7 Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipes Perfect for Busy Weeknights (2024)

Sweet potatoes are packed with antioxidants that have been shown to protect against certain cancers, and they’re among the richest sources of beta-carotene out there, which is good news for everything from your immune system to your gut health. Stuffed sweet potato recipes make for healthy go-to meals when we’re strapped for time. Not just because they’re healthful, but also because they’re a filling base that plays well with any number of proteins and flavor profiles.

Plus, if you have leftovers, a sweet potato is a great way to give them new life. Have some leftover chili in the fridge, but not enough for a full meal? It’ll be perfect on a sweet potato. Leftover curry? Spoon it over a sweet potato.

Aside from its sidekick role with leftovers, the sweet potato is perfectly comfortable taking center stage. We rounded up seven of our favorite recipes to highlight the versatility of this orange wonder.

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1. Egg-Stuffed Sweet Potato

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Image credit: Calla’s Clean Eats

It’s amazing that we didn’t even consider egg-stuffed sweet potatoes an option before, but this super healthy, easy breakfast option is now going straight into heavy rotation. We recommend pre-baking a batch of sweet potatoes, then tossing one back in the oven with a cracked egg, which yields a low-effort breakfast (or lunch!) that couldn’t be healthier. For lunch, we’d serve it with a simple side salad or a prepared French lentil salad.

Try the recipe from Calla’s Clean Eats.

2. BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato

If you’ve ever dipped sweet potato fries in barbecue sauce, you already know this is a great pairing. Barbecue chicken has that deep, smokey-sweet flavor, so it works perfectly in a sweet potato. If you want to avoid refined sugars, there are some great unsweetened barbecue sauces out there (we’re fans of this Primal Kitchen version, or you could always make your own).

Try the recipe from Downshiftology.

3. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Spanish Tuna and Olives

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Image credit: Irena Macri

Gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30-friendly, these stuffed sweet potatoes are a great option for people with a wide range of dietary needs. They’re also protein-packed, thanks to the tuna filling, and incredibly flavorful. As the recipe author notes, this dish is an ideal make-ahead option: Bake a few sweet potatoes and mix up the Spanish tuna filling in advance, then combine for a super quick lunch or dinner.

Try the recipe from Irena Macri.

4. Quinoa & Red Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potato

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Image credit: Pick Up Limes

This is one of those healthy, tasty weeknight dinners that make takeout feel like a waste of money. We’d definitely recommend making a double batch of the quinoa and red lentil filling — it makes a fantastic side dish for another meal, or can easily serve as a light lunch with a simple green salad.

Try the recipe from Pick Up Limes.

5. Turkey Taco-Inspired Stuffed Sweet Potato

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Image credit: Cookin Canuck

This dinner is super fast, filled with healthy protein, and utilizes delicious, taco-inspired spices that appeal to even the pickiest eaters. We’d serve with some simple broccoli sauteéd with garlic and olive oil, or stay really on-theme with a Healthy Street Corn Salad or a delicious, fresh Avocado Salad.

Try the recipe from Cookin Canuck.

6. Tandoori Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potato

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Image credit: Rainbow Plant Life

As recipe author Nisha notes, this recipe is a really great beginners’ option if you’re unfamiliar with Indian cooking but love the flavors and want to give it a try. It’s also really quick, so it works great for busy evenings. If you have more time, consider making her vegan play on palak paneer to go with it, and we recommend making a double batch of the Tandoori chickpeas, too. They’re so crunchy and flavorful, you’ll want to snack on them all day.

Try the recipe from Rainbow Plant Life.

7. Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Sweet Potato

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Image credit: Brownie Bites

This is sort of an inverted shepherd’s pie: Rather than filling a pie dish and layering mashed potatoes on top, this quick weeknight variation involves simply stuffing cooked sweet potatoes with a turkey-based version of shepherd’s pie filling, then broiling. This dish would be fantastic served with some simple roasted carrots or green beans.

Try the recipe from Brownie Bites.

Read next: 10 Easy Weeknight Meals to Make After a Really Long Day

7 Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipes Perfect for Busy Weeknights (2024)

FAQs

How many sweet potatoes do I need for 7 people? ›

“A general guideline to estimating how many sweet potatoes you need when hosting friends or family for a meal is one medium sweet potato per person,” Burgess says, as if she's done this many times before.

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

Can I eat baked sweet potato at night? ›

Sweet potatoes still have a moderate impact on blood sugar, but that isn't a bad thing. In fact, the nutrients they contain make them one of the best tryptophan foods for sleep.

Why are stuffed sweet potatoes good for you? ›

One stuffed sweet potato is pretty filling so you may find that it makes an entire meal for you - depending on how hungry you are of course! The first sweet potato is stuffed with avocado and black beans. This will provide some good anti-inflammatory fat, plus iron and plant-based protein from the black beans.

How many potatoes should I mash for 7 people? ›

How much Mashed Potatoes should you make? As a side dish, you should plan on ½ pound of potatoes per person. That means if you are planning on 10 people, use 5 pounds of potatoes. 4 people use 2 pounds of potatoes.

How many pounds of sweet potatoes for 7 people? ›

How many potatoes do I really need? I did some research, and here's the answer: a large sweet potato is about a ½ pound. You'll want to figure on ⅓ to ½ pound per person.

Is it better to peel sweet potatoes before or after boiling? ›

There is not much difference between boiling sweet potatoes with the skins on versus peeling them, but you will get a boost of fiber and potassium if you keep the skin on. The skin also adds a subtle texture to each bite. If you're looking for a smoother mash, peel the potatoes first before boiling.

Do sweet potatoes taste better baked or boiled? ›

Like David Wilcox says, baking the sweet potato produces a deeper flavor. I find that baking them brings out a sweeter flavor as well. But what you need to do is experiment and bake a pie using sweet potatoes that have been prepared both ways. You might find that you like it better when they are boiled.

Why is boiling a sweet potato better than baking? ›

Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.

When can you not eat a sweet potato? ›

Use your senses to determine if your sweet potato is past its prime. First, give it a squeeze. It'll be firm if it's fresh, and mushy if it's not. Other signs to check for are discoloration, shriveled skin, black or brown spots, and suspicious odors.

What is the healthiest way to eat sweet potatoes? ›

You can grill, smash, bake, mash and even air-fry them. Along with those cooking methods, one of the healthiest ways to cook sweet potatoes is to roast them. The best technique for roasting vegetables is to roast them at higher temperatures so that the natural sugars caramelize.

Which sweet potato is the healthiest? ›

The primary nutritional benefit, and the one for which Okinawan sweet potatoes are especially prized, is their high antioxidant levels. The antioxidant known as anthocyanin is the pigment which is responsible for the brilliant purple color of the flesh.

Is it better to bake a sweet potato in the oven or microwave? ›

Can You Cook Sweet Potatoes in the Microwave? Yes, you can! In fact, the shorter cook time will help the sweet potatoes retain more nutrients that are often lost in the long oven-baking process. It's not all that different than baking a sweet potato in the oven, except it's a whole lot faster.

What does stuffed sweet potatoes contain? ›

Make the filling: In a medium-small bowl, mix together the quinoa, spinach, feta, red onion, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. (I like to slightly over-season my filling so that it's flavorful amongst the whole potato.)

Is it OK to eat a sweet potato everyday? ›

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

How many sweet potatoes do I need for 8 people? ›

Four large sweet potatoes can easily feed 8 people or more if it's the main side dish. For the holidays when you have lots of sides, it can serve 10 to 14.

How many potatoes do you need to feed 8 people? ›

How Many Pounds of Potatoes Per Person You'll Need
Number of peoplePounds of potatoes
63 lb.
84 lb.
105 lb.
126 lb.
2 more rows
Jan 5, 2024

How many potatoes do I need to feed 6 people? ›

The ultimate potato weight table for feeding a crowd
Number of peopleTotal potato weightNumber of medium-size potatoes needed
10.5 lb.1
42 lbs.4
63 lbs.6
105 lbs.10
Jul 14, 2021

How many people will 6 lbs of sweet potatoes feed? ›

Will feed 10-12 people.

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