Cuban Black Bean + Sweet Potato Tacos

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Spicy black bean and sweet potato tacos with cabbage – topped with a tomatillo-avocado sauce and cheese. Candied plantains are on the side!

For awhile, Cuba was the *IT* destination. The country officially opened up to the US, and people streamed in for an all-too-brief interlude. However, to my great disappointment, it's a closed destination once again for trips departing from the US. I missed the window of opportunity, and am hoping for another one. Luckily, we can still enjoy their wonderful food, like these Cuban Black Bean + Sweet Potato Tacos. They're topped with shredded cabbage, radish slices, and a yummy tomatillo-avocado sauce that's good on almost anything.

Cuban food is a blend of Caribbean, African and Spanish cuisines with a little French thrown in. If you think about their history, this totally makes sense. Many of their famous dishes feature rice, beans, plantains, and pork. For these tacos, I added a touch of Mexico with the Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce, but kept true to Cuba with the beans, spices, and plantains. Best of all, it comes together in under 30 minutes for a perfect weeknight dinner – think Taco Tuesday.

Make Ahead Tip

These tacos come together very quickly and easily, but feel free to make the Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce a day or 2 ahead. Don't make it any further ahead than 2 days, as the avocado turns brown by then. This affects both the flavor, appearance, and texture of the sauce. It's best made just before you make the tacos. My recommendation is to make the Sauce while the sweet potatoes are cooking, and the beans are heating up.

Make it Carnivore Friendly

If you have Omnivores at the table like I do, add shredded pork to theirs, cooked in Cuban spices.

Print Recipe

4.5 from 2 votes

Cuban Black Bean + Sweet Potato Tacos with Candied Plantains

Easy tacos of black beans seasoned with Cuban spices and lime + roasted diced sweet potatoes tucked into soft tacos. They're topped with shredded cabbage, radish slices and a Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Course: Vegetarian Main Dish

Cuisine: Caribbean, Cuban

Keyword: Tacos

Servings: 8 - 10 tacos

Author: The Wimpy Vegetarian

Ingredients

Spicy Black Beans and Sweet Potato Filling

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 4 teaspoons Chipotle Spice Rub
• 1/2 white onion, finely diced
• 2 cups cooked black beans
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce

• 1 cup coarsely chopped rinsed and husked tomatillos
• 1 medium Serrano chiles with seeds, coarsely chopped
• 1 large avocado, mashed
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Tortillas and Garnishes

• 8 to 10 small tortillas either wheat or corn is fine
• Crumbled queso fresco
• Shredded cabbage
• Thinly sliced radishes

Candied Plantains

• 2 plantains
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

Spicy Black Beans and Sweet Potato Filling

• Preheat the oven to 425˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the sweet potato chunks in 2 tablespoons olive oil + 1 tablespoon Chipotle Spice Rub. Roast for 15 minutes or until tender.
• Heat up 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium sauté pan, and add the diced onion. Sauté for 5 minutes or until slightly tender, and add the beans and 1/2 teaspoon (or more, to your own taste) Chipotle Spice Rub. Cook for 5 minutes and add the roasted sweet potato chunks, lime juice, and salt. Toss and cook for an addition 2 - 3 minutes.

Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce

• Throw the tomatillos and Serrano chili into a food processor or blender. Puree until fairly smooth.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the mashed avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pureed tomatillos.

Tortillas and Garnishes

• Stuff the tortillas with the Spicy Bean and Sweet Potato Filling, add garnishes, and top with the Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce. Serve warm.

Candied Plantains

• Peel, halve (across their width), and quarter the plantains. Melt the coconut oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and the quartered plantains. Cook until just starting to soften, turning every several minutes, and add another tablespoon of brown sugar. Cook the plantains, turning only when completely caramelized, until very soft. They should still be easy to remove from the pan, but be very soft.
• Serve with the tacos.

Notes

The plantains can be cooked while the onion is sautéing to save time. The times quoted are for the tacos.

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