We've been eating ground beef bowls long before they became a viral TikTok trend. It's a go-to meal prep that helps us meet our nutritional goals, but I never believe in sacrificing flavor, so this version is jazzed up a lil' bit--see what I did there? Let me show you how to make it your own, quick and easy!
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my Southern pinto beans with ground beef, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Simple to Make - There are no fancy tools or specialty items needed to pull this recipe off. Just a handful of whole food ingredients. And everything comes together in just about 30 minutes!
Enjoyable to Eat - The mix of textures and tastes in these ground beef power bowls creates a symphony in your mouth. From sweet to spicy to savory and smoky, you'll definitely be satisfied.
👉🏾 Ground protein is one of my secret weapons in the kitchen for fast dinner ideas. Check out my smash tacos with ground lamb, ground chicken stir-fry, and curry lentil and chicken stew next!
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What You'll Need for this Recipe
Ground Beef, of course! Depending on the macros you might want to hit, you can reach for either regular or lean ground beef. Regular ground beef will have a richer mouthfeel due to the higher fat content, while lean ground beef is higher in protein.
Sweet Potatoes are nicely spiced and roasted til they're creamy on the inside. Feel free to grab whichever sweet potato you prefer, including Japanese white sweet potatoes, purple ones, or more common orange-fleshed varieties like Jewel or Garnet.
Fresh Green Beans are my preference for this dish because they provide a satisfying crispness that rounds everything out; however, you could use frozen or even canned if need be. Just cut the cooking time in half.
By the way, here are standalone tutorials for the sweet potato cubes and roasted green beans, in case you want to mix and match them with other main dishes!
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Vegetables - You can customize this recipe to your liking with different vegetables instead of or in addition to what's indicated here. Broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots are great options.
Pre-Prepped - Want to save yourself some time? Grab cubed sweet potatoes and trimmed green beans from the grocery store! Pre-cut onion and garlic are great, too.
"Velvet" the Beef - This is a Chinese cooking technique that makes ground meat extremely juicy and tender. It takes a bit of extra time, though. Check out the notes section in the recipe card below if you want to try it!
How to Make Healthy Ground Beef Vegetable Bowls
- Step One: Cut the sweet potatoes into cubes, then toss them with oil and spices. (Photos 1 and 2)
- Step Two: Spread the spiced pieces out on a sheet pan and roast until golden. (Photo 3)
- Step Three: Toss the green beans in seasonings and oil, then roast them on a sheet pan until fork-tender. (Photo 4)
Pro Tip #1
Peeling the sweet potatoes is optional and up to your personal preference. The cook time is the same either way, so I like to leave them on to save time and get just a lil' more fiber.
- Step Four: Sauté the onion, garlic, and spices in oil. (Photo 5)
- Step Five: Add the ground beef and brown until fully cooked. (Photos 6 and 7)
- Step Six: Assemble your bowls and enjoy! (Photo 8)
Pro Tip #2
No matter which kind of ground beef you use, there will be some residual oil in the pan. If it's too much, try this: Once the meat is done cooking, turn off the heat and push the meat to one side of the pan. Next, place some paper towel in the empty space and tilt the pan to pool more of the oil toward the paper towel. Once the excess oil is soaked up, just (carefully) throw the paper towel away!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store the beef, green beans, and sweet potatoes in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Keeps for up to five days.
How to Serve
Temperature: This dish is best served warm. For leftovers, I recommend reheating the sweet potatoes and green beans in an air fryer, if possible. And the ground beef does just fine on the stovetop or in a microwave.
Pairings: You don't need anything else for a complete meal, but if you're in your high protein era, a scoop of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt with a drizzle of hot honey will take this plate over the top. Sliced avocado is another popular pairing idea.
Occasions: This is an easy, breezy everyday dinner option that packs up well for meal prepping or lunch the next day.
More Favorite Healthy Dinner Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy this easy ground beef bowl recipe for dinner--or lunch or breakfast 😊--soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Ground Beef Bowls with Sweet Potato and Green Beans
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potatoes
- 1 pound sweet potatoes about two large sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or oil of your choosing
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
For the Green Beans
- 1 ½ pound fresh green beans
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or oil of your choosing
- sea salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- crushed red pepper to taste
For the Ground Beef
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 ½ tablespoon avocado oil or oil of your choosing
- ½ onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two sheet pans with non-stick oil spray (optional) and set aside.
- Prep the Vegetables: Dice onion and crush or mince garlic. Cut sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Trim the ends off the green beans and remove any strings if needed.1 pound sweet potatoes, 1 ½ pound fresh green beans, 4 cloves garlic, ½ onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Toss sweet potatoes in oil and spices, then spread onto sheet pan and roast for about 27 minutes or until fork-tender. The flesh of the sweet potato will be golden brown and slightly caramelized.2 tablespoons avocado oil, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, sea salt, black pepper
- Toss green beans in oil and spices, then spread out onto a sheet pan and roast for about 25 minutes or until cooked through.Once fully cooked, the green beans should have a glossy, wrinkled appearance with a slightly duller green color, and brown spots where they've had contact with the pan.2 tablespoons avocado oil, sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, crushed red pepper
- Prepare the Ground Beef: Meanwhile, pour oil into skillet over medium heat. Once warmed, add onion and spices. Sauté for about four minutes or until onion starts to turn translucent and is very fragrant. Add garlic and cook for one minute more.1 ½ tablespoon avocado oil, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon black pepper, sea salt
- Add ground beef and break it up into small clumps. Brown the meat until cooked through (about 10 minutes), tossing with the aromatics as you go. Remove from heat and serve with sweet potatoes and green beans.1 pound lean ground beef
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