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My stuffed sweet potatoes are piled with tender pulled pork, cheddar, chipotle-honey sour cream, crispy bacon, and candied pecans, sweet, smoky, and a little spicy. Serves 4 and takes about 1 hour total. A filling, satisfying dinner you can easily customize. See the reheating tips below to make the most of leftovers.
What You’ll Need
- Bowls for toppings & chipotle-honey sour cream
- Sheet pan and parchment paper (or an Air Fryer)
- Fork (for piercing)
- Optional: instant-read thermometer (205-212°F center for perfectly tender potatoes)
- Potatoes: choose medium-large (10–12 oz each) so they hold the fillings well
I love repurposing leftovers and these Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are the dinnertime hero for the leftovers piling up in your fridge. Inspired by the “hot mess” at a BBQ joint in Texas, these Pulled Pork stuffed baked sweet potatoes are filling, satisfying and customizable for everyone in your family.
They’re perfect for game day, too. Just set up a baked potato bar with all the toppings and let your friends make it their way.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pulled pork: Either tossed with sauce or not, both work – add BBQ to taste while assembling. I love using up my leftover crock pot pulled pork for this.
- Cheese: I love sharp cheddar for classic stuffed potatoes; substitute with pepper jack for extra heat.
- Chipotle-honey sour cream: Use Greek yogurt for a lighter swap.
- Bacon and candied pecans: Skip candied pecans for a nut-free option; add pickled onions for tanginess.
- BBQ sauce: Use my favorite homemade spicy barbecue sauce or choose a brand with the sweetness/heat you prefer.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list, measurements and instructions.
How to Make Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Base (In the Oven)
- Heat oven to 400°F. Scrub and dry potatoes; pierce all over.
- Bake on a lined sheet pan until very tender, 45 min depending on size.
- Split, fluff, and fill with warm pulled pork and cheddar; drizzle BBQ; dollop chipotle-honey sour cream; finish with bacon, candied pecans, and scallions.
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Heat to 380°F. Rub potatoes lightly with oil and salt; pierce.
- Cook 35-45 min, flipping once, until a probe slides in easily.
- Proceed with stuffing as above.
Slow Cooker Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Pierce potatoes; wrap loosely in foil.
- Cook 3-4 hours on High or 6-8 hrs on Low until very tender.
- Optional: crisp skins in a 400°F oven 5-10 min before stuffing.
Kellie’s Tip: Balance the Sweet
If the combo seems too sweet (BBQ, sweet potato, pecans), mix 1-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar into the pulled pork, or add extra chipotle to the sour cream. Small acid or heat additions make the flavors pop leaning more tangy and less sweet.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Store: Wrap stuffed sweet potatoes tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container, refrigerate 3-4 days. Keep wet toppings (sour cream, BBQ sauce) separate.
- Reheat (Best): Arrange on a baking sheet and heat in the oven at 350°F, 12-15 min (loosely covered with foil).
- Air Fryer: Heat in the air fryer preheated to 320°F, 6-8 min to warm and re-crisp.
- Microwave (fast): Only 60-90 sec, then optional 400°F oven 2-3 min to re-crisp.
- Make-Ahead: Bake potatoes and prep toppings 1-2 days ahead; reheat potatoes before stuffing for best texture.
kellie’s favorite Toppings and Variations
- Bright and Tangy: Add quick-pickled red onions or a squeeze of lime.
- Game Day Extra-Cheesy: Add pepper jack and sliced jalapeños.
- Kid-Friendly: Skip chipotle and pecans; add corn and extra cheddar.
- Nut-Free Crunch: Omit pecans; top with crispy fried onions.
- Pork-Less: Swap pulled pork with rotisserie chicken or black beans.
What to Serve With Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Easy Creamy Coleslaw
- Our Best House Salad
- Sautéed Broccoli Rabe
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Baked Buffalo Wings
Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe with Pulled Pork
Equipment
- baking sheet
- chef's knife
- air fryer optional
Ingredients
- 4 medium sized sweet potatoes or yams
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 2 cups cooked pulled pork
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup your favorite barbecue sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
- 1/2 cup candied pecans
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh scallions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Rub each potato with olive oil and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Sprinkle with salt and prick the skin a few times with a fork to allow the steam to escape.
- Bake the potatoes for 40-50 minutes or until fork tender.
- While the potatoes bake, whisk together the sour cream, honey and chipotle chili powder. Set aside.
- Cut a slit lengthwise in the potato and gently squeeze the two ends together to open up the potato.
- Fluff the inside of the potato lightly with a fork and season with salt and pepper. Fill with 1/2 cup pulled pork.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over the pork and drizzle with 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.
- Top with 1/4 cup of the sour cream mixture, 1/4th of the bacon, pecans and scallions. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use medium–large sweet potatoes (10–12 oz each) so they hold fillings.
- Pulled pork: sauced or dry works—add BBQ to taste while assembling.
- Swap sour cream → Greek yogurt 1:1 for a lighter chipotle-honey sauce.
- Cheese: sharp cheddar for classic; pepper jack for extra heat.
- Nut-free: skip candied pecans; add crispy fried onions for crunch.
- Potatoes are done when very tender; probe slides in easily (≈205–212°F center).
- Rest 5 minutes before splitting to let steam settle and avoid watery flesh.
- Oven: 400°F for ~45 min, pierced and on a lined sheet.
- Air Fryer: 380°F for 35–45 min, flip once; light oil + salt on skins.
- Slow Cooker: Wrap loosely in foil; 3–4 hrs High or 6–8 hrs Low; crisp skins 5–10 min in a 400°F oven if desired.
- Too sweet? Stir 1–2 tsp apple cider vinegar into the pork or add extra chipotle.
- Brighten with lime juice or quick-pickled red onions at serving.
- Game Day: add pepper jack + jalapeños.
- Kid-Friendly: skip chipotle/pecans; add corn + extra cheddar.
- Pork-Less: rotisserie chicken or black beans work great.
- Bake potatoes + prep toppings 1–2 days ahead; stuff to serve.
- Store stuffed halves tightly wrapped 3–4 days; keep wet toppings separate.
- Reheat: 350°F oven 12–15 min (loosely covered) or air fryer 320°F 6–8 min; microwave 60–90 sec for speed, then crisp in oven 2–3 min.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
They should be very tender with an internal temp around 205–212°F and yield easily to a fork.
Not ideal for stuffing—texture is too soft. Use fresh whole potatoes.
Pierce before cooking; for oven method don’t wrap in foil; rest 5 min before splitting.
Warm gently in a skillet with a splash of stock or water; cover to keep moist.
Freeze the baked potato halves and pork separately. Thaw, reheat, then add fresh toppings.
