These Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes do not skimp on flavor! They’re delicious, and an excellent source of protein and fiber. Plus, they are super easy to make and fun for the whole family to eat!

Pan of taco turkey stuffed sweet potato boats with melted cheese and avocado on top

I love a full balanced meal that can be made in just one pan. This Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potato boats recipe cheats just a little… it’s one pan plus one sheet tray in the oven. But roasting sweet potatoes is SO easy that we aren’t going to count that!

My husband and I make a variation of this recipe so often. It hits all the notes! Packed with flavor, nutritious, easy to make, fun to plate, and leftovers store really well. I know you are going to love. I mean, who wouldn’t love eating their dinner out of a sweet potato boat, right?!

Ingredients

Sweet potatoes: These root vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, making them a nutritious addition to this recipe. Plus, we are making boats out of the skins and adding the roasted soft insides to the turkey!
Olive oil: Any oil should do.
Onion & Garlic: The base of the ground turkey, adding a subtle but necessary flavor.
Spices: Similar to the core of taco seasonings, we use chili powder, cumin, and paprika for warm, earthy, and a little bit smokey deliciousness.
Ground turkey: Feel free to swap in ground chicken (or even ground beef!) instead.
Cauliflower rice: We are NOT using this to replace rice in this recipe! Rather, we add it just for more veggies and fiber. It has a neutral flavor and is chopped up super fine that you will barely notice its there. I like the slight texture it adds, too!
Black beans: A versatile bean packed with protein, fiber, and essential nutrients. They add a hearty texture and rich flavor and basically melt into this recipe.
Diced fire-roasted tomatoes: For a smoky, slightly acidic undertone, enhancing the turkey’s depth and complexity.
Shredded cheese: I like to add freshly grated cheddar but you can use your cheese of choice. Pepperjack would be great too!
Toppings: I like to add avocado on top (which is also fiber-rich!) and some fresh cilantro for that extra freshness. Parsley would work well in a pinch too. Feel free to get creative here, adding sour cream or a squeeze of lime!

See recipe card for quantities.

Spoonful of the turkey filling in the sweet potato boat

Instructions for Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

t the grill run for 4-5 minutes to burn off any remnants, then clean it. I like to use a bristle-free barbecue brush for cleaning the grill.

Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Grate the cheese.
Roast Sweet Potatoes: Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Rub them with olive oil, then roast in the oven for approximately 25 minutes or until they’re soft and fork tender. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
Prepare the Filling: Saute the onions and garlic. Next, add the ground turkey to the pan and break it apart. Once the turkey is no longer pink, add the spices. Stir well. Add cauliflower rice. Lower the heat, cover, and let it cook for about 10 minutes. Finally, add the black beans and tomatoes, stir to combine. Cover again, and cook for a few more minutes, or until the cauliflower rice has softened to your liking.
Prepare the Sweet Potato Boats: Scoop out the sweet potato, leaving the skins intact as shells. Add the sweet potato into the pan with the turkey filling and mix everything together. Spoon the mixture from the skillet into the sweet potato skins. Layer in some of the shredded cheese within and on top. There will likely be some leftover filling and that’s okay! You can have it on the side, it will be equally as delicious!
Finish with cheese and toppings: Top the sweet potato boats with shredded cheddar cheese and place them back in the oven just until the cheese melts, approximately 5 minutes. Top with avocado, cilantro, and anything else you’d like!

Turkey filling in a skillet with the sweet potato added in

Substitutions and Variations

This recipe is so versatile! There are loads of ways to make this recipe your own. Here are some ideas:

Ground meat – instead of ground turkey, feel free to use ground beef or ground chicken instead.
Leafy greens – In the last few minutes, add a handful or two of fresh spinach leaves and let cook down. Spinach is full of fiber and protein!
Cheeses – You can totally make this recipe dairy-free by omitting the cheese! You can also replace the cheddar cheese with pepperjack, or another grated cheese.
Spicy – feel free to add some cayenne to add spice! Alternatively, add a spicy salsa instead of the fire-roasted tomatoes.

Melty cheese on the turkey stuffed sweet potatoes boats

Storing Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

In the fridge: Store any leftover turkey taco filling or turkey stuffed sweet potato boats in the fridge for 2-3 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.
In the freezer: I have used these Souper Cubes to store leftover turkey filling and it worked great! To reheat, add to a pan on medium heat with about 1-2 tablespoons of water. Cover, and stir every few minutes until it has all heated up.

More dinner recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Rating

Lastly, if you do make this Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe (then first of all, thank you!!), be sure to rate this recipe and leave a comment and rating below! It would mean the world to me if you tagged me on Instagram or TikTok (@snackingemily) so I can see your creations.

Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potato

These Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes do not skimp on flavor! They're delicious, and an excellent source of protein and fiber. Plus, they are super easy to make and fun for the whole family to eat!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

3-4 sweet potatoes
Olive oil
1 yellow onion chopped
5 cloves garlic chopped
1 lb ground turkey
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups cauliflower rice
(1) 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
(1) 15 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 avocado sliced, optional garnish
Cilantro optional garnish

Instructions

Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Grate the cheese.
Roast Sweet Potatoes: Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Rub them with olive oil, then roast in the oven for approximately 25 minutes or until they're soft and fork tender. There should be some caramel seeping out. Once done, let them cool enough to handle. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
Prepare the Filling: While the sweet potatoes are roasting, start making the filling. In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil and chopped onions. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes. Next, add the ground turkey to the pan and break it apart. Once the turkey is no longer pink, add salt, pepper, chili powder, ground cumin, and paprika. Stir well. Add cauliflower rice and continue stirring. Lower the heat, cover, and let it cook for about 10 minutes. Finally, add the black beans and tomatoes, stir to combine. Cover again, and cook for a few more minutes, or until the cauliflower rice has softened to your liking.
Prepare the Sweet Potato Boats: Scoop out the sweet potato from the skins, leaving the skins intact as shells. You don’t have to remove every bit of sweet potato, but try to get most of it out. Add the sweet potato into the pan with the turkey mixture and mix everything together. Spoon the mixture from the skillet into the sweet potato skins, packing them as high as you can without them falling apart.. Layer in some of the shredded cheese within and on top. There will likely be some leftover filling and that’s okay! You can have it on the side, it will be equally as delicious!
Melt the Cheese: Top the sweet potato boats with shredded cheddar cheese and place them back in the oven just until the cheese melts, approximately 5 minutes.
Final Touches: Remove the sweet potato boats from the oven. Top them with sliced avocado and cilantro, if desired, along with any other toppings of your choice. Serve, and enjoy!