Sweet Potato Burritos

These sweet potato burritos are loaded with fiber and flavor, easy to adapt, and ready in just 30 minutes, perfect as a satisfying, budget-friendly lunch or dinner!

Simple, and Super Satisfying Sweet Potato Burritos

It’s official, there’s a ‘stuffed’ Mexican dish for every mood, occasion, and appetite. When feeling snacky, we turn to cauliflower tacos and vegan pupusas. When we want something a little heartier, our bean quesadillas are called for. However, when we want super filling and satisfying, vegan burritos like these sweet potato burritos really hit the spot!

In this sweet potato burrito recipe, shredded sweet potato is pan-fried with garlic, onion, and several warming spices to create a lightly caramelized, slightly crisp sweet potato filling perfect for pairing with fresh tomato, avocado, and lettuce. It’s sweet, savory, spicy, and packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, heart-healthy fats, and plenty of fiber!

Better yet, there are several ways you can adapt this recipe to your liking, including substituting the sweet potato, making black bean sweet potato burritos for added protein, or making it gluten-free. Either way, they make for a super satisfying lunch or dinner for the entire family.

Best of all, these vegan burritos are both meal-prep and freezer friendly. You can even prepare just the fillings in advance for ready to roll burritos throughout the week – perfect for work and school lunches. Next, try our rice and bean burritos, scrambled tofu breakfast burritos, or fully-loaded vegan burritos with mole sauce!

The Ingredients

• Sweet potato: Any sweet potato will do. Alternatively, use butternut squash or pumpkin.

You’ll need about 1 large sweet potato or 1 ¼ medium sweet potatoes for 1 cup shredded potato.

• Aromatics: This filling relies on both garlic and onion (yellow, red, or white).
• Oil: Any neutral cooking oil will work. Vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil, etc. Alternatively, use a little water or vegetable broth.
• Seasonings: We use a simple but typical seasoning blend for the sweet potato filling.
  • Chili powder
  • Cayenne powder
  • Ground cumin
  • Sea salt & black pepper
• Flour tortillas: Use large flour tortillas (or gluten-free tortillas).
• Fresh veggies: We add freshness with diced or sliced avocado (or guacamole), diced tomatoes (or a fresh salsa like Pico de Gallo or 5-minute blender salsa), and shredded lettuce (optional – or spinach/massaged kale).

Optionally garnish the sweet potato burrito with vegan sour cream, salsa, and green onions or cilantro.

What Else Could I add?

There’s no shortage of ways to adapt this sweet potato burrito recipe, including adding:

• Black beans: To make black bean sweet potato burritos, use a can of black beans (low sodium if preferred) OR some vegetarian refried beans for added texture, fiber, and plant-based protein. Other beans also work, like kidney beans, pinto beans, etc.
• Other vegetables: Like corn (grilled, canned, or frozen) and bell pepper (roasted or sauteed with the potato).
• Grains: Brown rice or quinoa makes an even heartier vegetarian burrito.
• Smoked paprika: To add smoky flavor.
• Jalapeño: Finely diced (or jarred green chili) to add heat to the sweet potato filling.
• Vegan cheese: Either a melty vegan cheddar, spicy vegan cheese, or vegan feta.
• Fresh herbs: Like cilantro, green onion, or flat-leaf parsley.
• Lime juice: Technically optional, but a squeeze of lime juice (fresh rather than bottled is best) is the perfect ‘finishing touch’ for the vegetable burrito recipe.
• Tofu scramble: To turn it into a delicious sweet potato breakfast burrito.

You can also turn this vegetarian burrito into a sweet potato burrito bowl by combining all the ingredients over a bed of cilantro lime rice/brown rice.

How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Burritos?

• 1) First, peel and dice the onion, mince the garlic, and peel and grate the sweet potato.  

Save time by using a food processor shredding disk to shred the sweet potato. Alternatively, dice the sweet potato and roast it with the seasonings for 20-25 minutes at 400F/200C, flipping halfway.

• 2) Then, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with a swirl of oil. Once hot, sauté the onion and garlic until the onion becomes translucent and tender (4-5 minutes).  

• 3) Add the sweet potato and all the spices (minus the salt and pepper) and cook until tender (about 10 minutes), stirring frequently to avoid sticking. When tender, add salt and pepper to taste and remove the mixture from the heat.

• 4) To assemble the sweet potato burritos, divide the sweet potato mixture between four tortillas along with the avocado, tomato, and lettuce (if using). Then fold the burritos and enjoy!

How To Wrap A Burrito

1. First, warm the tortillas in the microwave for 10-15 seconds under a damp paper towel to make them more pliable.
2. Add the filling in a line to the center of the wrap (be careful not to overfill it).
3. Fold the two ends (top and bottom) over the filling.
4. Then fold one side inwards, over the filling and continue to roll, tucking/squeezing as you roll until it’s a tight burrito, seam-side down.

Recipe Notes

• Adjust the texture: You could use roasted sweet potato chunks instead of shredded potato. However, that changes the texture and adds more crispy caramelization. Alternatively, use mashed sweet potato for a super creamy texture.
• Turn into plant-based quesadillas: Add a little vegan cheese or vegan cream cheese to the sweet potato filling as a binder and turn them into delicious plant-based quesadillas.
• For a crispy vegan burrito: Either pan-fry in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes per side, use a panini press, or bake for about 10-12 minutes at 350F/180C.
• Season to taste: Adjust any seasonings to fit your taste buds.
• Don’t overstuff the filling: Otherwise, you’ll struggle to roll the vegan burritos properly.

How To Serve?

Enjoy a sweet potato burrito alone, or make a heartier meal with a side of:

• Vegan elote (Mexican street corn)
• Spanish rice
• Easy Spanish Cauliflower Rice With Salsa
• Cucumber Salsa
• Vegan taco salad
• Frijoles de la olla

Can You Freeze Sweet Potato Burritos?

Yes, they’re also freezer friendly for up to 3 months when tightly wrapped in plastic wrap/foil.

You can thaw them in the fridge first or reheat them from frozen. Bake in the oven at 350F/180C for 10-15 minutes from thawed or 25-30 minutes from frozen, flipping halfway.

Storage Instructions

Once assembled, it’s best to enjoy the vegan burritos within 24 hours to avoid them becoming soggy.

You can also prepare the fillings (except the avocado) in advance and store them in separate containers in the fridge for 3-4 days, ready to roll the burritos as needed.

More Vegan Mexican Recipes

• Vegan Black Bean Tacos [2 Ways]
• Texas caviar
• Black bean quinoa casserole
• Mango black bean salad
• Slow cooker jackfruit carnitas
• Mexican Inspired Avocado Cream

Photos by Alfonso Revilla