Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

There is something magical about burritos for me. I can always eat a burrito, even if I just ate one yesterday. I don’t really get sick of them. Shortly after I got married, I kept hearing people talk about sweet potato burritos. They sounded strange to me, but I love burritos with regular potatoes and figured I should be open minded. These burritos are among my favorites to make.

This recipe makes a lot of burritos. You could scale it down, obviously. I always make the big batch, because these freeze well for a quick lunch or dinner. It doesn’t take much longer to make a full batch, and the rewards later are definitely worth it. These are one of my favorite lunches when I am sick of the sandwich grind.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos (Makes about 18 burritos)

5 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes (about 3-4 potatoes)
2 teaspoons canola oil
3 medium onions, diced
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 jalapeños, minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons chile powder (more to taste)
4 ½ cups cooked black beans (or 3 15 ounce cans low sodium beans, rinsed and drained)
⅔ cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
18 whole wheat flour tortillas (fajita size)

1. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté about 5 minutes, until tender. Add garlic powder, jalapeños, cumin, coriander, oregano, and chile powder. Saute for 1-2 minutes more, until spices become fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Place sweet potatoes, beans, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a large bowl. Lightly mash to desired consistency. (I prefer smooth potatoes with some whole beans, some mashed beans). Stir in onions and spices.

4. Place about ½ cup of filling in center of tortilla. Roll up, folding in ends as you go.

5. If eating immediately, place seam down in a baking dish. Spread salsa or enchilada sauce over the top. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and hot.

6. If freezing, place burritos seam side down on a baking sheet. Place sheet in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Once burritos are cold, wrap each individually in plastic wrap or foil. Place in big bags and freeze until ready to eat. When ready to reheat, poke burrito with fork a few times. Microwave for about 2 minutes. Flip burrito over, pour on a little salsa, and cook for 1 minute more.

Nutritional Information (Amount per Burrito):

Calories: 227
Protein: 8.5 g
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 38 g
Fiber: 10 g
Sodium: 323 mg

Recipe notes: I haven’t really cared for these with enchilada sauce personally, although the original recipe suggested it. Salsa and little bit of sour cream is perfect. Or just plain.

Recipe source: adapted from epicurious.com