Spiced Sweet Potato Taco Recipe

Prepare potatoes

Cut peeled sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch rounds or sticks so pieces are uniform for even frying. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove surface moisture.

In a large bowl combine flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper. Whisk to combine.

Add sweet potato pieces to the dry mixture and toss until every piece is lightly coated. Shake off excess coating.

Heat neutral oil in a heavy skillet or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C). If using a skillet, use enough oil to come 1/2 inch up the sides. Fry the coated sweet potato pieces in batches to avoid overcrowding until golden and crisp, about 3–4 minutes per side for rounds or 4–6 minutes total for sticks depending on size. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel–lined tray and season immediately with a pinch of salt.

Cook quinoa: combine rinsed quinoa and measured water in a small saucepan (ratio provided is small for recipe scaling; for kitchen convenience you can scale to 1/2 cup quinoa to 1 cup water). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.

In a bowl combine cooked quinoa, black beans, diced red bell pepper, finely diced red onion and chopped cilantro.

Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, ground cumin, salt and pepper; pour over the quinoa mixture and toss to combine. Taste and adjust salt or lime as needed. Keep at room temperature or chill briefly until assembly.

Heat a small skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add butter or oil and the corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, until kernels are blistered and slightly charred, about 4–6 minutes. Season with smoked paprika and salt. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl combine sour cream (or Greek yogurt), mayonnaise (if using), minced chipotle in adobo, lime juice, honey or maple syrup and salt. Whisk until smooth. Taste and add more chipotle for heat or more lime for brightness. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.

Toss the thinly sliced onions with the 2 tsp flour, smoked paprika, chipotle powder and salt so they are lightly dusted.

Add the onions to the hot oil in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and fry, stirring occasionally, until edges caramelize and crisp slightly, 4–6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. The onions will crisp further as they cool.

Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or wrapped in a clean towel in the oven for a few minutes so they are pliable.

To assemble each taco: spread about 1 tablespoon of chipotle crema across the center of a tortilla. Add a spoonful (about 2–3 tbs) of black bean & quinoa salad, 2–3 pieces of fried sweet potato, a tablespoon of grilled corn kernels, and a small handful (about 1 tbs) of spicy fried onions.

Finish with crumbled cotija or feta (if using), a sprinkle of cilantro leaves and a squeeze of lime. Repeat for remaining tortillas.

Serve immediately so sweet potatoes remain crisp; provide extra chipotle crema and lime wedges at the table.