About this recipe
This Hot Honey Cottage Cheese Beef Bowl is the kind of high-protein meal that feels easy, filling, and a little addictive. Savory seasoned beef, creamy cottage cheese, rice, crunchy vegetables, avocado, and a quick hot honey drizzle come together in a sweet-spicy bowl that works for lunch, dinner, or meal prep.
Ingredients
Seasoned beef
- 1 1/4 lb lean ground beef (90% to 93% lean works well)
- 1 tsp olive oil (optional, if the skillet is dry)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp water (to help coat the beef)
Hot honey drizzle
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp hot sauce (use more or less to taste)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Bowls
- 2 cups cooked rice (white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for lower carb)
- 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup cucumber (diced)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 large avocado (sliced or diced)
- 1/4 cup green onions (sliced)
- 2 tbsp cilantro or parsley (chopped, optional)
- 1 whole lime (cut into wedges, optional)
Equipment
Large Skillet
Mixing Bowl
Small Bowl
Cutting Board
Instructions
- 1
Make the hot honey
In a small bowl, stir together the honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes if using. Set aside while you cook the beef.
- 2
Cook the beef
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and fully cooked.
- 3
Season the beef
Add the smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and water. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the beef is evenly coated and flavorful.
- 4
Prep the bowl ingredients
Warm the rice if needed, then prepare the cottage cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, green onions, herbs, and lime wedges.
- 5
Assemble and drizzle
Divide the rice, seasoned beef, cottage cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, green onions, and herbs between four bowls. Drizzle with hot honey and serve with lime wedges if using.
Tips
- Use lean beef: Lean ground beef keeps the bowl high in protein without making it too greasy. Drain extra fat if needed before seasoning.
- Keep the cottage cheese cold: For the best texture, add cottage cheese after reheating the beef and rice, or pack it separately for meal prep.
- Adjust the heat: Use mild hot sauce for a gentle sweet heat, or add extra hot sauce and red pepper flakes for a spicier bowl.
Substitutions
- Make it lower carb: Use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice to reduce the carbs while keeping the bowl filling.
- Use another protein: Ground turkey, ground chicken, steak bites, or shredded chicken can work instead of ground beef.
- Change the toppings: Try shredded lettuce, pickled onions, jalapeños, roasted sweet potato, corn, or chopped pickles depending on what you have.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store the beef, rice, cottage cheese, vegetables, and hot honey separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezer: Freeze the cooked beef for up to 2 months. The cottage cheese, avocado, and fresh vegetables are best added fresh. Reheating: Reheat the beef and rice gently in the microwave or in a skillet, then add the cottage cheese, vegetables, avocado, and hot honey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- Calories
- 500
- Protein
- 43g
- Carbohydrates
- 42g
- Fat
- 20g
- Fiber
- 5g
- Sugar
- 15g
- Sodium
- 760mg
FAQ
Can I meal prep hot honey cottage cheese beef bowls?
Yes. Prep the beef, rice, vegetables, and hot honey ahead, but keep the cottage cheese and avocado separate until serving for the best texture.
Can I make this bowl low carb?
Yes. Swap the cooked rice for cauliflower rice or shredded lettuce to make the bowl lower in carbs.
Does cottage cheese taste good with beef?
Yes. Cottage cheese adds a creamy, slightly tangy contrast to the savory beef and sweet-spicy hot honey.
Recipe Card
Hot Honey Cottage Cheese Beef Bowl
A high-protein beef bowl with cottage cheese, rice, crunchy vegetables, avocado, and a sweet-spicy hot honey drizzle.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Category
- Protein Recipes
- Cuisine
- American
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Budget-friendly
Ingredients
Seasoned beef
- 1 1/4 lb lean ground beef (90% to 93% lean works well)
- 1 tsp olive oil (optional, if the skillet is dry)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp water (to help coat the beef)
Hot honey drizzle
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp hot sauce (use more or less to taste)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Bowls
- 2 cups cooked rice (white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for lower carb)
- 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup cucumber (diced)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 large avocado (sliced or diced)
- 1/4 cup green onions (sliced)
- 2 tbsp cilantro or parsley (chopped, optional)
- 1 whole lime (cut into wedges, optional)
Instructions
- Make the hot honey: In a small bowl, stir together the honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes if using. Set aside while you cook the beef.
- Cook the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and fully cooked.
- Season the beef: Add the smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and water. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the beef is evenly coated and flavorful.
- Prep the bowl ingredients: Warm the rice if needed, then prepare the cottage cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, green onions, herbs, and lime wedges.
- Assemble and drizzle: Divide the rice, seasoned beef, cottage cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, green onions, and herbs between four bowls. Drizzle with hot honey and serve with lime wedges if using.
