Chipotle Quinoa Sweet Potato Tacos with Roasted Cranberry Pomegranate Salsa
Tacos! It’s been too long.
Well, not really. I make tacos at least once a week, but I have not posted tacos since these Caribbean Jerk Salmon Tostadas with Grilled Pineapple Peach Coconut Salsa. That was back in August and those are technically not even tacos.
So yeah, it has just been too long.
And yeah, I am aware that there is this giant food holiday on Thursday. I am also aware that I should probably be showing you last-minute Thanksgiving food, and maybe I will tomorrow, but we still gotta eat for the next three days, right? So, I mean why not make it good food?
Good pretty, festive and healthy food.
Yes!
I am pretty sure that most everyone is loaded up with sweet potatoes and cranberries in their cupboards right now, and if you’re not you should be. They are November’s super foods and they are kind of delicious.
And speaking of November and food and Thanksgiving, do you guys have your menus set?
Personally, I have never been so unprepared.
I have honestly not given our Thanksgiving meal a thought until now. Ok well, I have thought about Thanksgiving meals, but only in regards to what to make to show you guys. As for my family’s Thanksgiving I have not a thing planned… and there is a lot of us. Too many if you ask me, but that’s just my family. It’s big.
Fortunately (in this case anyway), most of them all have super boring taste buds, so our Thanksgiving does not require much thought.
Although, I know there has to be a lot of pie, so I better at least start prepping some dough or something.
Ok, but back to the tacos.
These tacos, that personally I could honestly eat for Thanksgiving dinner and be SO happy with, do have two Thanksgiving “all-stars”. Hello sweet potatoes and cranberries.
This recipe is one of my favorites.
First the quinoa and sweet potato filling. In my opinion it is better than any meat filling out there. It is full of flavor and texture. It’s spicy with the slightest hint of sweet from the sweet potatoes. The combo of chipotle and sweet potatoes is one of the best. Plus, it’s really quick and easy to throw together. I never even peel my sweet potatoes, that alone helps cut down the already quick prep time!
My favorite part?
My favorite part is without a doubt the salsa. The salsa is what makes these tacos. It is incredible, and my all time favorite salsa that I have made yet. And I made A LOT of salsa over the summer. It is sort of like cranberry sauce, but so much better. It has more flavor, better taste and paired with the quinoa it is just SO good. Actually, I would totally dig into the salsa with a spoon, spread it on toast, sandwiches, pretty much whatever.
And the leftovers are equally as good.
The next night I made a giant taco salad with a little lettuce, a lot of quinoa, cheese, avocado, crushed tortilla chips and a ton of salsa. Total health food. It’s kind of awesome and perfect since I have a feeling Thursday through Friday will be um well… not so healthy.
Oh, and the quinoa can also be eaten as a side, or even a lunch. It is very versatile.
I just cannot say enough good things about these tacos. They are my favorite, maybe one of my favorite recipes on this site. Yes, I have a lot of recipes on Half Baked Harvest and as of right now these tacos are in the top five favorites.
They are so good. They’re a little spicy, a little sweet, very healthy and the prettiest food I have ever eaten. You guy will love them. Really you will!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Chipotle Quinoa Sweet Potato Tacos with Roasted Cranberry Pomegranate Salsa
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: chipotle, cranberry, pomegranate, quinoa, tacos
These tacos, that personally I could honestly eat for Thanksgiving dinner and be SO happy with, do have two Thanksgiving "all-stars". Hello sweet potatoes and cranberries.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 a small sweet onion
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
- 1 large sweet potato chopped (peel if desired)
- salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa I used red quinoa
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 canned chipotle chilies minced
- 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo from the chipotle chili can
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cayenne or to your taste
- 1 cup cooked black beans if using canned drain and rinse them
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 small bunch cilantro
- 6-8 four tortillas corn tortillas (warmed) or hard shell tacos (personally my family prefers hards shell, but all of them are good!), warmed
- 1 avocado sliced or diced, for topping
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese for topping
- cotija cheese crumbled, for topping
Roasted Cranberry Pomegranate Salsa
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 canned chipotle chili chopped
- 1 lime zested + juiced
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
- 1 jalapeno chopped and seed removed if desired
- the arils from 1 pomegranate learn how to deseed a pomegranate [here | https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/deseed-pomegranate-pictures/]
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
To make the salsa. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
-
Place the cranberries, brown sugar, chipotle chili, lime zest + juice, garlic, jalapeño and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss everything together until the cranberries are evenly coated. Place in the oven and roast until the cranberries burst and release their juices, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and and let cool 10 minutes. Then add the pomegranate arils and toss well. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Set aside and keep at room temperature.
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Well the cranberries are roasting start the tacos. Heat the olive oil over a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Cover the skillet and let cook until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, but not mushy, stirring once or twice for about 15 minutes. Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender, add the garlic and saute 30 seconds. Then crank up the heat to medium-high (adding more oil if needed) and add the quinoa. Let the quinoa get crispy and cook for about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water, tomatoes (if using), the chili powder, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne, stir to thoroughly combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the water has completely evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the black beans, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
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To assemble the tacos place some of the quinoa in a tortilla or shell. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, avocado, a large dollop the the roasted cranberry salsa, crumbled catija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro. Take in their beauty and then EAT!
Get at em.
They’re like a rainbow of colors and flavors – from red to green to purple…amazing. I can only imagine how good. Each bite is like a masterpiece! And those cranberries are perfect! Pinned
Thank you so much, Averie!! I loved these so much and I still cannot get over the colors of the salsa!
I don’t know how, but you somehow managed to make me want to make tacos for Thanksgiving? That, girl, is a feat…especially considering I am not really a huge taco fan! But, I am a pretty food fan and these are beayooootiful!!! Lovin’ all the colors here Tieghan!
Thank you, Taylor!!
I tried to save this recipe and it came up that I had to sign in. I tried but it still would not work.
Oh man!! Thanks for letting me know, Charlotte!
I will look into the problem. Did you try and save it on ziplist?
Yes, Ziplist is what I was using. I tried again and it worked.
OH good!! Thanks Charlotte!
These are some of my favorite things–quinoa, cranberries, pomegranate, and sweet potatoes. LOVE it! These look amazing! One question-where do you find chipotle chilis? Thanks Tieghan!
Thanks so much, Chelsea!!
I find my mine at my local grocery store in the mexican isle by all the other canned peppers, but you can also buy them online here .
Hope that helps and thanks again!
OH MY GOD, I’M IN LOVE WITH YOOOOOOOOOU! 🙂
HAh! 🙂
Thanks Julia!
These tacos are filling with sooooo much goodness! I love taco-fying random things. Looooove this!
Thanks Katrina! 🙂
Holy cow those look absolutely delicious! Fantastic recipe 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thank you so much!! They are one of my favorites!
Looks amazing!
Thanks Sandy!
Because of your blog I finally bought pomegranates to try this year. Sort of figured I’d like em but come to find out my boys like them too. Thanks for another awesome recipe to use them. Sounds chock full of sweet and spicy goodness.
Awe!! YES! This makes me so happy, Melanie!! Pomegranates are the best and I am so happy you finally bought some AND your boys liked them too! Awesome!! 🙂
Those are the prettiest tacos I’ve ever seen!
Thank you, LIz!
Wow! This is a vegetarian dish I would totally eat! So seasonal and comforting and flavorful! YUM!
Thanks Sophia!! I loved these!
It’s been a long time since I’ve made tacos as well. I bet this would be a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce too.
Yes, it would!! That is a great idea!
Thanks Erin!
You know I appreciate a good taco!!! These look right up my alley. Love the filling and salsa. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Oh yeah!! I got the taos queens seal of approval. YES! 🙂
Thanks Kelley and Happy Thanksgiving!
Woww.. these look so delicious and tempting.. love the color 🙂
Thanks so much, Hari!
These tacos sound so good! Love that salsa!
Thank you, Kevin! The Salsa is my favorite!
These are so gorgeous! I could eat at least three right now!
Thanks so much, Angie!! 🙂
You may need to start a taco truck. Just sayin’……. 🙂
HAha!! We should totally do one together. You probably make a KILLER Naan taco!
Wow these look INCREDIBLE! And how festive with the cranberry salsa. Yum
Thank you so much, Becca!
These are some of the prettiest tacos I’ve ever laid eyes on! I love the combinations of flavors. Have to try these–especially if their in your top 5!
Thank you so much, Laura!! I loved your round-up today! So many delicious Thanksgiving foods!
Such gorgeous tacos!! So full of color and flavor.
Thanks Rachel!
Always happy to try out a new taco recipe. Thanks Teighan!!
Thanks Todd! Hope you love the tacos!
Does anyone know what the calories are for this recipe?
Sorry Debra,
I do not count the calories, but you can do it online if you wish! Let me know of you make these and I hope you love them!
Such vibrant colors. Absolutely loved the filling and flavor blend you added in there.
Thanks so much!
This looks delicious, and a nice break from all that turkey. Do you think this would also go well on tamales?
Thanks Tess!! I the it would go so well on tamales. That sounds awesome!!
Thanks, Tieghan!
Ahhh my gosh. This stuff looks amazing. I would so eat these tacos for Thanksgiving. Instead of turkey. Yes.
pinned.
Thanks Abbie! I would too!
Reading this just before my lunch break with no hope of tacos!!! I can’t wait to make these, perhaps for dinner this weekend. For despite the fact that we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia, we still need to eat for the next three days too 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, Amy!! Let me know if you makes these and I hope you love them!
What gorgeous looking tacos! Love all the beautiful and vibrant colours!
Thank you so much, Jessica! The colors are my favorite!
Wonderful colors and the flavors are spot on.
Thank you, Gaby!! Loved your sandwich and all that guac on top today!
I would happily eat these tacos for Thanksgiving (or any meal). I’m loving the mix of colors and flavors!
Thanks Laura!! I love the colors too!
Damn, girl, these just made it to the top of my to-do list. Thanks for such an inspiring recipe! Day made. 🙂
YAY!! Thanks Eloise!
So I just made these, minus the shells! They are HEAVENLY! (And so healthy!) Thank you so much, Tieghan. 🙂
YAY!!! So happy you love these! Thanks!
Do you just use one chili out of the can for the salsa? Or the whole can?
Just ONE chili! Not the whole can. That would be SPICY! LOL!
Hope you love these! 🙂
That salsa. Wow. Just wow.
The salsa is my favorite! I loved it!
Ironic – I just posted a recipe to my blog yesterday that’s similar, using ounces fresh cranberries. I agree, this is something I could eat every day in the fall!
Thanks Anna!! I will have to check out your recipe!
WOW! These were seriously delicious! I made them for Thanksgiving and they were perfect! Love the smoky, spicy, amazing flavor! The salsa and cotija cheese really set it off. Will definitely share and make again! One question…in the ingredient list it calls for black beans, but I didn’t see where to add them in the instructions. I left them out and didn’t miss them. But i was curious. ;). Thanks for the delicious recipe!!
YES!! These are my favorite!! So happy you loved them!
I did add black beans to mine, but only to half the mixture. Most of my family despises beans, but i personally love them! Totally you choice on the beans!
This was so very cool and fun to read. I have enjoyed this great and fun information. This was really and fun to read. I have enjoyed and I want to thank you۔
Made these on Tuesday for a weekly Taco Tuesday with friends. They were a huge hit! Love having leftovers for work 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
YAY!! SO happy you loved these! Thanks for reporting back, Kaitlin!
Just made the filling recipe. Opted out of the salsa this time. A question for you: do you know if the filling freezes well? It made so much and there’s just one of me! I don’t want it to go bad before I can eat it all 🙂
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Hey Paula!!
I have never frozen this, but I do know that quinoa and sweet potatoes freeze really well. I would give it a try, I think it will work great!
Thanks so much for making these! 🙂
My cranberries burned. 🙁 How often should we stir? I stirred it a couple of times, even pulled them out early, but their juices were burnt and I had salsa-less tacos. I whipped up some quacamole and added the pomegranate seeds to that, which was pretty awesome.
Also, the sweet potato / quinoa mix was REALLY hot, and I only used half the pepper and half the cayenne.
I think when I try again, I’ll do the cranberries in the microwave instead of the oven. And maybe only 1/2 of one chipotle pepper.
Oh man, sorry you cranberries burnt!! But glad you added the pomegranates to some guac! Yum!
Hope the next time goes a lot better! Thanks for making these and reporting back!
I read over 3 times….saw nothing that incorporated the black beans the ingredients called for
Hey Nettie, I am so sorry about that. The black beans are stired in at the end of cooking. I fixed the directions.
Hope you love these!
Hey there… I can’t find blackbeans where I live in Spain, so is there an alternative that you would use. Cant wait to make this… it looks so delicious. Thank you.
Hey Sally! Just leave the black beans out, not big deal!
Hope you love these! They are one of my favorites! 🙂
Can I just say, this blog is what got me through the day today.
Every time I read it, I just get more and more excited about whats next.
Very refreshing blog and very refreshing ideas.
Im glad that I came across this when I did.
I love what youve got to say and the way you say it.
Wow! Thank you so much! So happy you are enjoying my blog!
I made these last night and they were amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Gina!
Hello, when you mention “2 canned chipotle chilies, minced” for the tacos, do you mean 2 cans of chipotle chilies or do you mean 2 chilies out of one can? Thank you! Hope you can respond soon as I would love to make them tonight! Thanks again
Hi! It is 2 canned chipotle chiles that you mince. So two chilies out of one can. DO NOT use 2 whole cans, that would be crazy spicy!! YIKES!
Sorry for the late response. You comment got missed some how. SO SORRY!
Hi, I figured as much! They were soooooo delicious thank you!! Please more vegetarian recipes like this! Very creative. Loved the sweet potato, avocado and adobo all together (put extra adobo sauce on top) and I used tri color quinoa.
So happy you loved these!!! 🙂
Thanks!
The heat in these taco’s is a monument to man’s arrogance.
They are amazingly delicious but “a little spicy” is a bit of an understatement (or at least for weak willed Canadians).
That said I do make these on a semi-regular basis. Thank you for the recipe!
Happy you love them! Thanks!
hi Tieghan! for Lent this year i gave up a bread, which includes tortillas, so i have been looking for creative ideas for Mexican recipes. i used your sweet potato taco filling to fill kale “enchiladas”! it was fabulous!! thanks so much for the great, and versatile, recipe 🙂
Oh what a great idea!! So happy you loved the filling!! 🙂
I made these tacos a few months ago and LOVED them! I am making them again tonight for dinner. Thank you!!
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I first made these tacos in 2013 when you posted them, and now every year when the cranberries and pomegranates hit the stores I instantly crave them. This is easily in my top 5 fall dishes, and everyone I’ve made them for has loved them. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!!
Oh my gosh! That is so awesome! Thank you for reading and letting me know how much you love these! 🙂
Tieghan, I made these but altered the recipe to make them enchiladas to feed my whole family that is in town for the holidays. Everyone loved them and the cranberry salsa was a huge hit. Thanks for such a unique and crowd-pleasing recipe!
Nice One
Making these tomorrow for dinner and have a question. The recipe calls for cooked quinoa, but in the directions, the quinoa is added with water. Can you clarify whether I should cook the quinoa before adding it into the potatoes?
hi Cobby, please use COOKED quinoa for this recipe. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks and enjoy the tacos!
Tieghan
I love this recipe! I’ve made it a few times and my guest always rave! It makes a lot of food, so I was wondering if you have any freezer leftover suggestions. I like to use leftover chicken taco meat to make enchiladas that I can put in the freezer for a quick reheat another day. I’d love to do something that freezes well, like enchiladas, with this filling but I don’t think typical enchilada sauce would be a good match. I see others have made enchiladas – maybe they’d know? Any suggestions?
SO happy you love these tacos!! 🙂
Thanks Bonnie!
Oops, sorry! Hit reply too fast!
I think turning these into enchiladas would be great, sauce or no sauce! Let me know if you have questions. Thanks!
I had these for the first time when a friend made this recipe for a dinner party she was hosting. I loved it so much, I had to make it for myself and for my boyfriend! We are just starting to explore vegetarian food, and these tacos are so satisfying, complex in flavor, and delicious. I quadrupled the recipe so that we could have it for a couple dinners and to pack for lunch for the week.
I’m so happy to have found your website through my friend! There are so many amazing recipes I am jumping to try!
Awh wow so happy you liked it Jenna! SO cool that you two are trying vegetarian cuisine! Hope you love all the recipes to come!!
Thanks so so much!
Tieghan, we tried these chipotle quinoa sweet potato tacos with roasted cranberry pomegranate salsa this week and they were a SUCCESS! That’s the first time I’ve made tacos with sweet potatoes, or quinoa, or pretty much every ingredient you had in them. My husband is a serious carnivore, and he actually liked these! And the salsa on top just took it to the next level. As usual, your recipes are spot-on. it’s Halloween tonight, and I’m making my homemade Chicken Chile Verde with Bean & cheesy Burritos, and for desert I’m gonna do your Sweet Potato Pie Dutch Baby. YUM! Keep your awesome recipes coming! BTW, good luck with your new barn/cooking barn; I hope it’s going well.
I am so happy you loved these Liz! And I hope you love the butch baby as well! Thank you and Happy Halloween!
O my! I want these so badly. We live in Africa and cranberries do not exist here. I also think pomegranates are out of season. How are the tacos without the amazing salsa? Worth making? Any ideas on a different salsa?
Hey Denise! The tacos are still great minus the salsa. Just replace it with your favorite fruit based salsa, or serve the tacos with no salsa. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Delicious! Was wary of cranberry salsa and took the plunge – it went with the meal so well, everyone loved it.
Thank you Lori!
I eagerly awake pomegranates and cranberries to come into season so I can make this! It’s become one of my husband and I’s favorite fall recipes! Thank you for an amazing dish!
I am so glad you both love this recipe Erin! I hope you continue to! xTieghan
Looks great, but what’s “ 1 leaves can diced tomatoes”?
Hi! That was a typo, recipe all fixed! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan