Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

When I first met my wife, she was obsessed with a baked sweet potato meal with cooked kale, cottage cheese, and Sriracha sauce. A unique combination of ingredients, yes, but also a delicious one. Other meals in the rotation at that time were turkey loaf and beet risotto. Two of Shae’s three main meals were vegetarian, so our transition into a plant-based diet was relatively easy. After being diagnosed with cancer and becoming vegan, I started finding new ways to adapt recipes to be vegan-friendly. We were going through a lot of change at that time, so it was comforting to make small tweaks on familiar dishes. Given my wife’s love for that baked sweet potato recipe, I wanted to find a vegan stuffed sweet potato option that would pay homage to the original.

These vegan stuffed sweet potatoes are the jam – they’re easy to make, full of flavor and nutrients, and beautiful on your plate. Simply cook your quinoa, bake the sweet potatoes, chop some onions, make an avocado cilantro sauce, and combine. They also hold well as leftovers so you can make extra for your weekly meal prep. Plan and simple, this meal feels like a good life choice. It’s healthy, filling, and nourishing.

why are sweet potatoes healthy?

Sweet potatoes are nutritional all-stars. They’re loaded with Vitamin A and C – one cup of sweet potato contains 400% of your daily recommended Vitamin A and 50% of your daily recommended Vitamin C (Source). They’re also high in fiber, which means good for your digestion while keeping your blood sugar down. Sweet potatoes are also healthy because of their anti-inflammatory properties. All around, sweet potatoes are good for your health, so eat up!

how do you bake a sweet potato?

This part is easy, especially if you’ve baked a regular potato before. Simply wash your sweet potato, poke a few holes in it so steam can escape, and put it directly on your oven racks in a 400 F pre-heated oven. Slide a baking sheet underneath the potatoes to catch any drippings and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Voilà – baked sweet potato ready to go.

In the mood for other vegan spins on classic meals? Check out vegan mushroom stroganoff, vegan meatballs with spaghetti, vegan baked ziti, and vegan burrito bowl. If you make this vegan stuffed sweet potato recipe, rate it, leave a comment, and let me know how it goes. Also, take a photo of your creation and tag #plantandvine on Instagram.

vegan stuffed sweet potatoes and wine pairings

Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet and earthy, while the cumin-spiced quinoa, red onions, and creamy avocado cilantro sauce add some savory and tangy elements to the meal. Given these diverse flavors, it’s important that your wine has enough acidity to refresh your palate between bites. A wine with some fruity and spiced elements accomplishes that goal and also pairs perfectly with the cumin and lime tang. Here are some suggestions to get your wine brain going:

• Merlot: if you’re looking for a red wine pairing, Merlot is well structured without being overly tannic. Merlot’s rounded and soft mouthfeel will give you juicy fruitiness with flavors of plum, black cherry, and raspberry.
  • Suggested Regions: Napa Valley or Paso Robles, California

• Riesling: A dry Riesling will bring bright acidity to the meal that cuts through the richness of the sweet potato, making a perfectly refreshing sip in between bites. Introduces flavors of nectarine, apricot, honeycrisp apple, and pear.
  • Suggested Regions: Alsace, France

• Rosé: go for a dry rosé if you’re short on time and can’t decide between a red or a white wine. Light and crisp, with strawberry, citrus, and rose petal flavors and aromas. Can hang with the avocado cilantro lime tang and the earthiness of the sweet potato.
  • Suggested Regions: Provence, France

Interested in learning more about food and wine pairing? Try my wine pairing guide. If you have a bottle of wine ready to go and are curious about decanting it, check out the best wine decanters and learn how to properly decant wine.

Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Easy vegan stuffed sweet potatoes with cumin-spiced quinoa, savory red onions, and a tangy avocado cilantro sauce.

• Author: Plant & Vine
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: American, Vegan, Healthy
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American, Vegan, Healthy

Ingredients

Potatoes:

• 3 large sweet potatoes (thoroughly rinsed)
• 3/4 cup dry quinoa (rinsed and drained)
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (about half a lime, squeezed)
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• For serving: red salsa, toasted pepitas, chopped cilantro

Avocado-Cilantro Sauce:

• 1 avocado
• 1 cup cilantro, destemmed and roughly chopped
• 3-4 small limes, juiced 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2-3 Tbsp water (to thin as needed)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Using a sharp knife or fork, poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes to allow steam to escape.
2. Once oven is preheated, bake sweet potatoes directly on oven rack for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until tender to the touch. Place a baking sheet directly underneath to catch drippings.
3. While potatoes are baking, add rinsed quinoa, water, a healthy pinch of salt, and lime juice to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once gently simmering, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.
4. Remove quinoa from heat and season with ground cumin and salt. Stir, adjust seasonings as desired, and set aside.
5. To prepare avocado cilantro sauce, add all ingredients besides water to a Vitamix or food processor and blend. Add water as needed to thin. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside in refrigerator.
6. Prepare any remaining toppings, such as chopped onion and chopped cilantro
7. To serve, split open baked sweet potatoes and gently press in the middle of each sweet potato to create a small hole for fillings.
8. Fill each potato with quinoa, and top with avocado-cilantro sauce, pepitas, salsa, and fresh chopped cilantro.
9. Best when fresh. Store leftovers as separate ingredients in covered containers in refrigerator, up to 3 days.

Notes

*Recipe is a guide. Adapt as desired. Adapted from Minimalist Baker’s baked sweet potato recipe.

Keywords: baked sweet potato, quinoa stuffed sweet potato, vegan stuffed sweet potato