Chilli Loaded Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes baked until soft, split open and loaded with a proper beef chilli con carne, melted cheese, and all the classic toppings. Comfort food that still feels like a real meal.
Let the chilli simmer the full 55 minutes rather than rushing it, that’s what breaks down the tomato acidity and lets the spices properly meld into the sauce. Poke plenty of holes in the sweet potatoes before baking too, it lets steam escape so they don’t split open in the oven.
Add the sour cream and sriracha mayo fresh, just before serving, rather than storing them with the meal prep, dairy-based toppings don’t hold up well over a week in the fridge. The chilli freezes well for up to 3 months, the sweet potatoes don’t.
Chilli Loaded Sweet Potatoes
BEEF · DINNER · MEDIUM
A proper chilli, a genuinely satisfying base
The full 55-minute simmer is what separates this from a rushed, watery chilli. The tomato acidity mellows out and the spices actually meld into the sauce rather than sitting on top of it.
Sweet potato makes a naturally sweet, fibre-rich base that holds up to a hearty chilli topping far better than a plain jacket potato, no soggy skin, just a proper sweet-savoury contrast.
The chilli batch-cooks and freezes brilliantly, so it's genuinely worth making extra and having it ready for busy weeknights, sweet potatoes included or not.
Chilli Loaded Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
Sweet Potato
- 10 ml Olive Oil
- 5 Sweet Potatoes Washed
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Chilli Con Carne
- 22.5 ml Olive Oil
- 1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Diced
- 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 Jalapeño Diced
- 500 g Beef Mince 10% Fat
- 20 g Concentrated Tomato Paste
- 8 g Ground Cumin
- 4 g Dried Oregano
- 4 g Smoked Paprika
- 2 g Cayenne Pepper Optional
- 180 ml Beef Stock
- 400 g Crushed or Diced Tomatoes
- 400 g Kidney Beans Drained & Rinsed
- 5 g Flat Leaf Parsley Chopped
- Salt & Pepper
Garnishes
- Cheddar or Mozzarella Cheese Grated
- Spring Onion (Scallion) Sliced
- Coriander (Cilantro)
- Sour Cream
- Sriracha Mayonnaise
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Poke holes in the sweet potatoes, place them onto the prepared tray, drizzle with oil and seasoning, and bake for 1 hour.
- Place a pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño, and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the beef mince, season to taste, and fry for 8 minutes, mixing regularly, until browned all over and cooked through to an internal temperature of at least 71°C (160°F).
- Add the tomato paste, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Mix to combine and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the beef stock and cook for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add the kidney beans, flat-leaf parsley, and seasoning to taste. Cook for a final 20 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Slice across the potato lengthways and push down on the sides to open it up. Load with the chilli con carne, top with cheese, and bake under the grill/broiler for 5-6 minutes, or until the cheese has melted to your liking.
- Portion into meal prep containers or serve as a regular meal. Top with spring onion, coriander, sour cream, and a drizzle of sriracha mayonnaise. Dig in.
Why add the sour cream and sriracha mayo fresh instead of storing them with the meal prep?⌄
Mayo and dairy-based toppings don't hold up well over several days in the fridge. Adding them fresh right before eating keeps the texture and flavour right.
Can I make this vegetarian?⌄
Yes, swap the beef mince for extra kidney beans, lentils, or a plant-based mince alternative. The spice base works well regardless of what's carrying it.
Why poke holes in the sweet potatoes before baking?⌄
It lets steam escape as they cook, which stops them splitting open messily in the oven. A few pokes with a fork on each side is enough.
Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?⌄
Yes, just make sure it reaches 74°C (165°F) rather than the 71°C (160°F) used for beef, since poultry mince needs the higher temperature.
