Cuban Picadillo Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Why are sweet potatoes so versatile? One minute you’re making bacon wrapped sweet potato fries and the next minute gouda-chorizo loaded sweet potato skins.
Today, we’re making stuffed sweet potatoes with a Cuban twist!
Think of it as a whole Cuban meal stuffed inside of a baked sweet potato.
It’s one of my favorite sweet potato recipes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sweet potatoes. I typically buy the sweet red-orange variety (not yams) that are medium-to-large in size and firm to the touch. Those are the best for cooking/roasting/stuffing.
- Cuban picadillo. This recipe is a great idea for leftover picadillo or you can also cook the picadillo ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
- Sweet plantains. If you don’t have ripe plantains on hand to make maduros, you can buy frozen ripe plantains from the freezer section of the grocery store. It’ll be our little secret.
- Avocado. Hass avocados are the best of the best.
Recommended For This Recipe
Vegetable Brush
This veggie brush has sturdy and durable bristles and fits comfortably in your hand! It’s perfect for cleaning potatoes and carrots!
How To Make Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
There are two ways to bake sweet potatoes.
- First things first, ALWAYS wash the sweet potatoes before cooking. Sometimes, they still have dirt on them so it’s a good idea to give them a quick scrub. Using a vegetable brush, firmly scrub the skins of the sweet potatoes.
- Next, drizzle each sweet potato with olive oil and rub it all over using your hands.
- Season each potato with salt.
- Poke holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork. This will help them release steam as they cook so they don’t not explode. Don’t skip this step!
In the oven
- Place them on a baking sheet and bake them at 400ºF for 45-50 minutes or until tender enough to cut with a knife.
In the microwave
If you’re pressed for time (which let’s face it, we always are), you can cook sweet potatoes in the microwave.
- Depending on their size, times will vary so for medium-sized sweet potato, start at 8-10 minutes on HIGH.
- If they’re not yet tender, continue microwaving in 1 minute increments until knife tender.
Once tender and cool enough to handle, slice each sweet potato lengthwise, down the middle, then push both ends towards the middle so they open up.
Using a fork, slightly mash the inside of the sweet potato then stuff with picadillo, maduros, and avocado.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Looking for vegetarian/vegan options? Make vegan picadillo with chickpeas instead and add cooked Cuban black beans.
- No ground beef? You can make turkey picadillo with ground turkey.
- Don’t have sweet potatoes? Use Russet potatoes instead.
- Need topping ideas? You can top sweet potatoes with guacamole, sour cream, greek yogurt, red onions, tomato, salsa, fresh herbs like parsley or chives, shredded cheddar cheese, or drizzle with cilantro garlic sauce.
I promise you will love this recipe so much, it will become part of your weekly weeknight meal rotation!
You can also make:
- Cuban Picadillo Stuffed Peppers Recipe
- 5-Ingredient Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Cilantro Garlic Chimichurri Roasted Potatoes
- Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
Cuban Picadillo Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups Cuban Beef Picadillo, cooked
- Sweet Plantains (Platanos Maduros), cooked
- 1 avocado, diced
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Using a vegetable brush, firmly scrub the skins of the sweet potatoes.
- Drizzle the sweet potatoes with olive oil and rub it all over using your hands. Season each potato with salt.
- Poke holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork. This will help them release steam as they cook so they don't not explode in your oven. Don't skip this step!
- In the oven. Place them on a baking sheet and bake them at 400ºF for 40 minutes or until tender enough to cut with a knife.
- In the microwave. Depending on their size, times will vary so for a medium-sized sweet potato, start at 8-10 minutes on HIGH. If they're not yet tender, continue microwaving in 1 minute increments until tender enough to cut with a knife.
- Once tender and cool enough to handle, slice each sweet potato lengthwise, down the middle, then push both ends towards the middle so they open up.
- Using a fork, slightly mash the inside of the sweet potato then stuff with picadillo, maduros, and avocado. Top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
wow these stuffed sweet potatoes do look amazing, I love the addition of the green olives and cumin to the picadillo, that must have so much flavor to it all on its own! aweome that you show your heritage in your recipes, and in a healthier way too!!