Soyrizo and Sweet Potato Baked Tacos

This recipe for Soyrizo and Sweet Potato Baked Tacos makes a batch to feed a crowd!  Just 5 ingredients combine to make crispy and flavorful tacos with a hearty soyrizo-based filling and they all bake in the oven at once for easy prep.  These vegetarian tacos are a good source of protein and fiber to help keep bellies satisfied and their fun size is instantly kid-approved.

These crispy baked tacos really shine with a dipping sauce or salsa!  Our favorite sauce is a Creamy Cilantro Pepita Dressing, but grab any creamy dipping sauce you like for a contrast with the crisp texture.

Ingredients

I include ingredient notes here when I think they’ll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!

• Sweet Potato - Only one small sweet potato is needed for the filling, about 4 ounces.  Peel it and cut it into a rough chop to help the food processor break it down into fine pieces.
• Soyrizo -  You can find soyrizo at Trader Joe’s, well-stocked Mexican markets, or larger grocery stores.  Soyrizo is a spiced textured soy protein product that has a satisfying meaty texture and deep flavor.
• Cheddar Cheese - Use bagged sharp cheddar cheese for easy prep here!  
• Refried Beans - Canned refried beans, either black beans or pinto beans, are perfect for this recipe.  Be sure to choose vegetarian beans for a truly vegetarian taco.
• Flour Tortillas -  Small flour tortillas (often labeled “street taco” size) are ideal for this recipe.  Aim for tortillas that are about 5 inches in diameter.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F.  Find two sheet pans that nest into each other so that the tacos can bake pressed between the pans for extra-crispy results.

Peel and dice the sweet potato into large 2-inch chunks and place them in a food processor.

Process the sweet potato to a fine texture, with pieces that are similar in size to oats.  This ensures that the sweet potato cooks up tender during the baking time.

Add the shredded cheese and soyrizo (removed from its plastic casing) to the food processor bowl.

Process the filling together until you have a homogeneous texture that is well blended.

Line one of the baking sheets with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.

Open your can of refried beans and assemble the tacos: spread the bottom half of the tortilla with a generous tablespoon of beans and then top that with a tablespoon of the soyrizo filling.  Fold the taco over the filling.  Repeat until all tortillas are filled.

Place the tacos over the greased foil so that the beans are on top (this helps them stay folded).  Do a little bit of adjusting to get all of the tacos in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Some overlap is ok!  Spray the tops of the tacos on the sheet and cover them with another sheet of foil.  Place the second baking sheet over the top and bake the sheet pan “sandwich” for 25 minutes to get both sides of the tacos crisp and golden at once.

Substitutions and Variations

The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!

• Use Chorizo instead of Soyrizo - Standard pork chorizo works well in this recipe; the finished tacos are extra crisp as they essentially fry up in the rendered fat from the pork.  Endure that the tacos are cooked to a final internal temperature of 160°F.
• Change the Cheese - Sharp cheddar stands up to the big flavor in the soyrizo, but pepper jack (for a bit of spice) or colby jack cheeses are great alternatives.
• Use a Flour and Corn Blend Tortilla - Avoid using corn tortillas, they get chewy and hard with this baking preparation, but a flour and corn blend tortilla is a tasty swap.

Equipment

These tacos come together so quickly with the help of a food processor!  The whole filling prep takes place in one vessel.  If you don’t have a food processor, grate the sweet potato on the large holes of a box grater so that they are small enough to bake up tender in the oven in 25 minutes.

Two half sheet pans (18 inches by 13 inches) that nest into one another are what helps the tacos get golden and crispy on both sides at once in the oven.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these tacos with sour cream, lime wedges, guacamole, or cilantro for delicious flavor and texture contrasts.  A creamy dipping sauce, hot sauce, or salsa are also great options for taco condiments.

To complete the meal, serve these tacos with a simple side salad, Garlic Parmesan Corn, cilantro lime rice, or a fruit salad.

Make This Recipe Kid-Friendly

Kids tend to like the small size and dip-ability of these baked tacos.  Serve them with anything your kids like to dip, ranch dressing is a surprisingly good option that many kids love.  The tacos are also great for dipping in queso!  The filling is mild but if your child objects to any texture you can blend the soyrizo filling and beans together in the food processor to a finer texture and fill the tacos with this extra-blended filling.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  These reheat beautifully in a toaster oven.  You can also spray them with additional cooking spray and air fry the leftover tacos for 5-7 minutes at 375°F.

FAQ

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