Sweet Potato "Nacho" Dip

So, we have a number of friends with September birthdays. Our good friends Mary Lane and Doug hosted a September birthday bash last Saturday night, and I was in charge of appetizers. I wanted to make a healthy version of nachos and thought using sweet potatoes instead of tortilla chips would be an interesting twist. I soon realized that transporting nachos would not be a good idea...they would be cold and soggy by the time we reached our destination. Flash of inspiration?  Mixing all the ingredients together and calling it a dip. Guess what?  It was delicious. Not a spoonful left. This dip will now be in regular rotation at my house.

I roasted whole sweet potatoes, scooped out the flesh and placed in a large bowl. (I used Japanese sweet potatoes because that is what I had on-hand. Their flesh is white and sweet. They work perfectly in this recipe, but any sweet potato will do.) I stirred in all my favorite nacho toppings like cheese, black beans, jalapenos, green onions and salsa and piled it back into a couple of the skins. Served alongside a bowl of corn tortilla chips (and Doug's famous grapefruit margaritas), appetizers were served!

Sweet Potato "Nacho" Dip
(serves 8-10)

4 medium to large sweet potatoes, scrubbed 
1/4 cup mayonnaise or sour cream
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup jarred or fresh salsa
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, white or yellow
2 green onions, chopped, white and green parts
1 small jalapeno, seeded, deveined and minced (about 2 teaspoons, more if you like it spicy)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

corn tortilla chips or crackers

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet at roast until flesh is easily pierced to the center with a sharp knife. (About 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of the potatoes. Start checking at 45 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Do not turn off oven.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the flesh keeping skins intact. Place 3 skins on baking sheet and place back in the oven. Add flesh to a large bowl. Stir in mayonnaise or sour cream, beans, salsa and half the cheese. Microwave for a couple of minutes until hot. Stir in onions, jalapeno, cilantro and a large pinch each of salt and pepper.Taste and adjust seasonings, jalapeno and/or salsa if desired.

Remove skins from oven and fill with the dip. Top with remaining cheese and serve immediately with corn tortilla chips and/or crackers. I serve with dip spreaders utensils. Easier than dipping the chips with this recipe.

It is Sweet Potato week at Food Network's Fall Fest roundup. Do you have a favorite sweet potato recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

Creative Culinary: Twice-Baked Jalapeno Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Streusel Topping
Homemade Delish: Jacked Sweet Potato Quesadilla
Healthy Eats: How Sweet It Is: 7 Sweet Potato Dishes for Every Palate
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Sweet Potato, Green Onion & Herb Pommes Anna
Red or Green: Sweet Potato "Nacho" Dip
Taste with the Eyes: Caramelized Upside-Down French Sweet Potato Pie {Tarte Tatin}
Dishin & Dishes: Bacon Poblano Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash
The Mom 100: Sweet Potato Pie
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
FN Dish: Five 5-Star Ways to Get Your Sweet Potato Fix

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

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