15-Minute Loaded Sweet Potato Recipe

When you think of potatoes, a sweet potato may not be the first variation to come to mind — but it should be! Sweet potatoes have an earthy, subtly sweet flavor, and they're also packed with nutrients. Best of all, sweet potatoes are incredibly versatile. You could mash them, bake them, fry them, or roast them. And, both sweet toppings, like brown sugar or honey, as well as savory toppings, like sour cream or beans, complement sweet potatoes wonderfully.

Recipe developer Sher Castellano has the perfect 15-minute loaded sweet potato recipe that works with nearly any meal. Though sweet potatoes can take a while to bake in the oven, this recipe calls for simply microwaving them, which makes them so much easier to make without sacrificing any flavor. "It's simple and fresh, but also super comforting," Castellano says of this recipe. She also notes that this dish works well as a side or as a main: "This makes a great side dish," she explains, while noting that one serving would suffice in this scenario. And, if you wanted to have sweet potatoes for the main course, she recommends two sweet potatoes per serving. If you love simple, wholesome meals, be sure to give this 15-minute loaded sweet potato recipe a try!

Before you can jump in and start making these 15-minute loaded sweet potatoes, you'll want to make sure that you have the right ingredients on hand. Of course, you'll need sweet potatoes, which will be the star of the recipe. And it wouldn't be a "loaded" potato without some delicious toppings, so you'll also need cooked black beans, cooked corn (Castellano's tip is to use frozen corn, soak it in cold water, and drain.), diced red onion, extra-virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, Greek yogurt or sour cream, and some finely minced chives to round it all out. As you can tell by the list of ingredients, this recipe highlights the amazing savory flavors in sweet potatoes!

While many recipes call for baking sweet potatoes in the oven, Castellano's recipe simplifies things by heating them up in the microwave instead. This method doesn't damper any of the sweet potatoes' flavor, but it is much quicker (and easier) than hassling with the oven. So, start by piercing the sweet potatoes with a fork several times, because the last thing you want is a potato explosion. Then, place them into the microwave, and heat them up for three minutes, then carefully flip them, and heat for another three minutes. 

You'll know the sweet potatoes are done once you can easily pierce them with a fork. At this point, remove them from the microwave, and set them aside to cool.

As your sweet potatoes cool down, you can turn your attention to the toppings. Grab a small bowl, and add in the beans, corn, red onion, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Give all of these ingredients a thorough stir, ensuring that they're all evenly coated with the oil, vinegar, and seasoning. Now, set this aside for a minute, and return to the sweet potatoes. 

Put the sweet potatoes on a plate, and carefully slice them open — though they've cooled down on the outside, they'll still be very hot on the inside. Mash each piece gently with a fork to get them ready for the toppings.

Now that both the sweet potatoes and the toppings are ready, you can start loading them up! First, give each sweet potato half a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream to add some creaminess to the dish. Next, grab the bean and corn mixture, and give each piece a hearty scoop of that as well. Finally, sprinkle on some minced chives, and you're ready to enjoy this simple but delicious meal! The next time you're in a pinch, but want a fulfilling lunch or dinner, this 15-minute loaded sweet potato recipe has got you covered.