Hot Honey Ground Beef Bowls (20 Minutes)
Spiced ground beef glazed with hot honey, served over rice with creamy cottage cheese and avocado. A viral weeknight bowl, ready in 20 minutes.
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened.
- Add the ground beef and garlic. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking the meat apart with a spoon, until browned all over.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, hot honey, soy sauce and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook for 2 minutes, until the beef is glossy and coated.
- Meanwhile, heat the rice pouches in the microwave following the packet instructions.
- Divide the rice among 4 bowls, spoon over the hot honey beef, and top with cottage cheese and avocado.
- Finish with green onions, an extra drizzle of hot honey and a squeeze of lime.
Microwave times are for a 1,000 W microwave, the usual US size. In an 800 W microwave (common in the UK and Europe) add about a quarter more time; at 1,200 W check a little early.
Spiced ground beef glazed with hot honey, served over rice with creamy cottage cheese and avocado. A viral weeknight bowl, ready in 20 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 600 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 520 mg
Values are estimates based on USDA FoodData Central and vary with brands and portioning.
Chef notes
Do not drain all the pan juices: they carry the hot honey glaze. If the beef looks dry, add 1 tablespoon of water with the sauce and stir until glossy.
Substitutions
- Ground beef — ground turkey or chicken, cooked the same way
- Cottage cheese — crumbled feta or a spoonful of Greek yogurt
- Microwave rice — any cooked rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa
Serving suggestions
Serve hot in bowls with lime wedges and extra hot honey on the side, plus tortilla chips for scooping.
Storage
Keep the beef, rice and toppings in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days; store avocado separately and slice fresh.
Reheating
Reheat the beef and rice in a covered skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until steaming hot; add toppings after reheating.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Wooden spoon
- Microwave
Variations
- Sweet potato: swap the rice for roasted sweet potato cubes for the classic viral bowl
- Extra spicy: add 1 extra tablespoon hot honey and a sliced fresh chilli on top
- Meal prep: pack beef and rice together and keep cottage cheese and avocado in separate small containers
Why it works
Taco seasoning gives the beef instant savoury depth, honey caramelises in the hot pan into a sticky glaze, and cold cottage cheese and avocado cool the heat so each bite stays balanced.
Frequently asked questions
Is the hot honey ground beef bowl very spicy?
It is warm rather than fiery. Use regular honey instead of hot honey, or leave out the red pepper flakes, for a mild version.
Can I make hot honey ground beef bowls ahead?
Yes. Cook the beef and rice up to 3 days ahead, store them separately in the fridge, and add the cottage cheese and avocado just before serving.
Tags
More like this
Dinner
25min
Korean Fire Chicken with Melted Cheese (25 Minutes)
Dinner
20min
Japanese Ground Beef Curry Rice (20 Minutes)
Dinner
15min
Chilli Garlic Butter Chicken (15 Minutes)
Dinner
15min
Classic Beef Smashburger with Secret Sauce
Dinner
30min
Hot Honey Feta Chicken (30 Minutes)
Dinner
6min
Chinese Tomato and Egg Stir Fry
More recipes with cottage
Other recipes in about 20 minutes
- Stovetop Boursin Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes (20 Minutes)20 min
- No-Bake Pumpkin Tiramisu (20-Minute Prep)20 min
- Microwave Kalakand (Diwali Sweet in 20 Minutes)20 min
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup (20 Minutes)20 min
- Japanese Ground Beef Curry Rice (20 Minutes)20 min
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Wedges with Chilli Honey (20 Minutes)20 min
Reader reviews
No reviews yet. If you have made this recipe, you will be the first to say how it went.
Did you make this?
Tell us how it actually went — including if something did not work. Reviews are read before they are published.