In need of an easy dinner recipe idea?! This salsa sweet potato skillet is a vegetarian main dish that comes together in one pan and relies on pantry staples, making prep a breeze! Featuring Southwestern and taco-inspired flavors, it’s a delicious way to transform a sweet potato into a healthy entree.
I can’t tell you how many times I reached for my cast iron skillet this past year to whip up a quick dinner! Now that we have two little ones at home, the dinner hour is a chaotic time. So, naturally, I’m all about meals that require minimal prep but still deliver vegetables and nutrients with a flavorful punch.
That last sentence could be the tagline for this sweet potato skillet recipe! It’s a veggie-forward meal that’s SO delicious but doesn’t take a ton of time to throw together. Seriously, you just need to chop the sweet potato and onion, measure out some spices, open a couple cans of beans, and pop the lid off a jar of salsa.
If that’s still a little much, consider using frozen sweet potato that’s already cubed and a packet of taco seasoning. Ok…now there’s really no excuse not to try this amazing dinner!!!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sweet potato: You just need one large sweet potato. If time is tight, consider buying frozen cubed sweet potatoes. Add them to the pan straight from frozen (no need to thaw)!
- Onion: I like to use white onion when I make a sweet potato skillet, but any kind works.
- Cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder: For a shortcut, just use a couple teaspoons of store-bought taco seasoning instead.
- White beans and black beans: I like to use a jar each of navy or cannellini beans and black beans. You can sub other kinds, such as pinto or kidney beans, if desired.
- Salsa verde: The salsa serves two purposes — adding flavor and providing some liquid to cook the sweet potato. I typically use a jar of my favorite store-bought green salsa, such as Frontera brand. However, you could also use homemade salsa verde. If you prefer red salsa, use that instead! Choose mild for less spice and medium for more.
- Shredded Mexican cheese and queso fresco: This combo of cheeses is mouthwatering! If you need a sub, use any kind of melty cheese (cheddar or Monterey jack) and a crumbly cheese like cotija, paneer, feta, or ricotta salata in place of queso fresco.
Possible Additions
If you don’t need this to be a vegetarian sweet potato skillet, you can brown ground turkey or beef and add it to the skillet at the same time as you would add the beans. Omit the beans to avoid overcrowding. Other possible additions include chopped spinach or kale for an extra boost of greens.
Instructions
The full recipe card for my taco sweet potato skillet is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you!
Cook onion in olive oil. Add spices and sweet potato and cook for a couple minutes until fragrant.
Add salsa and water. Cook, stirring often until sweet potato is tender.
Stir in beans.
Top with cheese. Put under the broiler until melted.
Serving and Storage
Serve this recipe as a healthy entree with toppings of your choice! Possible options include avocado, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips, fresh tomatoes, and lime juice.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet, adding water as needed, until warmed through.
More Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes
Love this sweet potato skillet? Check out these other ideas while you’re here:
📖 Recipe
Salsa Sweet Potato Skillet
Equipment
- 12-inch cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small white onion - diced, about 1 cup
- 1 large sweet potato - peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes, about 2.5 cups
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 13 to 16 ounces salsa verde - jarred or homemade
- 15 ounces navy beans - drained or rinsed; can sub cannellini, pinto, or kidney beans
- 15 ounces black beans - drained or rinsed
- ¾ cup shredded Mexican cheese
- 1 cup crumbled queso fresco
- Toppings of choice - avocado, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips, tomatoes, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to broiler setting.
- Warm olive oil in a large (about 12-inch) cast iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
- Add the cubed sweet potato and cumin, chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder. Stir to coat the veggies. Cook another minute until fragrant.
- Add the salsa verde and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer (there should be some bubbles). The salsa and water will not fully cover the potatoes, but that's OK. Cook, stirring often, for 25 to 30 minutes until the sweet potato is tender. Add ¼ to ½ cup of additional water about halfway through the cooking time if needed. You don't need to cover the pan, but you can if you want to speed up the cooking process a little.
- When the sweet potato is tender, stir in the beans.
- Remove skillet from heat. Top with the shredded Mexican cheese and crumbled queso fresco.
- Put the skillet under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Serve warm with toppings of choice!
Notes
- To cut back on prep time, use frozen sweet potato that’s already cubed and a packet of taco seasoning instead of measuring out the spices.
- Sub any salsa that you prefer.
- For a non-vegetarian option, sub a pound of browned ground beef or turkey in lieu of the beans.
- Other possible cheeses include shredded cheddar or Monterey jack and feta or cotija in place of the queso fresco.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals until warmed through or in a skillet, adding water as needed.
Beth Ellis
Another winner! Flavors meld beautifully. Spices were exactly the right amount and just cotija cheese was perfect for us.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed this one, Beth! Thanks so much for your 5-star review.