I live in Texas, where people love their Mexican food.
I grew up eating it and what’s not to love? Spices, aromas, melty cheese…..just total comfort food. Well, I eat a plant based diet now, so no more traditional cheese. But, I do make a cheesy sauce and have found there is virtually a way to recreate anything. Practice, practice, practice. I have a couple of new “cheese” recipes coming on the blog.
This recipe though has nothing to do with enchiladas or cheese, just the major flavor components. Who says you need to eat an enchilada or taco to enjoy the Mexican flavors? I LOVE sweet potatoes, so I wanted to make them Mexican flavored and these are soooooo good. I baked 2 sweet potatoes for the recipe and ate all of it….it was that good. This sauce is incredible, creamy, spicy and takes just 5 minutes to whip up.
Thick, creamy and bursting in flavor…..I seriously could drink this stuff.
Just chop, bake and make the dip. Just 8 easy pantry ingredients. Doesn’t get any easier. Then devour.
Mexican Sweet Potatoes w/ 5 Minute Mexican Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes peeled & chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
- Sprinkle the potatoes with salt chili powder & cumin
Mexican Tahini Dip
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (this will depend if your tahini is salted)
- 2 tablespoons (30g) fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons (48g) tahini
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup (don't omit, it balances the acidity and enhances the spice flavor)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22g) water
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 415°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Do not use foil, it will burn! Peel and chop the sweet potatoes and spread out evenly on the prepared pan. If you want to use a little nonstick spray or oil, feel free, I did not, but if you do they will cook slightly faster. Season generously with salt, chili powder and cumin. (I just eyeballed it) Bake for about 25 minutes until fork tender. Turn broil on for just a couple of minutes to brown the tops, watching closely to not burn.
- While potatoes are baking, prepare the dip. Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk really well with a fork for a couple of minutes until the dip is thick and smooth. Taste and add any more chili powder or spices if you want it extra spicy. If you want the dip thinner, add just a little more water, keeping in mind that it will dilute the flavor some. Serve the potatoes with the tahini dip and devour.
The Sweet Potatoes I buy do not have orange flesh, it’s a yellow/white color. Do you use yams or garnets – which I think are also yams in this recipe & others calling for sweet potatoes? I want to make this dish, plus your FUDGE with sweet potatoes, but I want to make sure I’m buying the right potato so it will turn out properly. Yams have more water in them than sweet potatoes do, plus the skin and flesh are different colors. Please let me know so I don’t make these recipes with the wrong ingredients. Thanks so much!
Hi Melanie, they are labeled sweet potatoes and are orange on the bags I buy. You definitely don’t want to use the white ones, they are much drier and less sweet. There are many varieties and colors of different sweet potatoes. But some stores mistakenly label yams to actual sweet potatoes. You want to look for the brownish-orange skin with the orange flesh.
Can these be roasted in the air fryer?
I am sure they can, but I don’t own an air fryer so I can’t give advice on how to adjust the cooking.
For the maple syrup, do you use the natural kind?
Yes, always, pure maple syrup.
Very good! I am Palestinian and wanted to find recipes to use up some tahini, wow was I impressed. My favorite tahini mexican dressing. It has the flavor profile of an msg laden bag of mexican Doritos, but in a healthy way. Sorry if that sounds weird, but I kept tasting it, and it was like I had tasted something like it before, then Doritos came to mind. Even though it has no cheese it takes your tongue in that direction! Great job!
Haha I love that! And I remember how delicious Doritos are, so I get it! So happy you loved this!
This sounds SO good! But I am allergic to sesame, so I can’t eat tahini. Have you any suggestions for a substitute? I’ve never found anything, but thought I would ask!
Almond butter is good too! Add more water if needed to thin to desired consistency.
I made it at work and was missing the onion powder and I was a little short on the lime. At first I thought it was kind of strange, but I used the sauce with my sweet potatoes and last night’s broccoli and carrots and I really enjoyed it. It was so good. I will definitely be using this recipe regularly. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it Stacy!
I made this tonight and it was so good! This will now be in my weekly rotation. Thank you!