Roasted Sweet Potato Tortilla Cups

After creating and writing up this particular post, I’m realizing that I should probably grow sweet potatoes in this year’s garden. Not only do I enjoy creating recipes with them, but each time I’ve gone to the store they seem to be just as scarce to find as toilet paper is! Weird world we’re living in right now…

This particular recipe is a spin off from my Roasted Sweet Potato & Black Bean Breakfast Burritos. I love making everything in miniature form so I thought it would be fun to turn these burritos into appetizers instead. I’m also a fan of anything that can be prepped ahead, so I roasted the sweet potato, cooked the quinoa, and made the sauce a few days before putting everything together.

Roasted Sweet Potato Tortilla Cups

(makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 cup of water or chicken broth

1/2 cup red quinoa

1 to 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks (about 2 1/2 cups)

2 Tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Avocado Cilantro Lime Yogurt Sauce – find the recipe here

Salsa (optional, but highly recommended!)

(makes 14-16)

For Tortilla Cups:

2 cups all- purpose flour

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup water, luke warm

3 Tbs olive oil

Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all water has been absorbed by the quinoa.

Meanwhile, cover a large baking sheet with foil and preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).

Add sweet potato chunks to a large bowl and drizzle olive oil over them. Toss until evenly coated with oil. Add chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper and continue to toss until evenly seasoned. Transfer cubes to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until tender (if a fork can easily pierce the potato, they’re finished cooking).

You can make both the quinoa and sweet potatoes in advance. Just cover and refrigerate until ready to use. I put just what I needed into a bowl and heated it in the microwave before dishing up and serving.

If you’re making them the same day, remove the quinoa from heat and cover. Wrap the sweet potatoes up in the foil you cooked them on and set aside to keep warm.

For the tortilla cups, mix flour, salt, water, and olive oil in a large bowl and stir until dough forms into a loose ball. Knead on a floured surface for a few minutes or until dough forms into a smooth ball. Continue to add a bit more flour if the dough feels sticky. Let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes after kneading.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and get a muffin tin ready. No need to grease the tin since the flour will prevent the tortilla cups from sticking.

Divide dough in half (it makes it a little easier to work with). Form each half into a ball again. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the first ball until it’s about 1/4 of an inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter (or the top of a cocktail shaker like I did) cut out as many circles as you can make.

Lightly dust with flour and then place dough circles (floured side down) into the prepared muffin tin, lightly shaping them into the cup with your fingers. Knead the scrap dough back into a ball, roll it out thin, and then cut more circles until you’ve used nearly all of it. Repeat with remaining dough ball or cover remaining dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Use at least by the next day. I just made half since I was cooking for only 2.

Place tortilla cups in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove cups and set on a cooling rack for a few moments.