Healthy Ground Beef Bowl (Easy High Protein Meal Prep!)

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Why you’ll love these healthy ground beef bowls

• Done in Under 40 Minutes!:  This healthy ground beef recipe comes together in about 30 minutes. And if you prep ahead the roasted sweet potatoes and fresh pico de gallo, it could be as fast as 10 minutes.

• High in Protein: The ground beef in these bowls is the perfect source for protein (giving you a whopping 40 grams per serving!) to help you maintain a healthy weight, stay full longer, and build lean muscle mass.  

• Perfect for Meal Prep:  Each part of this bowl can be made in advance, making it an ideal meal prep option for busy weekdays.  

• Fun to Customize:  Go ahead and assemble a bowl with YOUR favorite toppings!  Whether it is freshly shredded cheese, diced avocados, or spicy jalapenos, these healthy bowls are nourishing and delicious!

• Family Favorite:  Because of all the customization, my kids love making and eating these healthy ground beef bowls and I’m sure yours’ will too!

If you are into eating healthy ground beef meal prep recipes right now, then you will love some of our other recipes like Korean Ground Beef Bowls, Ground Beef Sweet Potato Skillet, and High Protein Ground Beef Burrito Bowls.

Is this Ground Beef Bowl Healthy?

With lean ground beef, crispy taco-seasoned sweet potatoes, and everyone’s favorite fresh pico-style salsa, this recipe is a perfect balance of protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich complex carbohydrates.

If you eat beef, you might want to consider making sure it comes from grass-fed cows!

A few highlights of grass-fed beef:

• Grass-fed beef offers up to 5x the amount of omega-3 fatty acids as conventionally raised beef.
• It’s also higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a type of fat that appears to be linked with a lower incidence of some chronic diseases.
• Plus, it’s higher in vitamins A, E, and antioxidants compared to beef from cows that were fed grain.

You can buy grass-fed beef in most supermarkets … but a nearby farmer’s market can help you to find a great local source.

Then you add in the sweet potatoes and fresh made Pico, and you’ve got a nutritional powerhouse!  

Both contribute high amounts of vitamins like A, C, and beta carotene which have been shown to enhance eye health and reduce inflammation.  

Plus eating foods high in soluble fiber may improve gut health and can aid in maintaining a healthy weight.

Quick cooking Tip: Because grass-fed beef is a little leaner than grain-fed beef, cook it at a lower temperature for a shorter time to avoid damaging the omega-3s.

Ingredients

The simple ingredients that make this Healthy Ground Beef Bowl perfect for easy meal prep or a healthy lunch are the following:

4 servings

For the Ground Beef:

• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef, ground bison, or ground turkey
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning

For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

• 2 large sweet potatoes or yams, cubed small
• avocado oil spray or 1 Tbsp avocado oil
• 1 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning

For the Fresh Salsa/Pico de Gallo:

• 4 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 poblano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
• juice and zest of 1 fresh lime
• sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and instructions.

Variations/ Adaptations

Make them Low Carb by swapping the sweet potatoes for chopped or shredded lettuce, cauliflower rice, or sauteed zucchini.

Switch out the ground beef and use ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground bison instead.

Make these bowls spicy by adding jalapenos, chipotle peppers, spicy mayo, your favorite hot sauce, or hot honey.

Add even more protein and creaminess with cottage cheese.

Optional Toppings:  diced avocado, freshly grated cheese, dollop of plain Greek yogurt, homemade pickled jalepenos.

How to make this Healthy Ground Beef Bowl

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees f. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 1. Place your cubed sweet potatoes on your prepared sheet pan and toss with the taco seasoning and oil. Arrange in a single layer, then roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing once halfway.

Step 2. Make your fresh salsa. Place all of the chopped veggies and cilantro in a bowl. Drizzle with fresh lime juice and zest then season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently to combine and set aside.

Step 3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground meat and cook while crumbling, until it starts to brown. Drain any excessive grease.

Step 4. Stir in the garlic and taco seasonings then cook while stirring for 4-5 minutes, more. Sea salt & pepper to taste.

Step 5. To assemble your bowls, divide the roasted potatoes and cooked ground beef equally among 4 bowls.

Step 6. Top with Pico de Gallo.

Enjoy!

Love, Rachel

Healthy meal prep bowls make it so much easier to eat well during a busy week. If you’re looking for more ideas, try Pineapple Chicken Bowls with Quinoa, Easy Shrimp Bowls, and Honey Sauce Chicken Meal Prep Bowls.

What to serve with ground beef bowls

Flavorful ground beef, caramelized sweet potatoes, and zingy pico de gallo salsa already make this a perfectly satisfying meal on its own.  However there are a few dishes that really compliment this meal that you can add as well.

Here are some to try:

• Cilantro Lime Slaw
• Black Bean Salad
• Grilled Corn Salad
• Fruit Salad
• Healthy Maple Sweet Potato Brownies

How to Meal Prep These Healthy Beef Bowls

These beef protein bowls are fantastic when consumed immediately, but also great as meal prep.

To make easy ground beef meal prep bowls, choose a day when you are free to make all the elements for the recipe.  Roast the sweet potatoes, cook the ground beef, and make the pico de gallo per the recipe.  

Place the cooked ground beef and roasted sweet potato cubes into your meal prep containers and refrigerate.

Refrigerate the pico de gallo separately, then add right before serving.

Also consider doubling the recipe, then packing up the extra for future lunches or dinners throughout the week. They stay great refrigerated for 4 days or in the freezer for 2 months. I like to top with salsa and add some avocado immediately before serving.

Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions

These easy ground beef bowls will keep well in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 4 days. Add toppings before eating. You can also freeze these bowls without the pico de gallo for up to 2 months.  

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