BBQ Sweet Potato Chickpea Tacos

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Platter of sweet potato chickpea tacos with cabbage, chipotle crema, and lime wedges

If you’ve ever felt left out by the lack of quality vegan options at a BBQ, consider those days over! Introducing the smoky, sweet, spicy flavors of BBQ in a sweet potato chickpea taco with cabbage, lime, and chipotle crema. It’s a plant-based winner worthy of sharing with friends!

Satisfying, nourishing, and ready in just 30 minutes! Grab your tortillas — let’s make tacos!

Tortillas, sweet potato, cabbage, chickpeas, chipotle peppers, oil, maple syrup, cashews, spices, and lime

These tacos begin with roasting chickpeas and cubed sweet potatoes in a BBQ-inspired spice mixture of smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and optional cayenne! Avocado or olive oil helps all the spices stick and encourages caramelized edges.

Drizzling oil onto a baking sheet of chickpeas and cubed sweet potatoes

While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas are in the oven, we transition to preparing the smoky SAUCE! It’s a simple vegan chipotle crema that comes together by blending soaked cashews, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, maple syrup, garlic, and salt.

Creamy vegan chipotle crema sauce in a blender

Chop some cabbage and limes and get ready for those sweet potatoes + chickpeas to come out of the oven!

Baking sheet of BBQ roasted chickpeas and sweet potatoes

Then we’re ready for assembly! Add the sweet potato chickpea filling to warmed tortillas, add some crunchy cabbage, and give it all a big squeeze of tangy lime to bring everything together!

Hand reaching in to pick up a BBQ sweet potato chickpea taco from a platter

We hope you LOVE these sweet potato chickpea tacos! They’re:

Smoky
Savory-sweet
Satisfying
Easy to make
& SO delicious!

They’re a great meal for taco season (a.k.a. every day of the year!) and come together effortlessly, making them perfect for weeknight cooking! Our Fresh Strawberry Margarita (5 Minutes!) or Sparkling Hibiscus Orange Mocktail would be amazing pairings with these tacos.

More Plant-Based Taco Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Two BBQ chickpea sweet potato tacos on a plate with cabbage and lime wedges

BBQ Sweet Potato Chickpea Tacos

Smoky BBQ sweet potato chickpea tacos with crunchy cabbage, creamy chipotle crema, and a tangy squeeze of lime. A nourishing, 30-minute plant-based meal!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Overhead shot of a plate with two sweet potato chickpea tacos
4.97 from 31 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 (two-taco servings)
Course Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Mexican-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

SWEET POTATOES & CHICKPEAS

  • 1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 medium sweet potato is ~400 g or 3/4 lb)
  • 1 (15-oz. / 425 g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or sub ~1 ¾ cups homemade)
  • 2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder blend
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

CHIPOTLE CREMA

  • 3/4 cup raw cashews
  • 1 whole chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (just 1 pepper, not the whole can!)
  • 2/3 cup water (plus more for soaking)
  • 1 ½ tsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 medium clove garlic
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

FOR SERVING

  • 1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
  • 8 lime wedges (NOT optional)
  • 8 (~6-inch each) tortillas of choice (we like corn tortillas or Siete almond flour tortillas)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Add cashews to a heatproof bowl and cover with hot water by at least 1-2 inches. Soak for at least 15 minutes.
  • SWEET POTATOES & CHICKPEAS: Meanwhile, add the cubed sweet potatoes and drained and rinsed chickpeas to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Add oil, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper (optional), sea salt, and black pepper and toss to coat. Bake for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the chickpeas are slightly browned. Everything should be slightly caramelized but still soft. You don’t want it to dry out too much.
  • CHIPOTLE CREMA: Meanwhile, drain your cashews and place them into a high-speed blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients (chipotle pepper, water, maple syrup, garlic, and salt). Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
  • TORTILLAS: To heat your tortillas, place a skillet over medium-high heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and heat on each side for 10-15 seconds until warm, then repeat with the remaining tortillas.
  • TACOS: Place ~1/3 cup of the sweet potato chickpea filling into the center of each warmed tortilla, top with a couple tablespoons of shredded cabbage and 1-2 tablespoons of chipotle crema, and serve each taco with a lime wedge. Squeeze the lime over each taco and enjoy!
  • If you have any extra crema, you can use it in taco bowls, on salads, or even as a dip for chips! Taco components will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator when stored separately in airtight containers. Reheat sweet potato chickpea filling in a skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Not freezer friendly.

Video

Notes

*Inspired by our BBQ Roasted Chickpeas and BBQ Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with corn tortillas.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 (two-taco) serving Calories: 485 Carbohydrates: 70.8 g Protein: 13.3 g Fat: 18.8 g Saturated Fat: 2.7 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.9 g Monounsaturated Fat: 10.1 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 668 mg Potassium: 719 mg Fiber: 11.8 g Sugar: 13.6 g Vitamin A: 3034 IU Vitamin C: 13 mg Calcium: 130 mg Iron: 3.5 mg

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    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sheila, we’d suggest making a chipotle crema with dairy-free sour cream or silken tofu. Otherwise, maybe raw sunflower seeds or avocado, but we aren’t certain the flavors will be complementary!

  1. Tammy Tittel says

    so good! had most ingredients on hand and this was a quick and easy recipe! subbed cilantro for cabbage and was delish! will try with both next time.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Lovely! Cilantro sounds perfect with these tacos. Thank you for sharing, Tammy! xo

  2. Ann says

    This was so yummy and I almost always have these or comparable ingredients on hand. I didn’t have chipotles & was too lazy to mess with the cashews & blender, so I made a sauce with vegan mayo, lime juice & sriracha and it worked very well. This will be a dinner staple.

  3. G Bell says

    Just made this. Thank you for another fantastic recipe. Thought I would dislike it, for many reasons, but turned out to be the best one yet from your site, and that is aying a lot!
    Thank you!

  4. Leslie says

    LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! These tacos are the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, tangy, creamy! I agree that the squeeze of lime is NOT optional. I will be making these tacos again and again! I made crispy taco shells in the air fryer which made them over the top delicious.

  5. Ashley says

    The whole family enjoyed this recipe! I followed the recipe as written and added some pico de gallo and avocado to the tacos when serving. These tacos will definitely be added into the dinner rotation.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad it was a hit with the whole family. Thank you for sharing, Ashley! xo

  6. Trish says

    These Taco’s were delish! I followed the recipe the only thing I added was half a chopped red onion and sliced green beans, cauliflower would be good a well. Roasted the green beans and red onion with the sweet potato and chickpeas. Used the Costco fresh tortillas which we quickly fried in a non stick pan. My hubby loved these and said we have to make these again! Thank you for this delicious recipe! It is definitely a keeper!

  7. Jodi Friedman says

    Soooo good!!! These tacos are delicious and could definitely be great as bowls or burritos too. Will add into my dinner rotation!

  8. Jennifer says

    There are no words to describe how good this is. I think my life just changed. Too dramatic? They’re *that* good. I also discovered Siete almond flour tortillas thanks to this receipe. I had to restrain myself and am already looking forward to leftovers.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! Not too dramatic. We can totally relate! Thank you for the lovely review, Jennifer! xo

  9. Val says

    Daaaang! These are SO GOOD! Smoky, a little sweet ‘n spicy. This is only the the third minimalist baker recipe I’ve tried and all three have been freakin’ fantastic! Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, YAY! We’re so glad you’re enjoying our recipes, Val. Thank you for the lovely review! xoxo

  10. Jen Brueninghaus says

    I feel like I could open a restaurant with this one recipe. It is that good!!! I can’t stop eating it. And it’s so easy to make. I did hold back a bit on the garlic, and I am wondering about the photos: It looks like you added cheese in the photos, but there’s none listed in the recipe. I ate it without cheese and was glad for that opportunity because almost everything I make has cheese. So, yaaay, no cheese needed. I mean, I love the stuff, but as a 99% of the time vegetarian, I feel like I’m always supplementing or topping something with cheese. So, thank you for this absolutely delicious cheese-free recipe!!! But, if you were to add cheese, what cheese would you add? Even without: Yumm. Yumm. Yumm.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Jen. Thank you for the lovely review! We didn’t use cheese in the photos, but the green cabbage does kind of look like shredded cheese 😀. Queso fresco would be delicious!

  11. Kathy says

    Hello, this recipe looks amazing but can you clarify the amount of sweet potato to use? My conversion calculator says that 400 grams is less than a pound, not the 1.75 pounds listed in the recipe. I apologize if I am interpreting the info incorrectly. Thank you in advance!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ah, great catch! That’s an error. It should be ~400 grams or 0.75 pounds. We’ll get that updated!

  12. Kelley H. says

    These are absolutely amazing!! So, so good. I didn’t have black beans so I made this on a whim, and my husband and I loved it. The only modification I made was doubling the sauce and adding baked tofu crumbles. These are now on rotation in our house, thank you Dana and team!

  13. Andi Peinovich says

    So, so good! I made the sweet potato/chickpea blend according to recipe but subbed the chipotle pepper with chipotle powder. And then I made an avocado crema instead of a chipotle crema. Served it with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Holy cow, I wish my stomach was bigger!!! This is a keeper. 😋

    • Quill says

      Definitely good for BBQ fans. My partner gave it 10/10. I think it’s missing something, like maybe some ranch or sour cream. I’m not quite sure. I’m not a big BBQ fan so it may just be that.

  14. Laura says

    Yum! Made these tonight and we loved them!
    My picky toddler slammed two tacos! Will definitely make again! Thanks :)

  15. Shae says

    My partner and I were blown away with this one! It was soooo good! I’m going to double the tacos next time so we can have more than 3 a piece ;-)
    The sauce too! So so good! Thank you!!!

  16. Stephanie L says

    These were so quick and easy and everyone loved. Even got my most picky 17yr old daughter to eat them and love them! I am so thankful. Although she’s been surrounded her whole life by quality, fresh, healthy and flavorful food that I prepare daily, she opts out due to ‘too many flavors or textures’. She kept the lime off, but took the cabbage shreds and chipotle crema. Exciting day for me. We added cilantro just because we love it. Perfect.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them, Stephanie. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  17. Heather says

    I made this tonight. Really good! I’m totally AMAZED at how creamy the chipotle cream is… and delicious! I had some chipotle chilis in adobe sauce in the freezer, so this recipe was easy to make in a short amount of time. I’m new to the vegan cashew crema world, but now having made 2-3 dishes that required it, I see no reason to go back to a milk-based crema for future recipes.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Heather. We are so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  18. Laura says

    Super easy, super yummy. I don’t normally cook on weeknights but will/can do this one. Mods: I found pre-blended chipotle in adobo (brand La Costena) and used ~2 tbsp of that, used the silken tofu hack because I just happened to have some (genius!), no cabbage so topped with avocado slices.

  19. Elizabeth says

    So delicious! Easy to make and it will definitely be one of my go to recipe this summer! Thank youX

  20. Nicole says

    Loved these! I had black beans to use up and so used those instead (added them half way through the sweet potato baking time when I stirred them, since they’re smaller). The sauce was great.

  21. Liz says

    Can you substitute the chipotle pepper with a chipotle powder if that’s all I have on hand? If so, what would be the suggested amount? Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Liz, it will be more spicy vs. smoky that way, but you could try it! We’d suggest ~1/2 teaspoon. Hope that helps!

  22. Theresa says

    These look delish! How can the crema be made without cashews? We have cashew allergies in our fam. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Theresa, we’d suggest making a chipotle crema with dairy-free sour cream or silken tofu. Otherwise, maybe raw sunflower seeds or avocado, but we aren’t certain the flavors will be complementary!

  23. Gaby M says

    I saw this recipe online and decided to make it as it looked easy and quick and I had all the ingredients. It was delicious!! The smokiness from the spices on the chickpeas and sweet potato complement the smokiness of the chipotle crema which has just the right amount of heat. I’m not vegan but try eat as much plant based as I can. My husband, who is a meat and potatoes type of guy, ate a taco too and said it was good. I’ll definitely make this again.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Gaby. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  24. Mary says

    It was very good! Just a heads up – if you double the recipe don’t double the crema part! I doubled the sauce and I still have SO much I don’t think I’ll be able to eat it all. I really liked the spice rub on the sweet potatoes and chickpeas :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Gah, sorry that wasn’t more clear, Mary! We’re glad you enjoyed the recipe overall. You might be able to freeze some of the sauce!

  25. Margot says

    This was scrumptious ! We loved the combination of flavors and textures. Since I have a nut allergy, I had to substitute some sliced avocados to the tacos instead of the Chipotle Crema. Can you suggest a way to incorporate adobo chilies without the cashews? Will be making this Memorial Day weekend !

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Margot! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Another reader has had success using tofu in the crema instead of cashews! If you try this version we don’t think you would need the full amount of water. You also might be able to add the chipotle pepper to avocado and blend it. Although, we haven’t tried it with these variations and can’t guarantee results. We hope you enjoy!

  26. Sarah says

    Delicious! Made this tonight and didn’t have sweet potato, so used cauliflower instead. Such great flavor! We added avocado into the tacos and the creaminess was a great contrast. Will make again!

  27. Alicia says

    Made this — it was delish! I subbed the chipotle crema’s cashew base for silken tofu, but otherwise followed as is. Served with some store-bought avocado salsa. These were super tasty and something I will make again!

  28. Jaclyn says

    My son is incredibly allergic to cashews. What is a good sub? I always to make plant based recipes like this but can’t because of the allergy!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jaclyn, we’d suggest making a chipotle crema with dairy-free sour cream (if there’s a store-bought brand he can have). Another reader also had success using silken tofu. Otherwise, maybe raw sunflower seeds or avocado? Sunflower seeds won’t be quite as creamy/rich, but might work okay!

  29. Diane P says

    Hi!
    These look and sound delicious. Can I leave out the oil in the sweet potato/chickpea portion. I like to keep my recipes oil-free when possible.
    Thanks!
    Di :-)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Diane, they will be a little dry and not crispy/caramelized on the edges, but otherwise it would work! If the spices aren’t sticking well, you could try a little aquafaba instead. Let us know if you try it!

      • Diane P says

        Ok, thanks for the quick reply! I’ll hit em with a spritz of avocado oil spray, hopefully that’ll help out a lil!!!

        Keep on bustin’ out the recipes, I love em!!! ;-)

  30. Jennifer says

    The combination of sweet potatoes and chickpeas was so crazy good! I made this per the recipe. I only adjusted the shredded cabbage and added a light dressing to it. The crema was a perfect topping and chip dip. Everybody loved this dish and it actually was super quick from start to finish!