Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos with Avocado-Pepita Dip

🥘 Ingredients

• avocado (pitted)
  2
• avocado-pepita dip
• black beans (spicy, or 3 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained)
  2 cans
• cayenne pepper (omit if sensitive to spice)
  1/4 teaspoon
• chili powder
  1/4 teaspoon
• cilantro (fresh, lightly packed, mostly leaves, some small stems are ok)
  1 cup
• cumin (ground)
  2 teaspoons
• else (everything)
• feta (crumbled)
• garlic (roughly chopped)
  2 cloves
• jalapeño (small, go easy if sensitive to spice, seeded and roughly chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
  1
• lime juice (sherry vinegar or)
  1 teaspoon
• olive oil
  1 tablespoon, 2 tablespoons
• onions (suggested garnishes: pickled jalapeños or pickled radishes or pickled red, torn cilantro, hot sauce, etc., yellow or white, small, finely chopped)
  1
• pepitas
  1/2 cup
• pepper (freshly ground black, to taste, freshly ground black, to taste)
• salt (fine grain sea, fine sea, fine sea)
  3/4 teaspoon
• sweet potatoes (roasted, 3 to 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1-inch chunks)
  2 pounds
• tortillas (corn, small)
  8-10
• vinegar (lime juice or 1 tablespoon sherry, about 1 medium lime)
  2 tablespoons
• water
  1/3 cup, 2 tablespoons

🍳 Cookware

• baking sheet
• saucepan
• skillet
• bowl
• food processor
• blender

1. 1

   Gather cayenne pepper .

   cayenne pepper: 1/4 teaspoon (omit if sensitive to spice)
2. 2

   Roast the sweet potatoes : Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Toss the prepared sweet potatoes with the olive oil , cayenne pepper (if using) and salt . Arrange in a single layer and bake for ⏱️ 30-40 minutes , tossing halfway, until the sweet potatoes are tender and caramelizing at the edges.

   sweet potatoes (roasted), sweet potatoes: 2 pounds (3 to 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1-inch chunks), olive oil: 2 tablespoons, pepper (freshly ground black, to taste), salt: 1/2 teaspoon (fine grain sea)
3. 3

   Prepare the black beans : Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and a sprinkle of salt . Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are turning translucent, about ⏱️ 5-8 minutes . Add the cumin and chili powder and cook for about ⏱️ 30 seconds while stirring. Pour in the beans and water . Stir, cover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

   black beans (spicy), olive oil: 1 tablespoon, onions (suggested garnishes: pickled jalapeños or pickled radishes or pickled red, torn cilantro, hot sauce, etc.), salt: 1/4 teaspoon (fine sea), onions: 1 (yellow or white, small, finely chopped), cumin: 2 teaspoons (ground), chili powder: 1/4 teaspoon, water: 1/3 cup
4. 4

   Cook for ⏱️ 5 minutes , then remove the lid and use a potato masher or a fork to mash up at least half of the beans. Remove from heat, stir in the vinegar , season with salt (I added over 1/4 teaspoon) and pepper , and cover until you’re ready to serve.

   vinegar: 2 tablespoons (lime juice or 1 tablespoon sherry, about 1 medium lime), salt (fine sea), pepper (freshly ground black, to taste)
5. 5

   Make the avocado dip: First, toast the pepitas in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until they are fragrant and starting to make little popping noises, about ⏱️ 5 minutes . Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

   avocado: 2 (pitted), pepitas: 1/2 cup
6. 6

   Scoop the avocado flesh into a food processor or blender . Add the cilantro , jalapeño , garlic , lime juice , water and salt. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor/blender as necessary. Add almost all of the pepitas (reserve a few tablespoons for garnish) and process just until the pepitas are chopped into small pieces (some remaining texture is desirable). Taste, and add more salt if necessary. Transfer the dip to a small bowl for serving.

   cilantro: 1 cup (fresh, lightly packed, mostly leaves, some small stems are ok), jalapeño: 1 (small, go easy if sensitive to spice, seeded and roughly chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes), garlic: 2 cloves (roughly chopped), lime juice: 1 teaspoon (sherry vinegar or), water: 2 tablespoons
7. 7

   To warm the tortillas , heat a large skillet over medium heat and warm the tortillas in batches, flipping to warm each side. Alternatively, you can warm them directly over a low flame on a gas range. Stack the warmed tortillas on a plate and cover with a tea towel to keep warm.

   tortillas: 8-10 (corn, small)
8. 8

   To assemble the tacos, spread black beans down the middle of each tortilla, then top with some sweet potatoes and avocado-pepita dip . Garnish with feta , pepitas, and anything else that strikes your fancy. Repeat with remaining tortillas and serve.

   black beans: 2 cans (or 3 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained), avocado-pepita dip, feta (crumbled), else (everything)
9. 📝

   Nutrition: Fat: 31 g Calories: 726 calories Saturated Fat: 4.8 g Sodium: 730.3 mg Fiber: 24.1 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Carbohydrate: 99.8 g Sugar: 12 g Serving Size: 2 tacos Trans Fat: 0 g Protein: 20.5 g