My go-to method for preparing sweet potatoes is to chop them up, toss them in oil and spices—such as garlic powder, paprika, cumin, or chili powder—and roast on high heat. Though they turn out delicious every time, sometimes I want to switch it up. Enter this recipe for Chorizo-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
A New Sweet Potato Recipe for Dinner
With this recipe, whole sweet potatoes get baked and then stuffed with a chorizo mixture for an update on the classic bacon-and-cheese stuffed baked potato, if you will. The natural sugar in the sweet potatoes goes great with the spice from the chorizo, the salt from the cheese, and the fresh herbaceousness from the cilantro. For those unfamiliar with Cotija cheese, it’s a salty, crumbly cow’s milk cheese originally from Mexico. It should be with the other cheeses in your grocery store cheese case, but if you can’t find it then Parmesan is a suitable alternative. (Some call Cotija the “Parmesan of Mexico.”)
How to Bake Sweet Potatoes
This recipe is very straightforward. The main thing to account for is the time it takes to bake the sweet potatoes. To bake the potatoes, you first want to be sure to clean the outsides well to remove any dirt. (A vegetable brush is great if you have one, but your hands will work fine.) Next you’ll want to poke it a few times all over with a fork so they don’t explode once they’re exposed to the heat of the oven. When it comes to oven temp, I recommend at least 400 °F for sweet potatoes. At this heat, the potatoes take about an hour to cook through, though you can increase the temp by 25 to 50 degrees to shave off a few minutes. And for those who want a crispy skin to eat, rub the potatoes with some oil and sprinkle with a little salt before placing in the oven.
Make-Ahead Ingredients for Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
The roasted sweet potatoes and the chorizo mixture can both be made ahead and reheated in the microwave. It can also serve as a quick weeknight meal if the sweet potatoes are already baked. This dish makes a great meal on its own, and, speaking from experience, any leftovers can easily become a satisfying lunch the next day.
More Best Sweet Potato Recipes
Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries Baked Sweet Potato Taquitos Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry with Red Peppers and Sweet Potatoes Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
Bake until soft and a fork easily reaches the middle of the potato, about 1 hour depending on the size of the potatoes. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon, until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. The leftovers will keep for a few days, covered, in the refrigerator.
