Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato with Black Beans and Avocado

This air fryer sweet potato recipe is healthy, delicious and packs in three portions of your five-a-day. It's my new favourite lunchtime dish when I need something nourishing to keep me energised throughout the afternoon but if makes a great dinner dish too.

A cooked sweet potato in a bowl topped with black beans, avocado, red chili and coriander with a cut chili, lime and avocado at the side.

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Air fryer baked sweet potatoes recipe

I've been eating sweet potatoes for many years and love how versatile they are - sweet potato fries and roasted sweet potato wedges are just two of my favourites. But I wanted to create a recipe that would make a great air fryer lunchtime dish. One that's packed with flavour but is also super nutritious. So I looked to my favourite Mexican recipes for inspiration and decided to add black beans and avocado to a whole roasted air fryer sweet potato.

Next I added spring onions (scallions, for my friends across the pond), a little red chilli, a squeeze of lime and a scattering of coriander (cilantro) to ramp up the flavour. For an indulgent finish, I like to add a dollop of soured cream - it's perfect against the spicy chilli but you can turn this into a vegan air fryer recipe by substituting the soured cream for a non-dairy alternative, or omit it entirely if you prefer.

Ingredients for this roasted sweet potatoes recipe

Sweet potato

I always have a stash of sweet potatoes in the cupboard for speedy lunches and sides. If you keep them in a cool, dark place, they last well. Sweet potatoes come in a wide range of sizes - so if you're feeling particularly hungry, you can cook one large sweet potato in your air fryer, or choose a smaller one for a lighter lunch or snack.

I use a medium sweet potato for this recipe but if you can only get super-small sweet potatoes, you could adapt this recipe and cut sweet potatoes into wedges, then cook in the air fryer and serve the topping alongside.

Black beans

Canned black beans are another ingredient that I always have on standby. They are perfect for adding protein to my air fryer vegetarian and vegan recipes. I also love adding them to soups, stews, curries and chilli dishes.

Avocado

One of my all-time favourite ingredients, avocados make recipes extra special and they are packed with nutrients. The trick to using avocados is to make sure they are perfectly ripe before slicing open. They should give slightly when you press the skin with your thumb.

I find the easiest way to prepare avocado is to carefully slice all the way around, cutting through the flesh until the knife hits the stone. Then I twist the two halves in opposite directions. If you’re lucky, the stone will drop out easily but sometimes it needs a little help. The safest way is to scoop it out with a spoon.

I slice the avocado flesh while it’s still in the skin and then remove the slices with a spoon, leaving the skin behind.

Fresh lime

Adding a squeeze of fresh lime takes this sweet potato recipe to a whole new level. The zesty flavour works perfectly with the other ingredients.

Chilli pepper

I love adding chilli to my healthy air fryer recipes as it gives an extra flavour dimension without adding sugar or fat.

Spring onions (scallions)

Spring onions (scallions) are a great ingredient to have in the fridge to scatter over salads and potato dishes.

Soured cream (optional)

The soured cream in this recipe is totally optional but adds an extra indulgent finish to the dish.

Coriander/cilantro (optional)

Coriander/cilantro is the perfect herb to add to any Mexican-inspired dish but you can switch this out for your favourite herb if you prefer.

Avocado oil

I spray my sweet potato with a tiny spritz of avocado oil before cooking in the air fryer oven but you can use unrefined olive oil (not extra virgin) or your favourite air fryer oil if you prefer.

Preparing the topping

This healthy sweet potato recipe is so versatile - feel free to switch up any of the ingredients to suit your own preferences.

A chopping board with chopped avocado, spring onions, black beans, lime and chilli on top.

Prepare your toppings while your sweet potato cooks in the air fryer. (See full recipe for more details)

A hand is squeezing a wedge of fresh lime onto a baked sweet potato.

A squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of coriander (cilantro) adds a zesty freshness to the finished dish.

A baked whole sweet potato with avocado, black beans, spring onion, chilli, coriander and soured cream on top.

Top with soured cream for an indulgent finish.

A baked sweet potato with toppings in the center of a cream bowl.

Lunch is served!

Hint: If you're chopping the avocado ahead of time, toss it in a little lime juice to stop it from discolouring.

Substitutions

This dish is suitable for vegetarians but it's easy to make it vegan simply by switching the soured cream to a non-dairy alternative. You can omit the soured cream to make this sweet potato recipe lower in calories.

If you want to use this filling for a regular potato rather than a sweet potato, it will work just as well. Discover more healthy baked potato topping ideas here.

FAQ

How long does it take for a sweet potato in an air fryer?

The time it takes to air fry a sweet potato all depends on how big it is. For a medium-sized whole potato, I allow around 50 minutes at 180C (370F). Use this as a guide and adjust depending on the size of your potato. If you're in a hurry, cut your potato into wedges and they will cook in around 30 minutes.

Why soak sweet potatoes before air frying?

If you're making this recipe or are air frying a whole sweet potato, there's no need to soak before cooking. However, if you're making sweet potato fries, it is recommended that you soak the chopped potato before cooking as this removes excess starch, resulting in crispier fries.

Why are my air fried sweet potatoes soggy?

I don't have this problem when cooking a whole air fryer sweet potato but I did sometimes get soggy results when making sweet potato wedges or fries. I've since learnt that the trick is to soak sweet potatoes before air frying them to remove excess starch. Doing this should prevent unwanted sogginess!

Why are sweet potatoes healthier than regular potatoes?

Sweet potatoes and regular white potatoes can both be part of a healthy balanced diet. However, sweet potatoes can be particularly beneficial to health as they contain a wealth of nutrients and are lower on the glycaemic index so help to provide slow-release energy rather than the blood sugar-spike that can occur after eating regular potatoes.

Are sweet potatoes healthy?

Absolutely! Sweet potatoes are a fabulous ingredient for anyone wanting to add extra goodness into their diet and are a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals. There's no need to peel them as the skin goes wonderfully caremelised when cooked, adding to the flavour - plus by keeping the skin, you'll be boosting the amount of fibre in the dish. Find more information about the health benefits of sweet potatoes here.