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Hot Honey Beef & Sweet Potato Boats

Cozy and flavor-packed sweet potatoes topped with spicy, smoky ground beef, creamy cottage cheese, avocado slices, and a drizzle of hot honey—an easy and comforting meal perfect for chilly evenings.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Sweet Potato Boats
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes scrubbed and pierced with fork
  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey
  • 0.5 tsp salt for beef seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
  • 0.5 cup cottage cheese for topping
  • 1 medium avocado sliced
  • 2-3 tsp hot honey or honey mixed with chili flakes
Optional Quick Cucumber Crunch
  • 0.5 medium cucumber thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Skillet
  • Microwave
  • Fork
  • Baking Sheet or Oven Rack

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub sweet potatoes and pierce several times with a fork. Bake directly on oven rack or on baking sheet for 40–50 minutes until soft. Alternatively, microwave potatoes for 6–8 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender.
  2. Step 2: While potatoes bake, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef, salt, and smoked paprika. Break apart with spatula and cook 6–8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
  3. Step 3: Once sweet potatoes are done, carefully slice each lengthwise. Fluff inside with a fork, then season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
  4. Step 4: Spoon cooked beef generously over each sweet potato. Add a scoop of cottage cheese on top.
  5. Step 5: Fan sliced avocado over cottage cheese and drizzle with 2–3 teaspoons of hot honey.
  6. Step 6 (Optional): For cucumber crunch, toss thin cucumber slices with vinegar, salt, olive oil, and sesame seeds. Serve as a refreshing side.

Notes

Store assembled or separate components in airtight containers in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat sweet potatoes and beef gently in microwave or oven. Add fresh avocado slices and hot honey drizzle just before serving. Freezing is not recommended due to avocado and cottage cheese texture changes. Protein swaps and cheese alternatives can customize this recipe.