One Pan Sweet Potato Skillet (Gluten Free)

When I was diagnosed as celiac, lactose intolerant and allergic to almonds, I had no idea what to eat. I had been doing meal kits with my roommate at the time and although some recipes were allergy friendly, I felt like I needed to be more hands on. We used to love this sweet potato taco recipe from the meal kit so instead of making it with flour tortillas, I started making this skillet version instead. This one pan sweet potato skillet has a lot of the same flavors but without any of the flour tortillas.

This sweet potato skillet recipe is a weeknight lifesaver! It is bursting with flavor. This easy weeknight dinner recipe comes together in under 30 minutes, just like my gluten free deconstructed pepper skillet, my sweet potato curry and my easy gluten free tikka masala skillet. 

If you’re favorite part of this recipe is the potatoes, it’s mine too! These 20 weeknight potato recipes are ones you HAVE to add to your weekly menu!

why you’ll love this allergy friendly recipe

• This simple sweet potato skillet is an easy weeknight skillet meal the whole family will enjoy. My husband and I love sweet potatoes and honestly I look for any excuse to add them to a meal.
• An easy one pan dinner with little clean up! I hate doing dishes so this one pan recipe is ideal.
• This recipe is made with simple ingredients like beef and sweet potatoes. 
• You can Serve this recipe for brunch or breakfast with a fried egg on top. I love an easy breakfast. I love to make this ahead of time and use the left overs for the breakfast version.
• Make this recipe in advance for quick meals throughout the week.
• This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes, but still packs a satisfying flavor punch.

ingredients & substitutions

Sweet Potatoes: To make this salad I used Bako Sweet Sweet Potatoes for extra vitamin A, extra fiber and some healthy carbohydrates! Bako Sweet Sweet Potatoes are organically grown in California with no pesticides in a nutrient-dense soil! Of course they are allergen free, Vegan and Gluten-Free! They are available at Walmart, Sprouts, Safeway, Smart & Final, Whole Foods, Albertsons and Sam’s Club!

Olive Oil: Cooking oil that adds moisture and fat. Any other high heat cooking oil like canola oil, coconut oil or avocado oil works too.

Seasonings: Sea Salt and black Pepper. Seasonings that enhance flavor of the sweet potato skillet. Adjust to your taste. You can also use kosher salt. Feel free to choose any other seasoning as well for extra flavor. You can add a little bit of chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder or onion powder. This will give so much flavor to the whole thing. 

Black Beans: A type of bean with a mild flavor and black skin. You can use pinto beans, chickpeas or kidney beans instead. You can also sub with bell pepper or chipotle peppers for a different taste.

Steak: Any cut of cooked steak, chopped into bite-sized pieces. You can use a grilled chicken breast, pork chops, ground beef or any lean protein. Tofu will also work a substitute to make a vegetarian meal.

Sour Cream/Dairy-Free Sour Cream: a dollop of sour cream adds a creamy tang. Use plain yogurt, greek yogurt or vegan yogurt if you prefer dairy-free.

Green Onions: Mild onion flavor. Chopped chives can be used instead.

taste & texture

The sweet potatoes are tender and slightly crisp on the edges. They are fork tender. The steak and black beans add heartiness. The avocado is creamy and cool.

The overall flavor is savory with a hint of sweetness from the sweet potatoes. The sour cream or dairy-free sour cream adds a tangy topping to the sweet potato skillet.

directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

Step 2

On a cutting board, cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2″ cubes. In a large skillet (oven safe), toss the sweet potato wedges with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Bake the sweet potatoes for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking, until tender and slightly golden brown.

Step 3

Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, remove them from the oven and reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C). On a cutting board, cut the steak into 1″ pieces.  Add the cooked black beans and steak pieces to the sweet potato skillet. Stir to combine.

Step 4

Return the skillet to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, just to heat the steak and beans through.

Remove the skillet from the oven and top with sliced avocado, dollops of sour cream or dairy-free sour cream, and a sprinkle of chopped green onions. Serve immediately and enjoy!

expert tips & tricks

• Sometimes I like to add cheese on top of this sweet potato skillet before baking. Shredded cheese is the best for a cheese melt but you can use any cheese you want. 
• Add any other of your favorite toppings such as green chiles, red onion. I also love adding hot sauce or lime juice.
• You can adjust the spiciness by adding more pepper or using a topping like salsa, hot sauce or tomato paste seasoned with red pepper flakes.
• ​I have also made this with lean ground turkey instead of beef here to create a ground turkey sweet potato skillet.
• You can cook this easy recipe in the instapot, crockpot or slow cooker but the cooking time will vary. 
• You can also make this sweet potato skillet in a non-stick skillet on the stovetop. Cooking time will vary but when its hot and I dont want to turn on the oven and I still want this dish it is perfect!
• You can buy a large sweet potato or already diced sweet potato. You can even use a sweet potato hash. You can use butternut squash or carrots instead of fresh sweet potatoes. You can also substitute with a grain here like white rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice.

recipe variations 

• A great way to make this sweet potato skillet a low fat recipe is to use a lean meat and use a low fat sour cream. I also skip the avocado.
• To make this a vegan recipe, I use tofu intead of beef. Use a vegan sour cream.
• To make this sweet potato skillet recipe dairy free, I use vegan sour cream. 

serving, storing and meal prepping

I serve this sweet potato skillet hot with a wooden spoon. The best way to serve this main dish is hot! I serve it right out of the oven, or prepare it ahead of time and heat when I am ready to eat.  I serve with a side of rice or quinoa for a complete meal. Store leftovers of the sweet potato skillet recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

For freezing, I portion the skillet sweet potatoes mixture into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave until warmed through.

To meal prep this sweet potato recipe, I cook the sweet potatoes and steak ahead of time. I assemble the entire skillet dish without the avocado and sour cream in individual containers. Freeze or store in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to eat, thaw if frozen, then heat the sweet potato skillet in a skillet and top with fresh avocado and sour cream.

Looking for more allergy friendly easy recipe?

If you make this recipe and enjoyed it, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and Pinterest. Purchase my cookbook Easy Allergy Free Cooking. Join my exclusive weeknight meal plan group for 5 weekly 30-minute dinner recipes plus a weekly grocery shopping list. The weeknight meal plan also has an accompanying podcast as well! I would love for you to follow along! 

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