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By Katja Heino 2 Comments
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Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Slaw

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black bean tacos on sheet pan

Roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, mashed avocado, + a cilantro ranch slaw all wrapped in your favorite charred tortilla = the BEST taco night EVER. Gluten free with a vegan option.

This one is for all the taco lovers out there (me, me, me!!!).

I’m coming at you with a super simple taco dinner that you’ll want to make again and again.

I’m pretty excited to share this recipe because there was a time when my body didn’t tolerate beans. But since spending time healing my body and my gut, I can eat beans again. Yay!

three black bean tacos on cutting board

What I LOVE about these sweet potato black bean tacos:

  • so many flavors – cilantro, lime, avocado, sweet potato, taco seasoning
  • loaded with veggies
  • the cilantro ranch slaw (such nice texture)
  • easy to throw together
  • can be prepped ahead of time

Summer is here, and that means I’m spending less time in the kitchen and more time outside in the garden and swimming at the river. So having easy meals I can meal prep ahead of time and quickly throw together is so helpful.

And who doesn’t love a good taco night?

These sweet potato black bean tacos have been a huge hit in our family. They’re hearty and filling and loaded with flavor. And the secret to these tacos really is the charred tortilla.

How to Char a Tortilla

For this recipe you can use any tortillas that you like. My current fav are THESE.

My favorite way to warm up tortillas is by charring them. They look and feel like authentic handmade tortillas, have an added smoky flavor and it gives them a touch of texture.

Simply turn on the flame of your gas stove to low medium and place the tortilla on the burner. As the tortilla begins to char, move the tortilla around so you get a nice char all around. Use metal tongs if it’s too hot on your fingers. Flip and char the other side, being careful not to over cook it so you don’t end up with a dry tortilla.

Once you get better at the technique, you can do multiple tortillas on multiple burners. Place charred tortillas inside a clean tea towel as you work to keep them warm.

charred tortillas on a sheet pan

A Word about Black Beans

Beans are notorious to creating gas and digestive upset. But you can increase the digestibility of beans by soaking them for at least 12 hours before cooking and then cooking them until they are very soft and well done.

I highly recommend cooking your own beans instead of using canned beans for this reason. Canned beans are often hard and not cooked enough for my liking. It’s also good to avoid canned foods because the cans are often lined with BPA (bisphenol-A), which has been linked to many health issue.

My Favorite Way to Cook Black Beans

I like to cook my black beans in my Instant Pot. It’s easy, mostly hands off, and my beans are perfectly cooked every time.

After soaking 2 cups of beans overnight, drain and rinse well. Add beans to Instant Pot insert along with 5 cups of water. Add in 2 bay leaves, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp oregano. Lock lid on IP and turn the vent valve to “sealing.” Cook on HIGH for 10 minutes then slow release for 20 minutes. Salt to taste after cooking.

Beans are easy to store in the freezer for later. I use THESE jars to freeze individual portions that are perfect for my family’s taco nights. The trick to freezing them is to not overfill them and to not tighten the lid until they are frozen solid because this keeps the jars from cracking under pressure as the beans will expand as they freeze.

black beans in a glass jar
sweet potatoes on a sheet pan

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Slaw

  • Author: Katja Heino
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: feeds 3–4 1x
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Ingredients

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil (like this)
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp taco seasoning (like this)
  • salt to taste
  • 1 and 3/4 cups cooked black bean (or a 15 ounce can)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
  • your favorite tortillas (I use THESE)

 

FOR CILANTRO RANCH DRESSING

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise or plain dairy free yogurt (I use THIS)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • juice from one lime
  • 1/2 – 1 clove garlic (depending on your garlic preference)
  • pinch of cumin powder
  • salt to taste
  • water to thin, if necessary

 

FOR MASHED AVOCADO

  • one avocado
  • juice from 1/2 of a lime
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425’F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, toss cubed sweet potato in avocado oil and taco seasoning until well coated.  Spread single layer and evenly onto baking sheet.  Bake for 25 minutes, until sweet potatoes are are soft and tender.  Remove from oven and salt to taste.
  3. While sweet potatoes cook, make cilantro ranch dressing by blending mayonnaise, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and cumin in a food processor or blender until creamy smooth.  Salt to taste and thin with water to a salad dressing consistency if necessary. Combine shredded cabbage and 1/4 cup cilantro leaves in a small bowl drizzle on cilantro ranch dressing and toss until coated.  Set aside.
  4. To make mashed avocado, use a fork to mash avocado, lime, and salt together.  Set aside. 
  5. Warm black beans in a small pot. 
  6. Char tortillas in the open flame of a gas stove until lightly charred.  Stack them under a clean tea towel as you work. 
  7. TO ASSEMBLE TACOS:  Add a small amount of mashed avocado to each tortilla, load on sweet potatoes and black beans, and then some cilantro ranch slaw. Enjoy! 

Notes

If you don’t have taco seasoning, you can make a mix of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and oregano. 

This meal can be prepped ahead of time by cooking sweet potatoes, making cilantro ranch slaw, and mashed avocado ahead of time.  Simply warm up beans and tortillas just before serving. 

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @savorylotus on Instagram and hashtag it #savorylotus

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Filed Under: Main Course Tagged With: black beans, sweet potato black ban tacos, sweet potatoes, tacos, vegan, vegetarian

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Erin says

    July 1, 2020 at 3:20 pm

    It’s so good! My family would take this version for taco night every week!

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      July 7, 2020 at 1:41 pm

      Mine too! We love black bean tacos. 🙂

      Reply

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Hi I’m Katja!

And this is how we do healthy in our family. Just REAL food. Simple. Easy. Gluten free. More about Savory Lotus

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another gorgeous sunny day to clean out garden bed another gorgeous sunny day to clean out garden beds ☀️ • the garden is my happy place • and this gigantic golden beet made my day • grateful for the opportunity to get my hands into the dirt 👩‍🌾
❤️ happy friday • fridays are my hospital da ❤️ happy friday • fridays are my hospital day • i’ve been an RN for almost 17 years + still work very part time in Women’s Services with birthing mamas + their families • being an RN + also being a real food advocate, detox educator, and wellness warrior doesn’t always align • i work in a system that doesn’t look for root causes of illness • preventative practices and nutrition are rarely prioritized • my patient population has gotten sicker and sicker with women in their 20’s now having high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, thyroid issues, + more • how did we get here? 🤷‍♀️• how has medicine gotten so far away from real health? • why do people like me have to pay so much $$ out of pocket for integrative/functional medicine docs bc they are the ones looking at root cause + drainage/elimination? • i get so many messages every week from people who wish they could afford to get well 😕• or folks who say that their regular doc has no idea how to help them • if this is you, i get it • i’ve been there • we have gotten so far away from the basics • i wish i knew back when i first got sick all about drainage + elimination • i would have prioritized hydration 💧💧+ pooping 💩💩• I would have loved up my liver • i would have supported my lymph • i would have been in my sauna every day 💦💦• i would have dealt with my dental issues 😁 • i would have eliminated parasites 🪱🪱+ heavy metals in a good way • but now i know + my body is healing • and i’m here to share with anyone interested • healing is possible • we just have to take the first baby step • little by little • knowledge is power 💪 • let’s keep learning together ❤️❤️
🍋 🍋 LEMON POPPY SEED DONUTS • when life gi 🍋 🍋 LEMON POPPY SEED DONUTS • when life gives you a bag of lemons, you make the best of it • even though we prioritize healthy eating, there’s room for treats like these • we call it balance 😉 • baking is one of my favorite things to do with my little one👩‍🍳 • we’ve had a year solid of being home, distance learning, + missing being out in the world • baking is one of those small pockets of JOY that brightens our daily life ☀️☀️

🍋 🍋 light and fluffy (gluten and grain free) donuts dipped them in a sweet lemony glaze • the bright lemon flavor kinda adds a bit of sunshine to the day 🍋☀️🍋

🍋 🍋 recipe link in bio (and i linked the donut pan that i use in the post): https://www.savorylotus.com/lemon-poppy-seed-donuts-gluten-free-and-grain-free/
sauerkraut • love it? hate it? • it’s one of sauerkraut • love it? hate it? • it’s one of the easier + most cost effective ways to support your gut • i make it every couple of months • its easy once you understand the basics of fermentation • i have a step by step tutorial if you’re ready to dive in ✨✨

link to tutorial in bio : https://www.savorylotus.com/easy-sauerkraut-recipe/

what you’ll need:
cabbage
salt
1/2 gallon wide mouth mason jar (or you can use 2 wide mouth quart sized jars)
air-tight fermentation lid
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