These black bean and sweet potato tacos have become one of my go-to weeknight dinners - they're easy to throw together and a real crowd pleaser. They're smoky, slightly spicy, creamy, and packed with fiber and plant-based protein - and the best part is that the oven does half the work for you.

Roasting the sweet potato is what makes these tacos so special: they caramelize, soften, and get that gorgeous crispy edge that pairs perfectly with smoky black beans and melty cheese. Whether you serve them with pico de gallo, avocado lime crema, or just fresh cilantro and lime, they always disappear fast.

For more taco goodness, try my simple black bean tacos, these refried bean tacos, these easy black bean quesadillas, or this delicious smoky chipotle lentil recipe that works perfectly in tacos!

Ingredient Notes

Here's a quick overview of the ingredients you need to make this recipe, plus potential substitutions. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for the exact quantities.

• Sweet potato: Choose a medium or large sweet potato with smooth skin - it roasts more evenly. Dice small (1-1.5 cm cubes) so they caramelize rather than steam. You could use a white potato if you prefer - you won't get quite the same sweet but smoky flavor, but it's still tasty!
  
• Black beans: Canned is perfect! Just drain and rinse to remove excess sodium. You can also swap for pinto beans.
  
• Chipotle paste: This gives you that deep, smoky heat and Mexican taco-stand flavor. If you're sensitive to spice, reduce it by half. Another alternative is to dice up an adobo pepper.
  
• Smoked paprika + cumin: These two spices add warmth and depth - and mirror the flavors that naturally pair with roasted sweet potato.
  
• Tortillas: Mini flour tortillas crisp up beautifully in the pan. Corn tortillas work too, but are more delicate when folding.
  
• Cheese: A melty blend (cheddar + mozzarella or Monterey Jack) works best because it glues the taco shut while crisping.
  
• Garnish: Pico de gallo adds freshness, avocado crema brings creaminess, and cilantro brightens everything.

How to Make Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

Here is an overview to making this recipe - to get the full instructions along with the exact ingredients needed, you'll find all of this information at the bottom of this page in the recipe card.

1. Roast the sweet potato and pepper

Dice the sweet potato and cube the red pepper. Add to a baking tray and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, and salt. Roast at 220 °C (428°F) for 35-45 minutes, stirring once, until tender and caramelized.

2. Make the smoky black beans

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and sauté the diced onion. Then, add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the drained black beans, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 0.5 teaspoon onion powder, optional cayenne, and the chipotle paste. Cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant, then add ½ cup water and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Mash ¼-⅓ of the beans with the back of your spoon to thicken the mixture.

3. Combine the fillings

Add the roasted sweet potatoes and red pepper to the pan and gently fold them into the beans.

4. Assemble the tacos

Spoon the mixture onto mini tortillas, add shredded cheese, and fold each tortilla in half.

5. Crisp the tacos

Pan-fry the folded tacos for 2-3 minutes per side until golden, crispy, and melty inside.

Peel open each taco (they'll spring back into shape) and add pico de gallo, avocado lime crema, cilantro, or your favourite toppings.

Chef's Tips & Cooking Hacks

Like I've said, this is one of our regular meals (sometimes I adapt it depending on what we have in the cupboards, but I can pretty much make tacos out of thin air at this point!) - so I've pick up a few tips along the way to help you get your tacos as perfect as possible!

• Dice sweet potatoes small so they roast faster and crisp up properly - you really don't want to bite into an undercooked potato! Likewise, keep the peppers a bit bigger so they don't burn in the oven.
  
• Mash some beans - this thickens the filling and prevents it from simply falling out of your taco. It also adds a slight "creaminess" to the beans.
  
• Brush the outside of the tortillas with oil before crisping for an extra-golden finish.
  
• Make them cheesy: Add cheese to both the inside and the outside of the taco for a "cheese-crusted quesadilla taco" vibe. Delicious, trust me.

Storage

• Filling: Keeps in an airtight container for 4 days. Reheat it in a pan or microwave before loading into your tacos and frying.
  
• Assembled tacos: These are best eaten fresh as tacos don't reheat easily, but you can reheat them in an air fryer at 180C | 360F for 4-5 minutes to bring back the crispiness.
  
• Toppings: Keep salsa/crema separate so nothing gets soggy.

FAQs

Can I use corn tortillas?
Absolutely, but warm them before folding so they don't crack.

Do I have to roast the sweet potatoes?
Roasting gives the best flavor, but you can air fry (15-18 minutes) or pan-fry them if you're short on time.

What sides go well with these?
Mexican slaw, cilantro rice, guacamole, or charred corn salad are perfect add-ons.