Sweet Potato Nachos with the works

We’d go for a family hike in the Cleveland metro parks—the weather was usually cold and rainy, but his nachos were something to look forward to afterward. He piled them high with cheddar cheese and, um, more cheddar cheese. I’m sure there were other toppings, too, but all I remember is A LOT of cheese. Well, I love his nachos, but I also love reinventing an old favorite. So what I did here was replace the tortilla chips with roasted sweet potato slices. They’re definitely different but delicious and much healthier than fried tortilla chips. The potatoes are topped with, yes, cheese, but lots of other bright favorites, plus a homemade spicy jalapeño ranch to finish it all off. Serve these up right out of the pan so everyone can dig in and go to town. They’re fun for family dinner, game night with friends, or watching football, of course!

PREP 15 minutes
COOK 45 minutes
TOTAL 1 hour
SERVES 6

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes (4 to 5 sweet potatoes), cut lengthwise into wedges
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Fine pink Himalayan salt
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 to 2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
• 1 large avocado
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving

FOR SERVING

• Quick Greek Yogurt Ranch (page 113 of Half Baked Harvest Every Day) or store-bought ranch dressing (optional)
• Sliced green onion (optional)
• Crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

On a baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet, toss together the sweet potatoes and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer, being sure not to crowd the baking sheet. Bake until the potatoes are slightly softened, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with the onion powder, paprika, chipotle powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle the spice mix over the potatoes and toss to coat. Continue baking until the sweet potatoes are crisp on the outside and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, leaving the oven on.

Scatter the black beans over the sweet potatoes, then cover with the shredded cheeses. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the avocado, lime juice, and cilantro. Mix well, mashing up the avocado. Taste and add salt as desired. Top the nachos with the avocado mixture. Top with the dressing, green onion, and crumbled feta as desired. Sprinkle with more cilantro before serving.

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