Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes recipe filled with a Mediterranean Quinoa using sun-dried tomatoes, olives, spinach and tons of flavor! Super healthy and easy!
It's getting to be that time of year where my body starts craving comfort foods. Heavier foods. Foods that warm you up, keep you full and make you feel all cozy inside.
You know, things like pasta, potatoes, chili, stews. Basically just all things warm and carby.
Out of all the foods that make me feel that way, sweet potatoes are definitely towards the top of the list. I probably eat sweet potatoes at least 3 – 4 times per week and they never get old. Typically it's just simple side of roasted sweet potatoes, but today I'm going to share a way for you to make sweet potatoes the star.
Ingredients for Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
The first vegan stuffed sweet potatoes I made were way back in 2012. I had never had one before – unless you count potato skins – and as soon as I made it, I knew it was going to be a staple for me.
I've since made them numerous times – and even made a breakfast version – and I still can't get enough. Since we've gone down the Mexican flavor route before, today we're taking things in a different direction. A Mediterranean direction. And I think you're going to love it!
These vegan stuffed sweet potatoes are just a few main ingredients:
- sweet potatoes
- quinoa
- chickpeas
- spinach
- olives
- sun-dried tomatoes
From there we're going to add a little more magic with spices and a tahini dressing, but otherwise, they're pretty darn simple!
The Perfect Mediterranean Quinoa Filling
I've said this a million times before and I'll say it again: one of the things I love most about quinoa is its versatility. You can literally turn it into any flavor you want!
Since I've made other quinoa stuffed sweet potatoes on the blog, I wanted to go in a flavor direction that I knew would be a bit different but also super tasty. One of my favorite recipes on the blog is my One-Pot Mediterranean Quinoa, so I used that as inspiration!
We're starting with some cooked quinoa, then sauteing that with spinach, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and spices. It's honestly SO good! It's got the brininess and salt from the olives, the roasted sweetness from the tomatoes and the herbs are there to just round it all out.
And as I imagined, it pairs perfectly with sweet potatoes!
How to Make Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
The base of stuffed sweet potatoes is the sweet potato of course! And we make that by baking them.
When you're making stuffed sweet potatoes, I think there are a few tricks to follow:
- Go small(ish). Pick a sweet potato that is on the smaller side. Since this is going to be one serving, you want one that isn't too big so that you can actually eat it. I say a small(ish) one is best.
- Use your fork. Before you bake your sweet potato, prick it all over with a fork. This is going to help with the cooking process and speed it up a bit!
- Leave them be. Once they're in the oven, just leave them be. There's no need to turn, flip, rotate, etc. They'll cook perfectly as is!
- Use foil. Sometimes sweet potatoes can ooze a bit as they're baking so I recommend laying down a piece of parchment or aluminum foil on the baking pan so it makes the clean up a bit easier!
Otherwise, once you've got your sweet potatoes baked, you can just stuff them with that quinoa mixture and you're off to the races!
The BEST Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
These are honestly one of the best ways to eat sweet potatoes. We're getting protein from the quinoa and beans, complex carbohydrates from the sweet potatoes and quinoa, tons of fiber, some greens and some healthy fats too!
It's one of those meals that you'll come back to over and over again.
And best of all? These vegan stuffed sweet potatoes can be made ahead and prepped for lunches or dinners for the week ahead. Simply heat them up in the microwave or oven (covered with foil in the oven) until they're heated through, then drizzle them with some tahini. So simple and SO delicious!
More Easy Vegan Dinner Ideas to try:
- Quinoa Flour Pizza Crust
- Quinoa Mac & Cheese
- Vegan Jackfruit Enchiladas Verdes
- Vegan Red Curry Noodle Bowls
- Butternut Squash Vegan Lasagna
- Meal Prep Chipotle Tofu Quinoa Bowls
Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Mediterranean Quinoa
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups spinach
- 1/2 cup canned chickpeas
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons kalamata olives (chopped)
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
to garnish
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 - 2 tablespoons water to thin
- chives
- red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Puncture the sweet potatoes with a fork and place them in a baking dish. Bake until soft, and knife slides into the flesh easily, about 35 – 45 minutes depending on the size.
- Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa mixture by heating the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the rest of the ingredients (spinach to salt & pepper) and saute until warm. Keep warm until the sweet potatoes are cooked.
- When the sweet potatoes are soft, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. Once cooled, transfer them to a plate, split them open with a sharp knife and spoon the quinoa into the center.
- Whisk together the tahini, lemon, salt, pepper, and water then pour on top of sweet potatoes. Garnish with fresh chives and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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