Sweet Potato Burrito Smothered in Avocado Salsa Verde
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(51)
Ingredients
4-6 burritos
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked hot paprika or chipotle powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne (omit if sensitive to spice)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 to 6 whole wheat tortillas
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 to 2 cups shredded Jack cheese or cheddar cheese
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 cup mild salsa verde, homemade or jarred
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves
- Up to 2 tablespoons water, to thin as necessary
- Salt, to taste
- 1 ½ cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- Sour cream, optional
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Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Scrub and peel the sweet potatoes (or leave the skin on to save time). Slice them into large, bite-sized chunks, about 1 to 1 ½-inches wide/long and ½-inch deep. Cut the bell pepper into 1” wide strips. On the prepared baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes and bell pepper with the olive oil, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Arrange the veggies evenly across the pan. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway, until they are golden and caramelized around the edges.
Step 2
Make the avocado sauce: Scoop the avocado into a food processor or blender. Add the salsa verde, garlic, and lime juice. Blend. Add the cilantro and blend again. Add water to thin out the sauce if desired; the sauce should glop easily off a spoon. Taste and blend in some salt or add another squeeze of lime if necessary. This sauce should taste like a real kick in the mouth; you’ll know you’re done when you can’t stop going in for another spoonful.
Step 3
Make sure the oven is still on at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your tortillas on another baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In the middle of each tortilla, put down a few strips of roasted red pepper, then pour ⅓ cup black beans down the center and top it all with ⅓ cup roasted sweet potato chunks. Sprinkle ¼ cup or more of cheese on top. Pull one edge of the tortilla over to the center of the burrito, then pull the opposite edge over to overlap a bit. Gently roll the burrito over. Repeat with remaining burritos. Bake your burritos for about 5 to 7 minutes on the middle rack, until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are lightly crisp.
Step 4
Carefully transfer each burrito to a plate. Smother it in avocado sauce, sprinkle with ample romaine lettuce, some chopped red onion, and a dollop of sour cream if you’d like. Enjoy. Leftover burritos keep well with sauce stored separately in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days.
Step 5
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Chef's notes
Roast the sweet potatoes ahead of time and warm them up a bit before assembling the burritos for a quick weeknight meal. You could also bake a batch of them and wrap them up for later, reserving the avocado sauce and toppings for the last minute.
The taste of the avocado sauce is dependent on the type of salsa you use. I recommend a mild salsa verde made with tomatillos.
The avocado sauce will keep well in a jar in the fridge for a few days. If you find that the surface is browning over time, cover the surface of it with plastic wrap to minimize contact with air.
If you have leftover sauce, it doubles as a stellar salad dressing on romaine lettuce.
You don’t necessarily have to bake these burritos (warm tortilla, black beans and sweet potatoes should melt the cheese) but I preferred the faintly crunchy exterior of the baked burrito.
This burrito could easily be made vegan by omitting the cheese and sour cream. Still delicious, I promise!
