Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos with Swiss Chard Pesto

The.Boy. and I have officially become that couple.

You know—the kind where he rolls his eyes at my nearly obsessive love of leafy greens, and I stop shaving my legs as often because, well, it’s winter.

He may have gotten the short end of the stick on this one, but he’s handling it like a champ.

He claims he knew what swiss chard was before he met me (cute), and though he might never admit it, I think he’s actually starting to like it.

Putting my scientific curiosity to use (PhD training: employed), I decided to test whether he truly liked swiss chard on its own merits. Instead of masking greens in a familiar dish, I made them the star—turned them into a bold pesto.

Pesto has a way of revealing flavors plainly; nothing gets hidden. If you like something in pesto form, you pretty much just like that ingredient.

This swiss chard pesto found a perfect partner in chipotle-coated roasted sweet potatoes and black beans, and the result was instant taco love—for both of us.

I’ll call that a win.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Swiss Chard Pesto
Serves 4, adapted from Closet Cooking

Ingredients
For the pesto:

• 1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed and coarsely chopped
• 1 handful cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1 jalapeño, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 lime, juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the tacos:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (white sweet potatoes were used)
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp chipotle chili powder, divided
• 2 tsp ground cumin, divided
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup dried black beans, soaked overnight and cooked until tender
• 1 batch swiss chard pesto
• 12 corn tortillas, warmed
• 1/4 cup queso fresco, crumbled

Instructions
For the pesto:

1. Combine the swiss chard, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, pecans, olive oil, and lime juice in a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the tacos:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the sweet potato cubes with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp chipotle chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, and salt. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 30–40 minutes.
2. While the potatoes roast, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until soft, about 3–5 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic, the remaining 1 tsp chipotle chili powder, and remaining 1 tsp cumin. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in the cooked black beans and heat through for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Assemble the tacos: warm corn tortillas topped with the black bean mixture, roasted sweet potatoes, a spoonful of swiss chard pesto, and a sprinkle of queso fresco.