This hot honey sweet potato beef bowl is having a moment on TikTok and it’s no surprise why.
If you’re looking for a balanced protein forward lunch or dinner, these sweet potato beef bowls are the answer. Seasoned ground beef, sweet potatoes, cottage cheese come together under a generous drizzle of hot honey.
Another viral protein bowl
Viral bowls aren’t new but it usually takes something that really taps into the generous psyche for it to go viral. These bowls are all over TikTok because they’re photogenic, hearty, budget-friendly, quick, easy, and customizable.
What is the viral sweet potato beef bowl?
I first saw the viral hot honey beef bowl on TikTok. There are so many. I couldn’t figure out who made it first, but pretty much everyone who’s been making it is saying it’s the best high-protein meal they’ve tried in a long time.
Essentially, it’s a bowl filled with roasted sweet potatoes, taco-seasoned ground beef, avocado, and cottage cheese, all drizzled with sweet and spicy hot honey. I’ve seen people adding herbs and leafy greens, but basically, the core bowl is sweet potatoes, beef, cottage cheese, avocado, and hot honey. People love them because of the balance of fats, fiber, and protein.
How to make a hot honey sweet potato beef bowl
- Roast the sweet potatoes – peel and cube the sweet potatoes, toss them in a bit of neutral oil and season generously with salt and pepper. If you’re a cinnamon fan, give them a light dusting then roast the sweet potatoes until crisp and brown on the outside and creamy and sweet on the inside. I love using the air fryer for this, but an oven, toaster oven, or simply frying in a pan will work too.
- Cook the ground beef – cook the ground beef in a skillet, breaking it up in to a crumble. Season with taco seasoning and a touch of tomato paste. You can make your own homemade taco seasoning (see this easy recipe here) or just buy a packet from the store. Personally, I like making it at home because you can customize it and control the salt content.
- Prep the avocado – Cut a ripe avocado into cubes or slices.
- Build the bowl – Grab a bowl and lay down a bed of crispy sweet potatoes. Add some of the seasoned ground beef, a generous scoop of cottage cheese (give the cottage cheese a sprinkle of salt and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper), and the avocado. Drizzle generously with hot honey and dig in.
Sweet potato beef bowl ingredients
- sweet potatoes – crispy roasted sweet potatoes dusted with salt, pepper, and a touch of cinnamon. Adds fiber and fullness to your bowl.
- lean ground beef – lean ground beef is what’s going to make up the bulk of the protein. It’s seasoned with taco seasoning with a touch of tomato paste for richness and flavor. If you’re not into beef, you can definitely substitute in ground chicken, turkey, pork, or crumbled firm tofu.
- cottage cheese – I feel like the cottage cheese is the star of the show! It gives everything a creamy cheesy bite and ties everything together.
- avocado – the avocado adds a beautiful creamy bite, healthy fat, and yes, even more fiber.
- hot honey – a generous drizzle of hot honey makes this bowl just the right amount of sweet and spicy.
How to make hot honey
You can buy hot honey from the grocery store, onlineor make your own at home. All you need is honey, crushed red pepper flakes, and apple cider vinegar.
Hot honey recipe
- Add 1 cup of honey to a small sauce pan, along with 1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes and 1 tsp apple cider vinegar.
- Gently heat the hot honey mix for 2-3 minutes while stirring until it bubbles gently and you start smelling the pepper flakes heating up.
- Once the honey bubbles and reduces a bit, remove from the heat and let infuse for 5-10 minutes.
- Strain out the pepper flakes once the honey is infused to your liking. Let the hot honey cool and use as desired. Store leftovers in an air tight container at room temperature.
Why cottage cheese?
For the uninitiated, cottage cheese is a soft, and mild fresh cheese that comes in different curd sizes. Personally, I love Good Culture cottage cheesewhich has small, soft curds that are incredibly creamy and flavorful. I love it so much that I eat it plain as a snack. It’s perfect in this bowl.
I feel like people are sleeping on cottage cheese. It’s one of my favorites – creamy, and full of protein and nutrients. It’s a great choice for people looking to get a lot of protein in their diets. I feel like if you’ve tried cottage cheese and don’t like it, it just means that you haven’t tried the right cottage cheese.
That’s it! I loved these bowls and Mike did too. They’re just a simple, throw it together kind of meal that will keep you full and fuel you for any sort of adventure you might be going on (for us, that’s spring skiing).
Happy protein bowling!
xoxo
Steph
Sweet Potato Beef Bowl with Hot Honey and Cottage Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon optional
- 1 lb ground beef lean preferred
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 2 avocados cubed or sliced
- 4 tbsp hot honey or to taste
Instructions
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Toss the sweet potato cubes in the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the cinnamon, if using. Air fry, in a single layer, at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, shaking halfway.
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While the sweet potatoes are cooking, cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Break up the ground beef and stir in the tomato paste. Sprinkle on the taco seasoning. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Set aside.
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When the sweet potatoes are crisp and cooked through, assemble the bowls: divide the sweet potatoes and ground beef evenly between four bowls. Top each bowl with cottage cheese and avocados. Drizzle generously with hot honey and enjoy!
Estimated Nutrition
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 241
