar, salt, vinegar, water. These add tang and crunch. Can be made ahead and keeps in the fridge.
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potato, olive oil, smoked paprika, cayenne or chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander seed, salt. These guys are smoky, earthy, spiced cubes of goodness. Swap cayenne for chili powder if you want less heat.
- Seasoned Black Beans: Black beans, olive oil, onion, tomato, garlic, smoked paprika, pepper. These are lightly mashed for a creamy texture—like a shortcut refried bean situation.
- Avocado Feta Crema: Avocado, feta, sour cream, lime juice, salt, water. Tangy, creamy, salty—skip the feta for a vegan version or sub in a plant-based cheese or a little extra water and olive oil.
- To Assemble: Corn or flour tortillas, lime, and fresh cilantro. Use corn tortillas for a gluten-free option. Warm them up so they’re soft and pliable. For leftover tortillas, check out these tortilla wrap recipes (not just wraps).
How To Make Sweet Potato And Black Bean Tacos
Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make black bean tacos with roasted sweet potatoes (plus the other toppings).
- Toss sweet potato cubes with oil and spices; roast at 200°C for 30 minutes, turning halfway. You can do this in the air fryer as well.
- Cook onion, tomato, and garlic until soft. Add spices and beans, cook for a couple of minutes and mash slightly for that refried beans texture.
- Pickle the onions by mixing everything in a bowl and letting them sit while you prep the rest. This can be done ahead of time!
- Blend the avocado crema until smooth (or mash and mix by hand).
- Heat tortillas in a dry pan or directly over a flame for a bit of char.
- Assemble tacos: black beans, sweet potato, crema, pickled onions, lime, cilantro—done.
Watch The Video
Recipe Tips
- Storage: Store each component separately in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. The crema is best eaten fresh, but holds okay for 1–2 days.
- Make-ahead: The onions can be made days in advance. The beans and sweet potatoes reheat really well, so this is great for meal prep.
- Variations: Add a bit of chipotle for smokier heat, or top with toasted pepitas for crunch. Vegan? Just skip the feta.
- Tortilla tip: Warm them up right before serving to keep them soft and bendy.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these tacos with a simple side of Mexican rice, grilled corn, or even a crisp green salad. I love them with a few extra lime wedges and maybe a drizzle of hot sauce if I’m feeling spicy. You can also try them with my cilantro lime sauce, salsa tatemada, grilled pineapple salsa, or fresh tomato salsa.
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Video
Ingredients
For the Pickled Onions:
- 1 medium red onion halved and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup water plus more to dilute if needed
For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
- 1 large sweet potato cut into small cubes (~10 oz / ~280 grams)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne or chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
For the Black Beans:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 medium tomato diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 can black beans 15 oz / 400 grams, rinsed
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For the Avocado Feta Crema:
- ½ avocado diced (~2 oz / ~60 grams)
- 2 tablespoons crumbled feta
- 2.5 tablespoons sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1–2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons water
To Serve:
- 12 small corn or flour tortillas
- Extra lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Make pickled onions: Mix onion, sugar, salt, vinegar, and water. Let sit for at least 15–20 minutes or store in the fridge overnight.
- Roast sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and spices. Spread on an oiled tray and roast for 20 minutes. Stir and roast for 10 more minutes.
- Cook beans: In a skillet, sauté onion in olive oil with a pinch of salt for 3–4 minutes. Add tomato and garlic, cook 2–3 minutes. Stir in paprika, pepper, and beans. Lightly mash and cook for 1–2 more minutes.
- Make crema: Blend avocado, feta, sour cream, lime juice, and salt with water until smooth. Or mash and whisk by hand. Add more water if needed to thin.
- Heat tortillas: Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave.
- Assemble tacos: Spoon in black beans, add sweet potatoes, top with crema and pickled onions. Finish with lime and cilantro.
Notes
- Can I make this vegan? Yes—just skip the feta in the crema or use a dairy-free alternative.
- What’s the best tortilla for this? I prefer corn tortillas for that classic taco vibe and to keep it gluten-free, but flour works too.
- Can I meal prep this? Absolutely. All components can be made in advance—just reheat before serving.
- Can I freeze it? The beans and sweet potatoes freeze well, but skip freezing the crema and pickled onions.
- Storage: Store each component separately in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. The crema is best eaten fresh but holds okay for 1–2 days.
- Make-ahead: The onions can be made days in advance. The beans and sweet potatoes reheat really well, so this is great for meal prep.
- Variations: Add a bit of chipotle for smokier heat, or top with toasted pepitas for crunch. Vegan? Just skip the feta.
- Tortilla tip: Warm them up right before serving to keep them soft and bendy.
Just made these and wow, so simple but so good! The sweet potato and black bean combo is seriously filling, and the spices bring it all together perfectly. Added a squeeze of lime and a dollop of sour cream and it was chef’s kiss (had to say it 😂). Definitely making these again, Irena.