It doesn’t get much easier or budget-friendly than these vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes loaded with tangy dressed Kale and tart Cranberries. Everything is cooked in a microwave, the dishes are minimal, and the potatoes are ready in about 15 to 20 minutes. Oh, and they are perfect for meal prep. This one is going into heavy rotation!
What Is a Stuffed Sweet Potato?
It’s all in the name. You can stuff a sweet potato with pretty much anything, but here, I’ve kept things plant-based by filling microwaved sweet potatoes with massaged kale and dried cranberries rehydrated in a citrusy sauce. These Stuffed Sweet Potatoes come together in no time and hold incredibly well, making them perfect for a work or school lunch.
Here’s what you’ll need to make my easy recipe for Stuffed Sweet Potatoes:
- Sweet Potatoes: Look for evenly shaped potatoes that are heavy for their size. You can, of course, go with a regular potato, but the cranberry flavors don’t pair as well.
- Kale: This is the base of our filling. You can use any sturdy green here, as long as it’s not too peppery.
- Cranberries: Rehydrated cranberries lend excellent tart flavors and chewy textures. If you only have sweetened, rinse them well and omit the honey in the recipe. Golden raisins and chopped prunes work as a substitute.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: The base for our dressing, it adds zesty notes and helps rehydrate the cranberries.
- Honey: Honey creates a subtle sweetness for the dressing. If you need to substitute it, use 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar. Make sure the sugar has dissolved in the dressing before using it to hydrate the cranberries.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: The light citrus notes pair incredibly with cranberries and add dimension to the dressing. If you don’t have any lemon, substitute it with equal parts of apple cider vinegar.
- Pepitas: AKA Pumpkin Seeds, add a necessary crunch to the final recipe. I used roasted pepitas, but raw ones are fine. Feel free to substitute with your favorite nut, especially peanuts, walnuts, or almonds.
What To Serve With Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
While they are a perfectly filling meal on their own, these beauties pair well with Roasted Chicken, Meatloaf, or Sausage Kebabs. If you want to add a little heft, top them with our Slow Cooker Chili Rubbed Pulled Pork.
How To Store
Sweet potatoes can be made ahead and stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. To reheat them, microwave until they are steaming and then stuff. The kale stuffing can also be made ahead and mixed with rehydrated cranberries. It will keep refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing the potatoes or the kale, as their textures will be compromised as they thaw.
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
These easy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are the perfect quick meal for fall. They come together in under 30 minutes and are great for meal prep!
- 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cranberries ($0.44)
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar ($0.09)
- 1/2 Tbsp honey ($0.07)
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced ($0.79)
- 4 large sweet potatoes ($2.96)
- 2 cups chopped kale, packed ($1.29)
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.06)
- 1 pinch salt ($0.01)
- 1/4 cup pepitas ($0.89)
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In a microwave-safe bowl, add the cranberries, apple cider vinegar, honey, and the juice of the lemon. Microwave for 1 minute. Let the cranberries steep while you prepare the sweet potatoes.
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Rinse the sweet potatoes well. Pierce the surface of the potatoes a few times with a fork and then microwave for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through. They are done when a fork can easily pierce through them. The cooking time will vary depending on your microwave’s strength and size of the potatoes.
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In the meantime, use a fork to smash the rehydrated cranberries to help thicken their sauce.
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Add the kale to a large bowl along with the olive oil and salt. Massage the kale for about 30 seconds until tender. Mix the pepitas and the undrained cranberries into the kale.
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Once the potatoes are done, slice the potatoes in half (but not all the way through) and fluff the insides with a fork.
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Divide the kale between the four potatoes. Finish with a sprinkle of lemon zest on each potato.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Serving: 1potatoCalories: 383kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 8gFat: 5gSodium: 216mgFiber: 13g
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How to Make Stuffed Sweet Potatoes – Step by Step Photos
In a microwave-safe bowl, add 1/4 cup cranberries, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, and the juice of 1 lemon. Microwave for 1 minute. Let the cranberries steep while you prepare the sweet potatoes.
Rinse the 4 sweet potatoes well. Pierce the surface of the potatoes a few times with a fork and then microwave for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through. They are done when a fork can easily pierce through them. The cooking time will vary depending on your microwave’s strength and size and the potatoes’ size.
In the meantime, use a fork to smash the rehydrated cranberries to help thicken their sauce.
Add 2 cups kale to a large bowl along with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and 1 pinch of salt. Massage the kale for about 30 seconds until tender.
Mix the 1/4 cup of pepitas and the undrained cranberries into the kale.
Once the potatoes are done, slice the potatoes in half (but not all the way through) and fluff the insides with a fork.
Divide the kale between the four potatoes. Finish with a sprinkle of lemon zest on each potato.
