Sweet Potato Taco Casserole

This Sweet Potato Taco Casserole is a total weeknight staple in our house. It’s easy, comforting, flavorful, and just so satisfying. I make it for dinner and love it even more the next day—seriously, it somehow gets better on day two (and even day three!).

This dish is loosely inspired by Paleo Nick’s fajita pie, but I’ve definitely put my own spin on it. The mashed sweet potato topping makes it feel hearty and wholesome, and the taco-seasoned ground turkey filling brings all the cozy, saucy vibes.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

• The salsa adds most of the moisture, so if you don’t like your casseroles too saucy, just use a bit less than the full 16 oz.
• The taco seasoning and salsa will affect the spice level—so pick your favorites. I used mild taco seasoning and Pace medium salsa, and it turned out flavorful with a little kick—not too spicy.
• This casserole is amazing topped with cold guacamole (recipe below)—the contrast of hot and cold is chef’s kiss.

Ingredients

(Makes 6–8 servings, depending on how hungry you are!)

For the Casserole:

• 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped evenly
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 bell peppers (I use red, yellow, and green), diced
• 1 (16 oz) jar of salsa (I used Pace Medium)
• 1 packet taco seasoning (1.25 oz) or 2 tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil (plus a little for greasing the baking dish)
• Kosher salt, to taste

Optional Guacamole Topping:

• 4 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• ¼ cup green onions, chopped
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Juice of 2–3 limes (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Boil the Sweet Potatoes
   Start by boiling the peeled and chopped sweet potatoes in a large pot for about 20–25 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat Oven to 350°F
3. Cook the Filling
   • In a large skillet, heat avocado oil over medium-high.
   • Add garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
   • Add ground turkey and half the taco seasoning. Cook for ~10 minutes, until browned and no longer pink.
   • Stir in onions, bell peppers, and the rest of the taco seasoning. Cook another 10 minutes until veggies are tender.
   • Stir in salsa and cook 5 more minutes to let the flavors combine. Add salt to taste.
4. Mash the Potatoes
   While the filling simmers, mash the cooked sweet potatoes with a masher or large fork until smooth.
5. Assemble the Casserole
   Lightly oil a 9×13 baking dish.
   Spread the turkey-veggie mixture evenly on the bottom.
   Top with an even layer of mashed sweet potatoes.
6. Bake
   Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
   Broil for about 5 more minutes to get a crispy golden top.
7. Make the Guacamole (Optional)
   In a bowl, mix together the mashed avocados, diced tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. The lime juice helps keep it fresh in the fridge for 2–3 days.
8. Serve & Enjoy!
   Scoop out a hearty portion and top with a dollop of cold guacamole. It’s comforting, filling, and full of flavor!

Why You’ll Love It:

• Great for meal prep – Even better the next day.
• Totally customizable – Swap turkey for ground beef or chicken, change the salsa, or use a different mash topping.
• Crowd-friendly – Makes 6–8 servings easily.
• Balanced & cozy – Protein, veggies, fiber, and all the flavor.

If you try this one, let me know! Tag me on Instagram @RachelMasterKitchen and use the hashtag #Rachel.Master.Kitchen. I love seeing what you’re cooking!

Happy casserole season! 🧡

Sweet Potato Taco Casserole

A Cozy, Saucy, Meal Prep Dream

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

  

• 4 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped roughly the same size
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 3 bell peppers I like to use 3 different colors, diced
• 1 16 oz. salsa I used Pace Medium
• 1 packet taco seasoning 1.25 oz or 2 Tbs
• 2 Tbs avocado oil + small amount for baking dish
• Kosher salt, to taste Depends on what kind of taco seasoning and salsa you use.
• Guacamole ingredients optional:
• 4 avocados peeled, pitted and mashed
• 2 Roma tomatoes insides removed and diced
• 1/4 cup green onions chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2-3 limes juiced

Instructions

 

• Start by boiling the sweet potatoes. Boil for ~20-25 minutes or until you can put a fork through them easily. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• While the potatoes are cooking, add the avocado oil to a large pan over medium/high heat. Once hot, add garlic cloves. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add ground turkey and 1/2 taco seasoning mix. Cook for ~10 minutes until you no longer see pink in the turkey.
• Add onion, bell peppers and the remainder of the taco seasoning mix. Cook for another 10 minutes until onion and bell peppers are tender.
• Add salsa and cook for another 5 minutes. Add extra salt to taste.
• Meanwhile, mash the sweet potatoes with a masher or large fork.
• Add the turkey mixture to a slightly oiled 9x 13 casserole dish.
• Top with an even layer of mashed sweet potatoes.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Broil for another ~5 minutes to crisp the potatoes.
• While baking, prepare the guacamole in a small bowl by mixing the ingredients listed above. Lime juice and seasonings call all be adjusted for your preference.
• Serve the hot casserole topped with guacamole. Enjoy!

Keyword Dairy-free, Gluten-free