Cottage cheese had its moment on social media recently, and health & fitness junkies have creatively find new ways to use it as a source of protein. From cottage cheese wraps to baked cottage cheese chips, cottage cheese is undeniably a versatile, low-fat, high-protein staple. If you thought the cottage cheese trend was over, think again.
The viral sweet potato bowl recipe has found a new way to incorporate cottage cheese into a dinner meal, complete with sweet potatoes, lean ground beef, and hot honey. I agree that sweet potato and cottage cheese sound like a questionable ingredient combination. But social media is hooked on this sweet potato bowl craze, which made me believe it likely tastes better than it sounds (it turns out, it does).
How to make the sweet potato bowl everyone’s talking about
A quick search on social media for the viral cottage cheese sweet potato bowl will lead you down a rabbit hole of dozens of variations. Ultimately, how to make the bowl is up to your personal taste and dietary preferences. Most bowls have slight variations, but include the same basics: lean ground beef, taco seasoning, sweet potatoes, avocados, hot honey, and of course, cottage cheese. Additional seasonings, vegetables, and other additions allow you to customize your bowl (and have fun making it).
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1 to 2 sliced avocados
- 1 lb lean ground beef (you could also try it with ground turkey or ground chicken)
- 1 packet of taco seasoning
- 2 sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed or diced)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 to 1 cup cilantro (fresh, chopped)
- Hot honey
Method
- Prepare, cut, and roast sweet potatoes (I like using the air fryer)
- Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat in a pan. Add ground beef and taco seasoning. Cook thoroughly.
- Once the beef is done cooking, begin assembling your bowl. Add 1/4 of the meat, 1/4 of the sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, and 1/2 an avocado to each bowl. Add cilantro as desired and drizzle hot honey over the top.
- Optional: Squeeze fresh lime juice or add jalapeno slices, if desired.
A go-to dinner option
Creative and health-focused minds have developed many trending high-protein dinner recipes that can make it easy to enjoy dinner and stay on track with your diet. Yet, the flavorful and somewhat questionable flavor combinations in the sweet potato bowl pair well together for a healthy and hearty dinner you’ll look forward to. The hot honey drizzle atop this bowl adds a slight heat and sweetness. There’s also something to be said for enjoying all of these flavors mixed into one big bowl (it gives me chipotle bowl vibes).
Also, the nutritional content of this dinner bowl is nice and well-balanced, with a great serving of lean protein, vegetables, and healthy fats from the avocado. To me, the sweet potato bowl stands out as a healthy staple that fitness enthusiasts following any diet can find a way to adapt to their needs. Whether you’re on a low-carb, a paleo diet, or generally want a well-rounded meal, this all-around healthy bowl fits a wide range of nutritional needs.
