Hot Honey Ground Beef Boats (Printable Version)
Roasted sweet potatoes stuffed with hot-honey glazed ground beef, cilantro and avocado for a hearty weeknight dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
02 - 1 small red onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
05 - 2 green onions, sliced, for garnish
→ Meats
06 - 1 pound lean ground beef
→ Sauce & Seasoning
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons hot honey, or 2 tablespoons honey plus 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Toppings (optional)
15 - 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
17 - 1/2 avocado, sliced
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 40 to 45 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced red onion and red bell pepper; sauté 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and fully cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes.
05 - Drain excess fat if needed. Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
06 - Drizzle hot honey over the beef mixture. Stir well and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
07 - Once cool enough to handle, slice each sweet potato lengthwise down the center without cutting all the way through. Gently fluff the interior with a fork.
08 - Spoon the hot honey ground beef mixture into each sweet potato.
09 - Top with shredded cheese if desired and let it melt for 2 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, and avocado slices.
10 - Serve warm immediately.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- Hot honey gives dinner a bold kick without a complicated sauce—trust me, it wakes everything up.
- It’s a hands-off bake with plenty of time to chat, tidy up, or just daydream until the timer goes off.
02 -
- Don’t rush roasting—the sweet potatoes need every minute for that caramelized edge and fluffy interior.
- Adding the hot honey right at the end keeps it vibrant and lets the spice really shine through.
03 -
- Always taste the filling before stuffing—sometimes it’s calling for just a pinch more salt or honey.
- Letting the potatoes rest after roasting makes them less fragile when you scoop and fill.