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Sweet Potato Nachos with Chipotle Beef

I hope you like rock because you’re in for a serious yam session with these sweet potato nachos. If you’re wondering how the recipe could possibly top that joke, trust me, it gets better.

With a super flavorful chipotle beef mixture sitting on top of crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside sweet potatoes, these nachos will be the perfect addition to any nacho lover’s rotation. And in terms of nutrition facts, you’re looking at 215 calories, 17 grams of protein, 27 grams of carbs, and only 4 grams of fat per serving.

A quick and easy recipe for sweet potato nachos loaded with spicy chipotle beef, black beans, corn, shredded cheese, and a creamy salsa topping. Each serving has just 215 calories and 27 grams of carbs!

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What You’ll Need to Make These Sweet Potato Nachos

It’s as simple as roasting some sweet potatoes and throwing beef and spices in a pan. For real.

Here’s a quick glance at everything you’ll need:

  • sweet potatoes
  • ground beef or your choice of meat
  • chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • tomato paste
  • canned corn and black beans
  • some spices and shredded cheese for topping

chipotle sweet potato nachos

The Spicy Chipotle Beef

These sweet potato nachos were one of my accidental recipes that stemmed from a failed attempt at making a creamy taco seasoning. My first experiment resulted in a taco meat that was too spicy to enjoy. The sweet potatoes, corn, and black beans were all added as last minute spice buffers.

And the sweet potato nachos were born. Oh, and I’ve turned down the heat from my first experiment. This recipe should be perfect unless you’re extra sensitive to spice.

how to make chipotle beef for sweet potato nachos

The chipotle beef portion of the recipe may look lengthy, but it’s super easy. Simply brown some meat, add a handful of things to a blender before adding to the meat, add some corn and beans, and you’re done.

If you wanted more heat, I probably wouldn’t add more than two tablespoons of extra chipotle peppers unless you’re a spicy foods savant. 

The Perfect Sweet Potatoes for Sweet Potato Nachos

Just kidding. There’s no such thing as the perfect sweet potato for sweet potato nachos.

It’s totally up to you on how you’d like your potatoes. You could peel and cube them like in this recipe, slice them thin like chips with the peel on, or even use pre-cut potatoes. I’ve included grams in the measurement for nutrition facts accuracy since no four potatoes will weigh the same.

how to make sweet potato nachos

The base recipe doesn’t call for oil, but you could add a bit of olive oil in addition to salt and pepper to make your sweet potato nachos base even crispier. And if you wanted to make extra crispy chips for your sweet potato nachos, check out my air fryer potato chips recipe (also covers cooking in the oven) for tips on slicing and cooking for max crisp.

You could also use my Mexican potatoes or low carb cauliflower tots as a base!

My Favorite Nacho Topping: 2-Ingredient Creamy Salsa Dressing

You’re a bowl of fat free Greek yogurt mixed with your favorite salsa away from elevating your topping game. I’ve used it for my baked beef tacos, copycat Gordita Crunch, black bean and cheese quesadilla, and a long list of other recipes on my blogs.

baked beef tacos, cheesy gordita crunch, and black bean quesadillas

The proportions are entirely up to you and may vary slightly based on how thin the salsa is. But I like to start with a 2:1 Greek yogurt to salsa ratio. I used 1/2 cup (113g) Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup (60g) salsa for these sweet potato nachos. You can add more salsa if you’d like a thinner salsa dressing.

You’re Ready to Yam

I’ll include any other ingredient notes I can think of in the recipe card below. If you make these sweet potato nachos, I’d love to see your creation. Grab a photo and tag me on Instagram @mason_woodruff or join the Facebook group and share it with everyone.

healthy sweet potato nachos

Sweet Potato Nachos with Chipotle Beef

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Crispy sweet potatoes topped with a one pan spicy chipotle beef mixture, shredded cheese, and a creamy salsa. 

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Ground Beef (96/4)
  • 4 medium Sweet Potatoes , 800 grams total
  • 1/2 C (125g) Canned Black Beans, drained
  • 1/2 C (125g) Canned Corn, drained
  • 1/2 C (56g) Reduced Fat Shredded Cheese

Chipotle Sauce

  • 3/8 C (90g) Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
  • 1/4 C (66g) Tomato Paste
  • 2 Tbsp (30mL) Lime Juice
  • 2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. (You could also use an air fryer.)
  2. Wash the sweet potatoes before cutting them into 1" cubes (or slice them if you'd rather have chip-shaped potatoes). Spray them with nonstick cooking spray and add salt/pepper to taste before placing on the baking sheet.  one pan chipotle beef sweet potato nachos step 5
  3. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are as crisp as you'd like. 
  4. While the potatoes are in the oven, add the ground beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add salt/pepper to taste.  one pan chipotle beef sweet potato nachos step 1
  5. Cook the ground beef until no pink remains.  one pan chipotle beef sweet potato nachos step 2
  6. While the ground beef cooks, add the chipotle beef sauce ingredients to a blender or processor. Pulse until smooth before adding to the beef. Add the black beans and corn and simmer over low heat until the sweet potatoes are ready. one pan chipotle beef sweet potato nachos step 4
  7. Once the sweet potatoes are crispy, add the beef and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted. one pan chipotle beef sweet potato nachos step 6
  8. Top with creamy salsa, sliced avocado, or your choice of toppings. 

Notes

  • Each serving has 6 Smart Points.
  • 1 serving = 1/8 total recipe. I don't have the weight for each serving, unfortunately. If you'd like weights for precise servings, weigh the sweet potato nachos as a whole and divide their weight by 8. 
  • For the creamy salsa topping, mix 1/2 C (113g) plain fat free Greek yogurt with 1/4 C (60g) salsa. Not included in the nutrition facts.
  • Macros for the chipotle beef only: 865 calories, 111 grams of protein, 49 grams of carbs, and 22 grams of fat
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Servings Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 215Total Fat: 4gCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 17g

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Samantha

Wednesday 15th of April 2020

This recipe is delicious!! I made this, but I do wish I had cooked the potatoes a bit longer or threw them on broil for a bit to get them a little crispier, that or sliced them instead of cubes like the recipe shows (Mason does note to do it how you’d like, I just didn’t stray haha). It’s overall delicious, I just wanted it more nacho/chippy. I also use this beef mixture for EVERYTHING!! It’s SO good. It is spicy, I’ve had to tone down the spice most times I make it for my family and boyfriend. A really easy way I’ve done this is by adding red enchilada sauce to taste. Helps keep the Mexican/taco-y flavor in it without it getting to bland or tomatoey. I will seriously eat the chipotle beef mixture all the time in all kinds of ways, tacos, rice bowls, ~alone~. So. Dang. Good.

Liz

Wednesday 18th of March 2020

Would using frozen sweet potatoes pre cut be okay? If so how would I change the time cooked?

Mason Woodruff

Thursday 19th of March 2020

I've actually used the frozen roasting sweet potatoes before. You could bake them according to the package instructions or in the air fryer. Then throw the beef and cheese on after the potatoes are good to go.

Erin L Ormsby

Sunday 16th of February 2020

Wow! Amazing flavor! Watch out for the peppers! I used a whole can accidentally....... 🔥🔥

Rachel shealey

Wednesday 29th of January 2020

Loveeeee all of your recipes!! But this one is one of my favorites . Always love recipes I can swap out for venison!

Krysten

Wednesday 29th of January 2020

Made this last night for the first time & loved it! I cooked my sweet potatoes in the air fryer with a little oil and some honey drizzled over them. They are the perfect base for this dish because they balance out the flavor of the ground beef so well. Will definitely be making again!

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