I love preparing stuffed veggies like these because they make an easy all-in-one meal. From Greek-style stuffed tomatoes and fajita chicken stuffed peppers, to beef and cranberry stuffed delicata squash, and Italian sausage stuffed zucchini boats, there are so many ways to change up the flavors. This time, I opted for BBQ, fajita, black bean, chicken, or ground beef stuffed sweet potatoes — they’re just as good as they sound!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for stuffed baked sweet potato recipe what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card. Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredient list! It’s only long because there are 5 flavor options for stuffing sweet potatoes. Each one needs just a few ingredients…
Sweet Potatoes:
No matter what filling you choose, these basic ingredients are used for roasting the potatoes before stuffing them:
Sweet Potatoes – When selecting sweet potatoes for baking, look for ones that are firm and heavy for their size, with skin that is free of marks and blemishes. The amount of filling in this recipe is intended for large sweet potatoes, about 9-12 ounces each, but if yours are smaller, you can divide the filling among more of them or even enjoy the filling on its own. Olive Oil – For roasting the sweet potatoes. You can also use any neutral cooking oil you prefer, such as avocado oil or refined coconut oil. Sea Salt & Black Pepper
BBQ Chicken Stuffing:
BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes need just 4 ingredients for the filling. This one was the favorite among my friends.
Shredded Chicken – I used leftover air fryer whole chicken for this recipe, but if you don’t have any leftover chicken to use, you can quickly make shredded chicken in the Instant Pot or use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. BBQ Sauce – For a BBQ stuffed sweet potato recipe, I used sugar-free BBQ sauce, but any kind works. Cheddar Cheese – You could use any cheese you prefer, such as Monterey Jack, Colby, or mozzarella. Find a shredded variety or shred yourself. Green Onions – Also known as scallions, these provide a mild and sweet flavor to the BBQ chicken. Diced red onions or fresh chives would also work well.
Mexican Black Bean Stuffing:
Black bean stuffed sweet potatoes make a great vegetarian meal with plant-based protein. (They can also be vegan if you omit the cheese and sour cream.) It has all the flavors and toppings for tacos, but with black beans instead of meat.
Black Beans – Use a canned variety, and drain and rinse before using. If you prefer meat rather than beans, you can use 1 pound of ground beef, barbacoa, or shredded chicken instead. Lime Juice – I use fresh lime juice for the best flavor, but you could use bottled for convenience. Taco Seasoning – To keep my food made with clean ingredients, I make my own homemade taco seasoning, but you could use pre-made seasoning as well. Cheddar Cheese – Or, use any shredded cheese you prefer. Sour Cream – Adds a creamy richness to Mexican black bean stuffing. Plain Greek yogurt should also work. Jalapeno – The seeds of a jalapeno are the spiciest part, so omit them to make it less spicy. You can also omit the jalapeno altogether. Avocado – For cool and creamy texture that balances out the spicy flavors. Fresh Cilantro – You could also use fresh oregano or sliced green onion.
Ground Beef Stuffing:
This filling features ground beef marinara with a gooey mozzarella topping.
Olive Oil Ground Beef – I prefer 85/15, but you can use any kind you like. If you don’t like beef, you can also replace this with ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground sausage. Sea Salt & Black Pepper Marinara Sauce – I like to use sugar-free alternatives like my homemade marinara sauce, but you can use any kind you like. Italian Seasoning – Make your own homemade Italian seasoning for a boost of flavor. Or, use pre-made spices mix for convenience. Mozzarella Cheese – I recommend pairing mozzarella with the ground beef, but you could use cheddar, Colby, or any shredded cheese you prefer. Fresh Basil – You could also try other fresh herbs, like thyme or parsley.
Broccoli Cheese Stuffing:
This is my youngest daughter’s favorite filling! She’s not usually a big fan of broccoli, but loves it when combined with cheese and sweet potatoes. It’s also a vegetarian option.
Broccoli – Cut broccoli into even-sized florets to ensure they cook at the same rate. This recipe includes instructions for cooking it, but you can also use leftover roasted broccoli, sauteed broccoli, or air fryer broccoli. Sea Salt & Black Pepper Cheddar Cheese – Use any shredded cheese you prefer, just make sure you divide it for stuffing and sprinkling on top.
Shrimp Fajita Stuffing:
This filling is basically my shrimp fajitas recipe, cut down to be the right amount for stuffed sweet potatoes.
Small Shrimp – I used small shrimp, peeled, deveined, with tails removed. You could use larger ones for this Fajita Mexican stuffed sweet potatoes recipe if you prefer. Fajita Seasoning Mix – I use homemade fajita seasoning, but you could use store-bought as well. Olive Oil Lime Juice – I use fresh lime juice for the best flavor, but you could use bottled for convenience. Garlic – I used fresh minced garlic for the best flavor, but you could use 1 teaspoon jarred garlic or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder for convenience. Onion – I recommend a sweet onion as they bring out the flavor of the stuffing, but you can use any kind you have on hand. Bell Pepper – To add color, I used 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow bell pepper. You could use one color only, or any combination you like. Fresh Cilantro – Dill, parsley, or even mint can work as substitutes for fresh cilantro in shrimp fajita stuffing.
How To Make Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
This section shows how to make healthy stuffed sweet potatoes, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. If you have stuffing leftovers, use it to make stuffed acorn squash next. Reheat: Warm in the microwave on high power for 1-2 minutes, or bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Freeze: You can freeze any of these stuffed sweet potato recipes, as long as you do so without fresh herbs or other toppings. Cool completely, wrap with foil or plastic wrap, and place in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 4 months. You can reheat
What To Serve With Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
No matter how you stuff them, any of these stuffed sweet potato recipes can be a nutritious meal all on their own! But you can also pair them with: For a faster, and more hand-off approach, cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot instead.
Salads – Try a creamy cucumber salad, a fall-themed butternut squash salad, or crunchy broccoli bacon salad. Steak – Instead of the traditional white potatoes, serve grilled steak, my garlicky ribeye recipe, or perfect filet mignon with a broccoli cheese stuffed sweet potato recipe side dish for a gourmet meal. Appetizers – Make a simple healthy appetizer to go with them, like fresh tomato salsa and crispy almond flour chips, savory bacon wrapped asparagus, or simple Caprese skewers.
More Easy Sweet Potato Recipes
Try out some of my sweet potato recipes that are easy to make and packed with flavor. Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. Nutrition info is for BBQ chicken sweet potatoes, and will vary depending on the stuffing you choose.
