Italian Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (High-Protein Dinner)
Delicious Italian stuffed sweet potatoes - a high-protein, well-balanced meal that’s cozy, satisfying, and perfect for an easy weeknight or weekend dinner. The sweet potatoes are roasted until soft and fluffy, then stuffed with seasoned ground beef (or Italian sausage), cherry tomatoes, onions, and topped with melty mozzarella cheese. [Gluten-Free] This recipe makes 4-5 servings depending on how big the sweet potatoes are.
Servings 5 servings
Calories 419kcal
Ingredients
- 4-5 medium to large sweet potatoes see notes.
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 16 ounces lean ground beef or Italian sausage 90/10 beef for nutritional info
- 1 cup shredded low moisture mozzarella cheese
- 5 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 medium or large onion, minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- Fresh parsley or basil optional
- Red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Roast the sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Pierce sweet potatoes all over with a fork, rub with a little olive oil, and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 50–60 minutes, until very soft.
- Dice onion, halve cherry tomatoes, and grate the mozzarella cheese.
- Cook the sausage or beef. In a skillet, add diced onion, spices and ground beef until slightly pink. Add cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften and burst. Taste test and season to taste.
- When the potatoes are done, let them rest for 2–3 minutes. Slice open and gently fluff the insides with a fork. Spoon the sausage and tomato mixture over each potato, then top with mozzarella and 1–2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Optional: For extra-fluffy potatoes, scoop out the insides, mash with a little butter and salt, then return to the skins before stuffing.
- Bake for another 8 minutes and broil for additional 1-2 minutes, watching closely, until golden and bubbly.
- Finish with cottage cheese. Add a generous scoop of cottage cheese on top or on the side. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan or fresh basil or red pepper flakes.
Notes
Nutritional information is just an estimation and individual ingredients may lead to slight discrepancies. Calculated for 5 total sweet potatoes. For 4 sweet potatoes, the protein increases to about 44 grams of protein.
- Meal prep / storage tips: store in an airtight container for up to 4 days after baking! They taste even better the next day.
- Try to find a Japanese sweet potato - they are sweeter!
- Italian sausage will add more fat, flavor and sodium - higher in calories but really delicious.
Nutrition
Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 32.5g | Protein: 36.6g | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 700mg | Fiber: 4.4g | Sugar: 7.1g | Calcium: 330mg | Iron: 5mg