Ground Beef Sweet Potato Bowl
Saucy taco meat and roasted sweet potatoes topped with cilantro-lime cottage cheese, avocado, and a drizzle of hot honey. A taco night spin that’s great for meal prep.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cottage cheese
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- 2 small limes divided
- ¼ cup minced cilantro optional + more for serving
- 2 large sweet potatoes peeled (optional) and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil + more if needed for lean beef
- 4 tablespoons taco seasoning divided
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey or chicken
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup plain tomato sauce
- 1 large avocado optional
- 1-2 tablespoons hot honey optional, for serving
Seasoning Blend
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese with the smoked paprika (if using), the zest and juice of 1 lime, and minced cilantro (optional), then mix gently. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes to make the spice blend.
- Peel the sweet potatoes, chop into ½-inch cubes, and place on a rimmed half sheet pan. Drizzle the potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons spice blend, then toss to coat. Spread the potatoes out in an even layer on the pan. Bake for 15 minutes, flip, then bake for 10-15 minutes, or until fork-tender and slightly browned.
- Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling it as it cooks. Once completely browned, drain off any excess fat if needed, then return the skillet to the heat and add the tomato sauce, water, and remaining spice blend (about 2 tablespoons). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat.
- Cube the avocado, squeeze the remaining lime juice over it, and sprinkle with salt; toss gently to keep the cubes intact as much as possible.
- To serve, place seasoned ground beef and roasted sweet potatoes in a bowl. Add about ½ cup of cottage cheese and some cubed avocado. Drizzle each bowl with about ½ tablespoon of hot honey.
Video
Notes
Seasoning Blend: Replace the spice blend with 4 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning or a 1.3-ounce package of prepared taco seasoning.
Sweet Potatoes: Peeling is optional. Smaller cubes roast evenly in a relatively short amount of time.
Cottage Cheese: For the best flavor and texture, I recommend one made with simple ingredients like milk, cream, and salt. Plain Greek yogurt works as an alternative (for a creamy finish with added protein), but you may want to add a pinch of salt, along with the lime, cilantro, and smoked paprika for flavor.
Smoked Paprika: Adds a nice smoky element to the cottage cheese, but is completely optional. If you don’t have it on hand, simply omit. I wouldn’t use regular paprika here, as it won’t add much flavor.
Air-Fry Option for Sweet Potatoes: Air-fry, in a single layer, at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, shaking halfway.
Note on Serving Size: Adding additional sweet potatoes easily stretches this to serve 6 people. As written, it makes 4 large, adult portions.
Storage: Store components separately: sweet potatoes up to 5 days, taco meat and cottage cheese up to 3 days. Taco meat freezes up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 736mg | Potassium: 1372mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 24798IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 5mg
