Beef Sausage Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
This easy Sausage Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe packs tender baked sweet potatoes with a hearty blend of ground beef, savory seasonings, gooey cheddar, and leafy greens. Ready in under an hour, it’s perfect for meal prep or a gluten-free dinner the whole family will love!
*This recipe is a collaboration with Beef – It’s What’s for Dinner. As a compensated member of the Beef Expert Bureau, I’ve partnered with them to bring you this delicious beef sausage stuffed sweet potato recipe. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.*
Got ground beef? If you’re tired of usual suspects like spaghetti, burgers, tacos, and chili, may I interest you in a ground beef recipe that’s a little outside the box? Today, we’re shaking up our mundane ground beef meal routine with stuffed sweet potatoes!
This recipe is actually an offshoot of these→Beef & Sausage Egg Muffin Cups. Long story short, I repurposed the Country Beef Breakfast Sausage part of that recipe into a delicious dinner, and this sausage stuffed sweet potato recipe was born!
Imagine breakfast sausage’s classic warm, savory flavor with hearty kale and luxurious, aged cheddar, all nestled in perfectly baked sweet potatoes. The best part? This recipe is incredibly versatile, whether you swap the greens, try a different cheese, add a bit of heat, etc. Ready to do something different with ground beef? Let’s get cooking!
Recipe highlights
- Mouthwatering flavor. The savory ground beef sausage paired with perfectly baked sweet potatoes creates the perfect balance of sweet and savory deliciousness.
- Versatility. It’s easy to modify with ingredients you have on hand. Let your creativity shine and make this dish truly your own
- Nutritious and filling. Packed with protein and fiber, this ground beef and sweet potato recipe is the ultimate healthy, satisfying dinner.
- Great for meal prep. Make a double batch of the beef filling, and you’ll have breakfast or lunch for the next few days. The stuffed sweet potatoes also reheat beautifully!
- Simple steps. This recipe saves the day when you need a last-minute home-cooked meal without much hassle.
Ingredients needed
- Ground beef. The base of your ground sausage mixture. You can swap beef with ground turkey, chicken, or pork if it isn’t your thing. Or, experiment with a mix of different meats.
- Sage. The key to that signature warm, earthy sausage flavor. Both fresh and dried sage work well.
- Garlic powder. Adds depth and a subtle savory note. Substitute fresh minced garlic for a more intense garlic flavor.
- Onion powder. Adds a hint of sweetness and enhances the umami qualities of the dish.
- Salt. Ensures your sausage mixture is perfectly seasoned. Adjust the amount to taste.
- Crushed red pepper. Gives the sausage a nice kick. If you’re not big on heat, you can reduce the amount or omit it altogether. For more heat, add cayenne pepper or even chopped fresh chili.
- Onion. Adds texture, sweetness, and depth to the filling. You can use yellow onion, red onion, or shallots here.
- Babe kale leaves. The kale wilts down into the filling, adding a nutritious, slightly bitter contrast to the sweet potatoes and sausage. Spinach, Swiss chard, or even arugula also work, although the flavor will vary slightly.
- Aged sharp cheddar. Freshly shredded cheddar adds a rich, creamy, and slightly tangy flavor. For a milder taste, opt for regular cheddar or mozzarella. Try gouda or gruyère if you’re feeling fancy!
- Extra virgin olive oil. Or use any cooling oil you prefer (avocado, coconut, etc.) to coat the potatoes and sauté the onions.
- Sweet potatoes. These naturally sweet, soft, and creamy spuds are our vessel for the delicious beef filling. Medium-large, slightly thick sweet potatoes with a uniform shape work best for holding the filing.
How to make ground beef stuffed sweet potatoes
Step 1: Prep the sweet potatoes. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Meanwhile, wash your sweet potatoes under cool running water and pat them completely dry. Rub the skins with olive oil, then prick them several times with a fork.
Step 2: Bake the sweet potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake until they’re tender when pierced with a fork (40-60 minutes, depending on their size).
Step 3: Start on the sausage mixture. Combine the ground beef, sage, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl, mixing everything with your hands until well combined.
Step 4: Cook the sausage mixture. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned beef mixture and chopped onion, and cook until the beef is browned and no longer pink.
Step 5: Add the kale and cheddar. Drain any excess fat from the pan. Stir in the baby kale and cook until the leaves are wilted. Add the shredded cheddar and stir until melted and smooth. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6: Stuff the sweet potatoes. Once the sweet potatoes are done baking, let them cool slightly, then slice them open lengthwise. Spoon the sausage mixture into each one, packing it in generously –and enjoy!
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Drain the fat. After cooking the ground beef mixture, drain any excess fat from the pan. This prevents a greasy filling and helps the flavors of the other ingredients shine through.
- Make extra filling. Consider doubling the filling mixture for breakfast for the next few days. It’s delicious with scrambled eggs and hot sauce or as a topping for toast.
- Perfectly cooked sweet potatoes. Bake the sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack until the skin is easily pierced with a knife. The baking time will vary based on the size of your sweet potatoes. I start checking them every 5-10 minutes after the first 30 minutes of baking.
- Additional veggies. Try adding finely chopped mushrooms or bell peppers to the beef mixture. Consider incorporating corn, chickpeas, or black beans for a nutritional boost.
FAQ
Absolutely! You can prepare the sausage filling and bake the sweet potatoes in advance. Let cool completely and store them in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Before serving, stuff the sweet potatoes and reheat them in the oven or air fryer at 350°F. This makes assembling the stuffed sweet potatoes a cinch on busy nights.
If you’re looking for an alternative to sweet potatoes, choose a similar-sized, hardy vegetable with plenty of space for the ground beef filling, such as butternut squash, acorn squash, or even large baking potatoes. Adjust the baking time as needed based on the size and type of vegetable you use.
Serving suggestions
For a well-rounded dinner, I like serving savory stuffed sweet potatoes with a simple mixed green salad, crunchy kale salad, or a roasted vegetable like carrots, green beans, or broccoli. Consider a side of quinoa or brown rice for a serving of whole grains that perfectly complements the ground beef and potatoes.
Storing and freezing
Storing: Leftover beef stuffed sweet potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Let the stuffed sweet potatoes cool completely, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in an airtight bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
More sweet potato recipes
- Easy Skillet Sweet Potatoes
- Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole
- Easy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges
- Rosemary Roasted Sweet Potato
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
- Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato
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Beef Sausage Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
For the beef sausage:
- 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage or 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
For the rest:
- ½ medium onion chopped
- 2 cups packed baby kale leaves, hard stems removed
- 1 cup aged sharp cheddar freshly shredded
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 sweet potatoes washed, patted dry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rub sweet potato skins with a little olive oil and prick several times with a fork.
- Bake sweet potatoes for 40-60 min, depending on the size. While the potatoes are baking, prepare the sausage mixture.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, sage, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and crushed pepper. Mix with hands until thoroughly combined.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the beef mixture and chopped onion to the pan and cook until beef is no longer pink and onions are translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
- Drain any fat from the pan and stir in the baby kale greens. Cook until kale is soft and wilted.
- Stir in the aged cheddar and cook until melted and smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into cooked sweet potatoes and serve.
Notes
- Drain the fat. After cooking the ground beef mixture, drain any excess fat from the pan. This prevents a greasy filling and helps the flavors of the other ingredients shine through.
- Make extra filling. Consider doubling the filling mixture for breakfast for the next few days. It’s delicious with scrambled eggs and hot sauce or as a topping for toast.
- Perfectly cooked sweet potatoes. Bake the sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack until the skin is easily pierced with a knife. The baking time will vary based on the size of your sweet potatoes. I start checking them every 5-10 minutes after the first 30 minutes of baking.
- Additional veggies. Try adding finely chopped mushrooms or bell peppers to the beef mixture. Consider incorporating corn, chickpeas, or black beans for a nutritional boost.
Nutrition
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So awesome!!! Sharing!
Thank you Karli! ๐
I love you page found on Bing and I
was looking for a how to: on butternut wedges roasted . Do you have such a recipe?
Thank you Jeanne! I don’t have a roasted squash recipe, but now I think I should! I’ll have to make it soon! Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m a huge fan of your recipes and this one looks so yummy. Anything with sweet potatoes is my idea of yumminess and satisfying. Thank you xoxo
Thank you Beverley! This one is a personal favorite, too! xo~