Our take on the viral TikTok recipe featuring ground beef, sweet potatoes, cottage cheese, avocado, and honey. As dietitians, we love that this recipe is quick to make, high protein, and incredibly satisfying!

If you were on social media in 2025, you’ve probably seen the hot honey beef bowls! These bowls were one of Dietitian Courtney's favorite recipes from the year and quickly became a staple in her family's supper rotation!

The classic recipe features hot honey, seasoned ground beef, cottage cheese, sweet potato and avocado. Courtney likes to add a bit more volume with the addition of extra vegetables like tomato and 'regular' honey instead of honey honey as that is typically what she has available in her pantry!

Why Our Dietitians Recommend This Bowl

This bowl isn’t just a trendy and viral recipe. It is a well-balanced meal that is quick for busy weeknights! Some key nutritional features of this recipe:

• High Protein: the combination of ground beef and cottage cheese make this bowl incredibly high in protein. 

• Blood Sugar Balance: The protein as well as the addition of healthy fats from avocado and slow-digesting carbohydrates from sweet potato make this a blood-sugar friendly meal! Regulating blood sugar levels is a key goal for many of our clients including PCOS management, perimenopause and menopause, pregnancy, fertility, and managing chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes.

• Simple Ingredients: The ingredients in this recipe are super simple making it quick to prep.

• Meal prep friendly: As dietitians, we love that this recipe is meal prep friendly. We like to pre-make the ground beef and sweet potatoes. Then, when you are ready to enjoy, simply reheat the potatoes and ground beef and add the avocado, cottage cheese, optional tomatoes, and drizzle of honey.

• Customizable: We love that this recipe is customizable to your unique nutrition goals – simply adjust the portions of meat, potatoes, avocado honey, etc. to suit your calorie or macronutrient goals. For example, increase the serving of sweet potato and honey if you are an athlete who requires more carbs!
  
  

Honey Ground Beef, Cottage Cheese & Sweet Potato

Our take on the viral TikTok recipe featuring ground beef, sweet potatoes, cottage cheese, avocado, and honey is a quick, high-protein, and incredibly satisfying meal!

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

• Cook Time: 30 minutes

• Servings: 8

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 regular-sized sweet potatoes)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt, pepper, and optional paprika and cinnamon

Beef

• 2 pounds (900g) extra-lean ground beef

• salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika 

Toppings

• 4 small avocados

• 6 small tomatoes

• 3 cups (750g) cottage cheese

• 2–3 tablespoons honey

Instructions

1. Roast the Sweet Potatoes: Peel the sweet potatoes and dice them into bite-sized chunks. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Option to add a touch of paprika and cinnamon for extra depth and spice. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 30–40 minutes until tender.

2. Brown the Beef: Cook the ground beef in a large frying pan or pot over medium-high heat. Drain any excess fat. Season generously with salt, pepper, and optional spices like paprika and garlic powder.

3. Chop the Fresh Produce: While the beef and potatoes cook, chop the tomatoes and avocado.

4. Assemble the Bowls: Layer your bowl with the seasoned ground beef, roasted sweet potato, cottage cheese, avocado, and tomatoes. (Note: The tomatoes aren't traditionally found in the viral version, but Courtney enjoys adding them for a boost of colour and volume! You could sub for a different vegetable of your choosing or leave them out.

5. Finishing Touch: Season with additional salt and pepper if desired, and finish with a drizzle of sweet honey on top!

Recipe Notes

• Meal Prep Friendly: This is a fantastic recipe to batch prep for the week. Simply store the roasted sweet potatoes and ground beef together to reheat later. When you're ready to eat, just top with your fresh, cold ingredients: tomatoes, avocado, and creamy cottage cheese!

• Scale it Down: You can easily cut this entire recipe exactly in half (e.g., using 1 pound of ground beef and 1.5 pounds of sweet potatoes). However, making a larger batch gives you effortless, balanced leftovers for busy weekdays.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 1 bowl
• Servings Per Container: 8Calories: 470

• Protein: 35g

• Carb: 42g

• Fibre: 9g

• Fat: 17g
  
  

Nutrition Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

If you’d like personalized guidance, meal planning support, or help building balanced meals that work for your goals and lifestyle, working with a dietitian can make nutrition feel clear and doable again. You can book online with a Registered Dietitian in Saskatoon or virtually across Saskatchewan and Alberta!

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of cottage cheese is best for this recipe?

Any type of cottage cheese will work well for this recipe. Courtney used the pressed cottage cheese from Costco! She likes it because the ingredients are simple (no fillers or gums) and there is more protein per portion. However, "regular" or dry curd cottage cheese will work as well!

Is honey "bad" for blood sugar?

While simple sugars like honey can spike blood sugars, when added to a meal that contains fibre, protein, and healthy fat it is unlikely to cause a blood sugar swing. Additionally, enjoyment and sustainability are key parts of balanced nutrition! While the honey is optional, it adds a touch of sweetness that pulls the recipe together.

Can this meal support weight loss?

This is a meal that can most certainly support weight loss goals. This bowl is high in protein and fibre to keep you full and satisfied which can make managing caloric intake easier. Portion sizes and individual needs matter, so adjusting the amount of potato, beef, or toppings can make this meal work for many different goals and energy requirements!

Is this a good meal for muscle building or strength training?

Absolutely. With ground beef and cottage cheese, this bowl delivers complete protein and key nutrients like iron and zinc that support strength training, recovery, and muscle growth. It also contains carbohydrates from sweet potato and honey which support the replenishment of muscle glycogen post-workout!

Can I meal prep hot honey ground beef bowls?

Yes. The ground beef and sweet potato stores well in the fridge for 3–4 days. Keep the cottage cheese and toppings separate and assemble fresh for best texture and flavour.