Food Cooking Tips & Techniques These Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes Are Basically Burritos—But Way Healthier You'll never want to eat sweet potatoes any other way. By Grace Elkus Grace Elkus Grace Elkus is a food writer and editor with over a decade of experience in culinary media. Highlights: * Associate food editor at Real Simple, where she developed recipes, wrote food stories, and assisted with styling * Deputy food director at Kitchn, where she and her team were responsible for 100 recipes a month * Currently the content lead for JOKR Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 20, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email These kid-friendly twice-baked sweet potatoes will become a weeknight dinner favorite—they're warm and cheesy and full of flavor. Plus, you can feel good about serving them to the family: sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants, the avocado provides healthy fats, and black beans pack in the protein. Get the Recipe: Cheesy Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes With Black Beans and Avocado. Photo: Victor Protasio When I'm at a loss for what to make for dinner, I often turn to Southwestern flavors and ingredients. I know that some combination of black or pinto beans, avocado, pepitas, and Monterey or Pepper jack cheese will always satisfy me, no matter how I combine them. Rolling them into a burrito is an obvious choice; however, I recently discovered a lighter, healthier method of preparation—and you only need five ingredients to make it. Twice-baked sweet potatoes combine everything you love about a vegetarian burrito—except instead of a jumbo-size tortilla and rice, you're enjoying a nutrient-dense sweet potato. And though they do take two trips to the oven, the second "bake" is actually a broil, so you'll likely be digging in in less than an hour. Grab the full recipe for Cheesy Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes With Black Beans and Avocado, or follow these steps to customize your own:1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice 4 sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, rub with 3 tablespoons olive oil, and place cut side down on a second rimmed baking sheet. Add a few grinds of black pepper, transfer to the oven, and bake until very tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then scoop the flesh into a large bowl and return to the skins to the baking sheet. 2. Increase oven temperature to broil and position the top rack 6 inches from heat. Broil the skins until crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Don't skip this step—this is what makes the skins sturdy enough to hold the filling. 3. Add 1 15.5 oz. can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed, to the sweet potato flesh, along with 1 cup pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese, several grinds black pepper, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. At this point, you can also add some spices: ground cumin, ground coriander, or chili powder would all be delicious. Divide mixture among skins and top with 1/2 cup more cheese, then return to oven and broil until cheese is melted. Top with sliced avocado, toasted pepitas or sunflower seeds, cilantro leaves and tender stems, and/or sliced fresh chile peppers. Serve with lime wedges. RELATED: Cheesy Hasselback Yams For another great new sweet potato recipe, try this Sweet Potato Soup With Pistachio Dukkah. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit