Shawarma-Ish Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Loaded baked potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. Fluffy, buttery, whole-baked potatoes are stuffed with sour cream and onions for a perfect marriage of flavor in a tiny spud vessel. Potatoes aren't unhealthy — in fact, quite the opposite – but swapping the russet for sweet can bring your meal to the next level. Considered a superfood by The Health Sciences Academy, sweet potatoes are nutritious tubers loaded with vitamins and minerals. The Academy even says sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables you can eat, so it's worth sneaking them into your meals.

These stuffed sweet potatoes developed with Michelle McGlinn hardly feel sneaky, with the potato serving as the main ingredient and bowl for the meaty spiced toppings. Cumin-spiced beef is paired with crispy chickpeas and a nutty tahini dressing for a shawarma-inspired meal complete with fluffy, creamy sweet potatoes. Nutritious, delicious, and gluten-free, these loaded-up potatoes make eating healthy easy and enjoyable.

Grab 4 medium-sized, wide sweet potatoes to start. While you're in the produce section, grab spinach, cilantro, and a lemon, too. You'll need a handful of spices, namely cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, coriander, cinnamon, and turmeric. Next, find shaved steak, or use any thin, quick-cooking steak or ground beef. From there, you'll need a can of chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, and tahini.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Pierce sweet potatoes on all sides with a fork and arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until soft.

In the meantime, marinate the beef. Add the shaved steak, 2 cloves minced garlic, cumin, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, and ¼ cup olive oil to a bowl.

Combine until well mixed, then set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Peel the skins off of the dried chickpeas.

Arrange chickpeas on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the remaining salt, and the remaining pepper. Roast for 10–15 minutes, or until crispy.

When the sweet potatoes are nearly done, cook the beef. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

Add the beef and marinade to the skillet and cook until browned.

Add the spinach and cook until wilted.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, grated garlic, lemon juice, mustard, and water until smooth and creamy. If needed, add more water to thin. Season to taste with salt.

To assemble, cut open the sweet potatoes.

Fill with beef and spinach mixture.

Top with chickpeas and serve with tahini dressing and cilantro.

Loaded potatoes like these can be tricky to serve because — technically, they're a full meal on their own, but they aren't huge portions. If you're feeding a particularly hungry group, plan to make a few healthy sides along with it. A light, leafy salad or an Israeli couscous salad makes for a great, healthy side that complements the salty beef and rich yam filling. While this meal focuses on healthy, vegetable-based carbs, you can certainly pair it with grains like pita bread (opt for whole wheat) and hummus for a mezze-inspired spread. To make it a full mezze spread, we love pairing it with a bowl of olives and crisp slices of cucumbers. Have leftover tahini dressing? It's delicious on cukes. If you simply want a few more toppings for the potatoes, pile on finely chopped cucumbers, pickled red onions, and avocado. If you don't have tahini but want a similar creamy dressing, use hummus instead.

Sweet potatoes, spiced beef, and chickpeas are all easy to store but should be stored in separate containers for the best reheating results. If you're in a hurry, the potato can be stuffed and heated all at once in the microwave. If you have a little more time, we recommend baking the potatoes and chickpeas in the oven until warm, where they can return to their original texture. Store the tahini dressing and cilantro separately to top the potatoes after reheating. The leftovers last in the fridge for about 5 days.

Sweet potatoes are also easy to make ahead and freeze. This recipe comes together in minutes while the potatoes are roasting. To save some time on busy nights, roast the potatoes ahead of time and freeze them in sealable containers until ready to eat. Then, just warm through (do this while the chickpeas are roasting), fluff, and fill with the cumin-spiced beef.