| Prep: 35 mins | Cook: 25 mins | Difficulty: Intermediate | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 325 | 10g | 2g | 52g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 10g | 9g | 8g | 0.6g |
Why I Love Mexican Smoky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tostadas
Hello, fellow food lovers. Let me introduce you to my new obsession, Smoky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tostadas. This recipe is a wonderful fusion of flavors that I just can’t get enough of. At its heart, it’s a Mexican recipe, but, with my culinary antennae always tuned into flavors that can be artistically blended, I’ve added my own unique twist to it.
My Ancestry Influences
Growing up in Louisiana with French ancestry, I mastered the art of combining Creole and French influences into my dishes. For these Smoky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tostadas, I used the same philosophy, that of mixing and blending, resulting in a masterpiece that’s simply irresistible.
The bold smoky flavor from the smoked paprika, the earthiness of the black beans and cumin, combined with sweetness and texture of the sweet potatoes – it’s pure magic! It reminds me of my Creole red beans and rice dish substituting rice with sweet potatoes and adding that beautiful Mexican twist.
Inspired By The Best
This recipe is also influenced by Mexican chef, Pati Jinich. Pati’s approach to simplifying complex Mexican dishes and maintaining their authentic flavors inspired me to come up with the Smoky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tostadas recipe, perfectly blending the heartiness and warmth of Southern American dishes with the freshness and zest of Mexican cuisine.
What’s wonderful about this recipe is the versatility it lends to pairings. It’s perfect as a stand-alone meal, but it would complement Mexican salad or chicken enchiladas if you wish to prepare a more elaborate dinner.
Whether it’s for your family dinner or a gathering of friends, this recipe is destined to generate a chorus of, ‘mmms’, ‘ahhs’ and ‘why didn’t I think of this combo before?’ from your guests. Enjoy!
What You’ll Need
Smoky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tostadas Ingredients
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 can (15 ounces) of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup of fresh corn kernels
- 6 tostada shells
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted and sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup of queso fresco, crumbled
Method
Step One
Take 3 medium sweet potatoes that have been peeled and cut into half-inch cubes. Place them on a baking sheet.
Step Two
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the sweet potatoes. Then, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper over them. Toss everything together to ensure the sweet potatoes are evenly coated.
Step Three
Place the sweet potatoes in a preheated oven and roast them until they’re tender. This should take around 25 to 30 minutes.
Step Four
In the meantime, drain and rinse 1 can (15 ounces) of black beans. Finely chop 1 small red onion. Prepare 1 cup of fresh corn kernels.
Step Five
Once the sweet potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly.
Step Six
Take 6 tostada shells and divide the roasted sweet potatoes evenly among them. Follow this by topping with the black beans, red onion, and corn kernels.
Step Seven
Pit and slice 2 ripe avocados. Arrange the avocado slices on top of the assembled tostadas.
Step Eight
Cut 1 lime into wedges and squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice over each tostada.
Step Nine
Chop 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro and sprinkle this over the tostadas.
Step Ten
Finish by topping each tostada with a sprinkling of crumbled queso fresco, roughly around 1 cup.
Your Smoky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tostadas are now ready to be served and enjoyed.
