Thursday Dinner: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soft Tacos

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One of the things that I like about this recipe is its versatility.  Have squash or carrots, but no sweet potatoes?  You can easily substitute.  I’ve added summer corn to this and served the filling with rice instead of in tacos, both with success.  Most vegetables would be a fine addition, as would whatever Southwestern spices or chiles you have at home.  It also uses relatively inexpensive ingredients, and can be made even cheaper if you use dried rather than canned beans.

A note about dried beans: I acknowledge that they are better tasting and healthier than canned.  And theoretically, they aren’t difficult to make; however, they require foresight and pre-planning that I just don’t have most of the time.  Often I find that I want use beans an hour or two before dinner, too late to soak, even using the quick methods.  When I do remember to soak the beans in advance, I sometimes find that I don’t want them after all, and then wait too long and have rotting beans in water.  I know that I should more organized about my bean planning, but I haven’t gotten there yet, so in the meantime I look for minimally processed canned options with no additives and low or no salt.  

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Soft Tacos

Serve the tacos below with salad and guacamole (or just sliced/mashed avocado).  If you want to add some meat or poultry, do so before adding the spices; brown the meat and then add the rest of the ingredients.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 tbsp Adobo, taco seasoning, or other Southwestern spices

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large sweet potato, diced

14oz black beans (or the same of cooked dried beans)

salt and pepper to taste

1 package small corn tortillas

1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, queso fresco or other)

Preparation:

In a large, deep skillet, saute the onion in olive oil until soft.  Add garlic and spices and cook for one minute.  Add sweet potato and cook for another 5 minutes.  Add the beans with their liquid.  Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and simmer until the sweet potato is tender, but not mushy.  

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet in foil (for easier clean-up); put the corn tortillas on the baking sheet and fill them with 2-3 tablespoons of the bean mixture; don’t overfill.  Add cheese to each taco and fold over.  Bake in an oven (or toaster oven if you are making a small number).  Serve with salad and mashed avocado.

For those of you who want to go the dried bean route, The Simple Dollar has an ode to the inexpensive bean here that includes prep tips, recipes, and will generally make you feel very good about your choice.  Squawkfox lists ten reasons soaking beans can change your life here. 

Related link of the day:

I’m a big podcaster, because I have more “ear time” than “eye time” right now.  Lately I’ve really been enjoying Lynne Rosetto Kasper’s podcast from American Public Media, The Splendid Table.  It’s a wonderful, practical, relaxing show about food and cooking, available for free on iTunes.  I confess that I’ve been listening on my way to work instead of the news lately!  Chez Pim writes a short love letter to Lynne here that I couldn’t agree with more.

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Filed under Cooking, Recipes

Tags: beans, cheese, chez pim, lynne rosetto kasper, recipe, splendid table, sweet potato, tacos