Pepper Jelly Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans

A savory black bean filling keeps these stuffed sweet potatoes from becoming an overly sweet side dish. The potato cooks until tender, the beans and vegetables warm in a separate skillet, and a measured pepper jelly-lime finish is added at the table. The filling can be ready while the potatoes bake, making the oven time easier to use.

Jump to ingredients · Method

Use Grandma Jones' Southwestern Chipotle Pepper Jelly for the flavor described here. Southwestern Chipotle is in the brand's Medium heat category. Check the current product label for ingredients and storage directions.

Yield: 2 main-dish servings. Prep: about 15 minutes. Cook: about 55 minutes. Timing varies with equipment and ingredient size.

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, about 8–10 ounces each, scrubbed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 15-ounce can fully cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon Southwestern Chipotle Pepper Jelly
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 scallion, sliced

Method

1. Bake the potatoes. Heat the oven to 425°F. Dry the scrubbed sweet potatoes and prick them several times with a fork. Rub with 1 teaspoon of the oil, place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake about 45–60 minutes until a knife slides easily into the center. Size determines the time; the skin alone is not the readiness check.
2. Cook the vegetables. During the final part of the bake, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook about 6–8 minutes, stirring, until softened rather than merely warmed.
3. Warm the filling. Add drained beans, cumin, paprika, water and salt. Stir over medium-low heat for about 4–5 minutes until hot throughout. Add another spoonful of water if the pan becomes dry. These directions use fully cooked canned beans, not dry beans.
4. Mix a small finish. In a clean bowl, stir the jelly with lime juice until smooth. Warm gently only if necessary to loosen it. Keep the amount modest because the potatoes are already sweet.
5. Fill and serve. Split the cooked potatoes lengthwise and fluff their centers with a fork. Divide the bean mixture between them, add a little jelly-lime finish and scatter scallions over the top. Offer any remaining clean finish separately.

Adjust texture and serving

The filling slides out

Open the potato widely enough to form a pocket and divide the filling gradually. Extra beans can be served alongside rather than forced into a small potato.

The meal tastes too sweet

Use less finish and add a little lime to your serving. Do not compensate with large amounts of hot sauce before tasting; the Chipotle jelly is already in the brand's Medium category.

Prepare components ahead

Refrigerate potatoes and filling separately in shallow containers. Reheat leftovers to 165°F before assembly, then add freshly mixed finish. Do not leave baked potatoes wrapped on the counter for extended cooling.

Build the meal

For a different sweet-potato format, follow the glazed sweet potato recipe rather than adding these bean quantities to its roasting method. See the separate glazed sweet potatoes for that preparation.

Storage and ingredient checks

Refrigerate prepared food promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below. Refrigerate within two hours, or one hour above 90°F. As a conservative home-leftover guideline, use within three to four days or sooner if an ingredient has a shorter remaining storage window. For crisp raw salads, quality is best close to assembly. Reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F; serve raw salads cold. Jelly and vinegar do not make these dishes shelf-stable.

Check the bean, spice and jelly labels. Optional cheese or yogurt would add milk; they are not required for the measured recipe.

References: safe chilling guidance and the cooking and reheating chart. For another preparation, browse the recipe collection or compare the lineup in Find Your Flavor.