Baked Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Succotash Recipe (45 Minutes, Meal Prep Friendly)

Name: The Easy, Veggie-Forward Dinner I Make All Winter Long
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 8 ounces each); 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 small yellow onion, finely diced; 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced; 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained; 1 cup frozen corn kernels; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled; 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice; Fresh chopped cilantro, for serving, optional

Roasted sweet potatoes topped with black bean succotash create a hearty, fiber-rich meal.
Halving the potatoes before roasting them lets you get dinner on the table in just 45 minutes.
You can prep the potatoes and succotash ahead for easy lunches or faster weeknight dinners for busy nights.

Whenever I’m mapping out dinner in my head, I rarely relegate vegetables to side dish territory. Instead, I try to make them the star of the plate, as I am on a perpetual quest to max out my fiber and micronutrient intake. And this is doubly true on the heels of the winter holidays, after healthier choices have been taking a backseat to Christmas cookies and eggnog.

This brings me to the humble roasted sweet potato. The colorful tuber is a fabulous vessel for any number of nutritious toppings; in this case, a flavorful black bean succotash. I particularly love this root vegetable because it’s affordable, available year-round in nearly every supermarket, and packed with antioxidants.

These roasted sweet potatoes with succotash and creamy mashed avocado call for just a handful of accessible ingredients. If you’re a fan of Tex-Mex flavors, you are going to love this easy meal.

A plate with sweet potato halves topped with black beans and guacamole next to a skillet containing the mixture and a lime garnish beside it — Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

Tips for Making These Sweet Potatoes

Halve your spuds: My trick for making sweet potatoes weeknight-friendly is to cut them in half before roasting. This helps them cook in roughly half the time.
Top them how you like: Feel free to use this recipe as a template. For instance, you can swap the black beans for pinto, use a red onion instead of a yellow one, or go for canned corn instead of frozen. If you don’t have ripe avocados, you can serve the potatoes with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream instead (or in addition!).
Meal-prep it: Both the sweet potatoes and succotash can be prepped in advance, then simply reheated in the microwave. Hold off on mashing the avocados until you’re ready to eat, as they do oxidize rather quickly.

Sweet potatoes topped with black beans corn and guacamole garnished with cilantro on a plate — Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

More Easy Veggie-Packed Mains

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Succotash

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Servings 4 servings

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4 medium sweet potatoes (about 8 ounces each)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
Fresh chopped cilantro, for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prep the sweet potatoes:

Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly and pat dry. Cut them in half lengthwise. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil evenly among the halves and rub with your hands to coat the skins evenly. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper to taste and place the potatoes cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
Roast the potatoes:

Roast until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a paring knife, 35 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the succotash:

While the potatoes roast, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few turns of black pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft and lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the drained black beans to the skillet along with the corn, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin. Cook until everything is warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes. If the skillet looks dry, stir in a splash of water. Taste and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper if needed.
Mash the avocados:

Place the avocados in a shallow bowl and mash with a fork until smooth. Season to taste with lime juice and salt.
Serve:

Divide the potatoes among 4 plates, top with the succotash, and add dollops of the mashed avocado. Sprinkle with cilantro, if using, and serve.

Store leftovers separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
539	Calories
34g	Fat
56g	Carbs
13g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	539
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g	43%
Saturated Fat 5g	24%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 543mg	24%
Total Carbohydrate 56g	20%
Dietary Fiber 20g	72%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 81mg	404%
Calcium 78mg	6%
Iron 4mg	21%
Potassium 1473mg	31%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.