The Best Southwest Sweet Potato Skillet Recipe

Our Southwest sweet potato skillet recipe is a layered mix of spicy, smoky, sweet, and fresh flavors that feels like the perfect cross between Mexican and American food. You'll feel satisfied and energized with this bean and vegetable-laden meal, which also delivers a full serving of protein.

According to Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, the beauty of this sweet potato and ground turkey skillet with lime crema is that it comes together in one dish, with minimal cleanup or fuss required. We start by browning ground turkey, and continue by toasting spices that form the flavor basis for our veggies. Roasted sweet potatoes, bell peppers, purple onion, black beans, and corn deliver all the fresh flavors and colors you need, and a simple, tangy lime crema and some fresh toppings finish it all off with a creamy and spicy flourish.

This one-pan meal draws inspiration from Mexican-style cooking, incorporating spices like cumin and chili powder alongside traditional toppings like cotija cheese and cilantro. The simple prep keeps it accessible for a home cook on a weeknight mission to get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes, delivering a nutritious, affordable, and genuinely delicious plate of food.

To make this Southwest-inspired turkey and sweet potato skillet, you will need ground turkey, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika for the protein base. For the vegetables, you'll need sweet potatoes, purple onion, red and green bell peppers, black beans, and corn kernels. For the lime crema topping, gather sour cream, a fresh lime, and salt. Finally, we will top the skillet with grated cotija cheese, more sliced purple onion, jalapeños, cherry tomatoes, and fresh cilantro for garnishing.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the ground turkey and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it into crumbles. Remove and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add another tablespoon of oil and the sweet potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add the onions and bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes until softened.

Set the oven to 375 F.

Return the turkey to the skillet. Add the black beans and corn. Transfer to the oven to cook for 5 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

For the lime crema, whisk together the sour cream, lime zest and juice, and salt.

Top the skillet with the cotija cheese.

Transfer the skillet to the oven to broil for 2 mins.

Drizzle the skillet with lime crema. Top the skillet with purple onion slices, jalapeño slices, and tomato, and garnish with cilantro.

Serve immediately.

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The reason we love and constantly remake this Southwest turkey skillet is that it can easily be adapted to whatever mood we're in, or whatever ingredients we have available in our fridge. For vegetables, you can swap out the bell peppers for zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, or broccoli, depending on your preferences and on what's in season.

If you prefer a different protein, ground chicken or beef would work equally well, or you can omit the meat entirely for a vegetarian version by adding an extra can of beans or other legumes. For a breakfast option, crack eggs directly into the skillet before you stick it under the broiler. You can also roll this into a giant burrito or serve it over rice for a taco bowl.

The lime crema topping is also customizable, as are the rest of the toppings. You can add minced cilantro and garlic directly into the sauce, or substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream to make it lighter. Omit the jalapeños to make it less spicy, or add some Mexican hot sauce for even more of a punch.

Cotija is a traditional Mexican cheese made from cow's milk that's aged and crumbly with a salty, tangy flavor profile. It tastes like a cross between queso fresco, or fresh Mexican cheese, and feta due to its salty nature.

Named after the town of Cotija in Michoacán, Mexico, this cheese has been used in Mexican cuisine for centuries. It's most commonly familiar in the U.S. for its role in elotes, or Mexican street corn, but its uses are far from limited to that dish alone. The cheese's dry, crumbly texture makes it ideal for adding to omelettes, scattering over soups and stews, or sprinkling over tacos.

Its sharp, salty taste is reminiscent of Parmesan, and we use it in this dish because it perfectly complements the warm spices and bright lime crema without overwhelming the sweet potato and turkey. Shredded cotija also melts beautifully over the food, giving it a lovely cheesy finish. If cotija isn't available at your local store, you can substitute feta cheese or aged queso fresco.

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