If you've seen the viral Hot Honey, Cottage Cheese, Sweet Potato, and Ground Beef Bowls all over your feed, you're going to love my dietitian-approved version! I've added a few simple tweaks to make these bowls more nutritionally balanced while keeping them just as easy for busy weeknight dinners.
A Quick Look At This Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Hot Honey Sweet Potato and Ground Beef Bowls (with Cottage Cheese)
- 🕒 Ready In: ~15 minutes (prep) and ~30 minutes (cook)
- 👪 Serves: 4
- 🍽 Nutrition Info: ~507 calories, 41 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber per serving (varies by size and ingredients)
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Sweet Potato, Ground Beef, Broccoli, Cottage Cheese, Avocado, Hot Honey.
As a dietitian, I'm always on the lookout for simple, balanced meal ideas because this is what my nutrition clients request most often. When I saw this recipe going viral online (not sure who the original creator is to give credit to), I knew it had potential. However, before passing it onto my clients, there were some tweaks I wanted to make to ensure it would really support their health goals.
And rest assured that the tweaks I make never sacrifice flavor, because healthy food isn't much good if no one is going to eat it, right?
This recipe is a perfect example of how to take any favorite meal and turn it into something more balanced, similar to my popular Healthified Chicken Shawarma and Salmon Rice Bowl recipes.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look At This Recipe
- Why This Recipe Is Good for You (Nutrition Highlights)
- Key Ingredients
- Ingredient Substitutions
- Recipe Variations
- How To Make These Sweet Potato and Ground Beef Bowls (with cottage cheese)
- Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
- Storage
- Nutrition Notes
- FAQ
- Related
- Want to Learn About Nutrition?
- 📖 The Recipe
- Comments
Why This Recipe Is Good for You (Nutrition Highlights)
The original viral recipe is already top-rated in my nutrition books.
- The lean ground beef provides heme iron, and given that iron deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies worldwide, it's a fantastic way of getting this nutrient in.
- The cottage cheese provides calcium and protein. If you're new here, I have a ton of cottage cheese recipes because I'm such a big fan (my fav is this cottage cheese pasta bake).
- The avocado provides healthy fats and fiber. Many people don't know this, but avocados are a great source of fiber!
However, I made two important changes to make this meal even more balanced and nutritious. First, I recommend leaving the skin on the sweet potatoes, which adds a significant amount of dietary fiber. Second, I added steamed broccoli to bulk out the meal, adding valuable nutrients, fiber, and a beautiful pop of color.
Key Ingredients
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Tips for Choosing Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes: Look for small to medium-sized sweet potatoes that feel firm to the touch, with smooth, unbruised skin.
- Ground Beef: I used 95% lean ground beef to keep the saturated fat content lower, but 90% or 93% lean also work well.
- Cottage Cheese: I opted for 2% fat for a good balance of creaminess and protein. You can use full-fat for a richer taste or fat-free if you prefer, but the texture may be slightly different.
- Avocado: For the best flavor and texture, choose an avocado that yields to gentle pressure but is not mushy.
- Hot Honey: You can grab this in most stores, or make your own by mixing honey with a little chili flakes or hot sauce.
- Taco Seasoning: Buy in the store or make your own using a combination of spices such as chilli powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper.
Ingredient Substitutions
Here are some tips to help you adjust the recipe to suit your individual dietary needs and preferences. I only recommend swapping 1 - 2 ingredients, so the original recipe doesn't completely change.
- To Make it Vegetarian: Swap the ground beef for a cup of cooked lentils, black beans, or a plant-based ground meat alternative like quorn.
- To Make it Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free yogurt or a dairy-free cream cheese alternative in place of the cottage cheese.
- To Make it Vegan: Follow the dairy free and vegetarian swaps and use maple syrup instead of honey. You can add some chilli flakes to the maple syrup if you still want some heat.
- To Make it Lower in Calories: Use non-fat cottage cheese and spray your olive oil onto the sweet potatoes instead of drizzling to be more conservative with portions. You could also decrease the portion of sweet potatoes or ground beef slightly and increase the serving size of broccoli. Quorn is another great option you could use instead of ground beef that has significantly fewer calories.
- To Make it Higher in Protein: Increase the serving size of ground beef and/or cottage cheese.
Please note: This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let me know in the comments below! I'd love to hear how it worked out! 💛
Recipe Variations
- Change the carb source: This recipe would also be delicious over a scoop of quinoa or brown rice. I also love air fryer baby potatoes if you can't find sweet potatoes.
- Change the Cheese: If you are not a fan of cottage cheese, crumbled feta or goat cheese would also be delicious. Ricotta is another option that more closely resembles the creaminess of cottage cheese, just be mindful these options don't have as much protein.
- Spice it Up: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the taco seasoning or a drizzle of sriracha on top for extra heat.
How To Make These Sweet Potato and Ground Beef Bowls (with cottage cheese)
Here are some step-by-step photos to guide you. The complete recipe with detailed instructions is in the recipe card below.
Cook the Vegetables
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the diced sweet potatoes with olive oil and seasonings, and roast on a baking sheet for 25-30 minutes until tender. While the potatoes are in the oven, steam the broccoli florets until tender-crisp.
Prepare the Beef
As the vegetables cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. No oil is needed. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon. Drain any excess fat, then stir in the taco seasoning and tomato puree.
Assemble the Bowls
Divide the roasted sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, and seasoned beef among four bowls. Top each with a scoop of cottage cheese, fresh avocado slices, a drizzle of hot honey, and an optional sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning.
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
Don’t Crowd the Pan: For the best crispy sweet potatoes, make sure they are in a single layer on the baking sheet. If needed, use two baking sheets.
Oven vs. Air Fryer: While an air fryer works (400°F for 10-15 minutes), I find the oven method is more consistent and easier for this batch size, as it is difficult to get the potatoes in a single layer in most air fryer baskets.
Homemade Taco Seasoning: Making your own seasoning is a great way to control the sodium content and customize the flavor. You can find a simple recipe to do this in the notes section of the recipe card below.
Storage
Fridge: To keep everything fresh, store the components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble the bowls just before you are ready to eat. The avocado should be sliced fresh.
Freezer: The cooked ground beef and roasted sweet potatoes freeze well for up to 3 months. The broccoli, cottage cheese, and avocado do not freeze well.
Make-Ahead: You can roast the sweet potatoes and cook the beef up to 3 days in advance to make assembly even quicker.
Nutrition Notes
Nutrition information was calculated using the USDA FoodData Central database and verified brand data for accuracy. Estimates are based on the exact ingredients and amounts listed, so your numbers may vary slightly depending on the brands and measurements you use.
But please remember, food is much more than just the nutrition numbers. Use these to guide you in your food choices, but not control you.
FAQ
Yes! I recommend prepping and storing the individual components separately rather than assembling the full bowls in advance. That way, you can reheat the beef, sweet potatoes, and broccoli before serving, and add the cottage cheese and avocado fresh, since those are best enjoyed cold.
While an air fryer is great, it often requires cooking in multiple batches to keep the potatoes in a single layer. For a recipe of this size (serving four), I find the oven is more efficient and yields more consistent results for the entire batch at once.
All forms of honey are considered free sugars, just like table sugar and maple syrup. These are the types of sugars we aim to enjoy in moderation rather than consume in excess. In the context of a balanced, nutrient-dense meal like this one, a small drizzle adds flavor, satisfaction, and enjoyment which are all important parts of a healthy diet, so it's not something I would worry about.
Want to Learn About Nutrition?
Here are some nutrition education articles from a dietitian! And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out - I'm here to help.
📖 The Recipe
Hot Honey Sweet Potato and Ground Beef Bowls (with cottage cheese)
Equipment
- Oven & baking sheet (or an air fryer) for the sweet potatoes
- Steamer for the broccoli
- Skillet or frying pan for the beef
Ingredients
For the sweet potatoes
- 600 g Sweet Potatoes (3-4 medium) *diced in 1-inch cubes (*1 medium sweet potato is usually between 150-200 grams)
- 13 mls Olive Oil (1 tbsp)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Cinnamon optional
For the broccoli
- 1 head Broccoli
For the beef
- 450 g Ground beef I used 95% lean
- ½ packet Taco Seasoning *or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning - see notes*
- 30 g Tomato Puree 2 tablespoon
For the bowls
- 200 g Avocado 2 medium
- 460 g Cottage Cheese or 2 cups I used 2% fat
- 40 g Hot Honey or 2 tablespoon
Optional toppings:
- Everything Bagel Seasoning optional toppings
- Cracked Black Pepper optional toppings
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Toss the diced sweet potatoes with olive oil and seasonings, and roast on a baking sheet for 25-30 minutes until tender.600 g Sweet Potatoes, 13 mls Olive Oil, ½ teaspoon Salt, Cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- While the potatoes are in the oven, steam the broccoli florets until tender-crisp.1 head Broccoli
- As the vegetables cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (no oil is needed). Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon. Stir in the taco seasoning and tomato puree.450 g Ground beef, ½ packet Taco Seasoning, 30 g Tomato Puree
Assemble the bowls:
- Divide the roasted sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, and seasoned beef among four bowls.
- Top each with a scoop of cottage cheese, fresh avocado slices & a drizzle of hot honey460 g Cottage Cheese, 40 g Hot Honey, 200 g Avocado
- Optional: sprinkle over some everything bagel seasoning or cracked black pepper.¼ teaspoon Black Pepper, Everything Bagel Seasoning
Notes
- Air Fryer Method: To cook the sweet potatoes in an air fryer, preheat it to 400°F (200°C). Cook in a single layer for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until fork-tender. You will likely need to do this in batches.
- Storage: Store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble just before eating for the best texture.
- Homemade Taco Seasoning: In a small jar, combine 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon each of black pepper and cayenne pepper (optional). Shake well to combine. Store for up to 6 months.
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