These Slow Cooker Ground Beef Protein Bowls are a hands-free way to enjoy this viral high-protein trend. Lean ground beef, taco seasoning, and sweet potatoes practically cook themselves. Just scoop into bowls with cottage cheese, avocado, and a drizzle of hot honey for a crave-worthy meal.
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📝Shopping list
To make the main attraction of these protein bowls in your slow cooker, you will need the following ingredients. For quantities and full preparation instructions, please refer to the recipe card located at the bottom of this page.
Beef and Sweet Potatoes
- Lean ground beef: 93% lean or leaner is best
- Seasonings: Taco seasoning (store-bought or homemade), garlic powder, onion powder, and salt
- Tomato paste
- Sweet potatoes: cut into small cubes
Protein Bowls
- Cottage cheese: go with your favorite! Low-fat works well here.
- Avocados sliced. You will need about ½ avocado per bowl
- Field greens or baby spinach leaves: This is optional, but it makes a great base for your bowl and adds more nutrients
- Hot honey: to drizzle on top
Why you will 💜your slow cooker for this recipe
- Hands-free, one-pot cooking. The original version of this recipe calls for cooking the beef stovetop and the sweet potatoes in the oven. This requires the use of multiple pans. Your slow cooker allows you to set-it-and-forget-it - all in one dish!
- No babysitting. This dump-and-go recipe allows you to set up the most labor-intensive parts of this meal and walk away. Just assemble your bowls whenever you are ready to eat!
- No timing issues. No need to coordinate the finish time of your beef and potatoes to make sure they are both hot when you are ready to eat. Your slow cooker keeps them both perfectly warm and ready, whenever!
- Great for high-protein meal prep. This recipe makes about twice as much as the original version. Just pop the meat and potato mixture into meal-sized containers. When you are ready, gently reheat in the microwave and add to a bowl with cottage cheese and avocado!
Preparing Your Slow Cooker
- Coat your slow cooker with a non-stick spray or oil before cooking
- Oil works better than spray for some non-stick surfaces (check your slow cooker's manual)
- Olive oil and avocado oil are my go-to coatings.
- You can also use a slow cooker liner for even easier clean-up.
Get Cooking
Step 1
Place ground beef, taco seasoning, and tomato paste into a greased slow cooker. Break the beef apart and stir to combine.
Step 2
Add sweet potatoes and remaining seasonings to the meat mixture.
Step 3
Stir again to full combine all slow cooker contents
Step 4
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Stir again before building your protein bowl as outlined below.
Build Your Bowl!!
Line your bowl with greens (if you are using them). Add a scoop of cottage cheese and a scoop of your sweet potato/beef mixture. Place some avocado slices on top and drizzle hot honey over everything.
Savor that deliciousness!
Pro Tip
Cut potatoes into uniform-sized pieces for even cooking.
🍽Serving ideas
- Get creative with your toppings for this dish! Pickled onion, sliced green onion, fresh cilantro, and freshly squeezed lime juice are all great options.
- Serve over quinoa or black beans for an even greater protein boost.
- Spoon over riced cauliflower for a low-carb bowl or jasmine rice for a heartier bowl.
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Storing
Refrigerator
- Store the cooked ground beef and potato mixture in airtight containers. It will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
- Do not store with cottage cheese and avocado. For best results, build your final protein bowl right before serving.
Freezer
- Your slow cooker beef and potatoes can be frozen for up to 3 months in airtight, freezer-safe containers.
- For best results, defrost overnight in the refrigerator before gently reheating in the microwave.
- Cottage cheese and avocado should not be frozen. Use your reheated beef and potatoes mixture to build a fresh bowl.
😉Expert tips from my kitchen
- Use extra lean ground beef (97% lean or leaner) when cooking raw ground beef in your slow cooker. This will help avoid a greasy finished product.
- Looking for more nutrient-rich slow cooker recipes? You will love Slow Cooker Turkey Chili, Maple Lime Chicken Bowls, and Pizza Beans.
- Break up your ground beef using a ground beef mashing tool to ensure an even texture.
- In the market for a new slow cooker? I love mine!
- The most important step is to confirm that your slow cooker is plugged in and turned on!!
Tools I love
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📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Ground Beef Protein Bowls
(Click on the stars to leave a rating)
Print Pin Rate SaveAll nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
Equipment
- cutting board and knife
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Beef and Sweet Potatoes
- 2 lb lean ground beef 93% lean or leaner is best
- ¼ cup taco seasoning store-bought or homemade. See below for homemade recipe.
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 large sweet potatoes cut into small cubes
Protein Bowls
- 4 cups Cottage cheese about ½ cup per bowl
- 2 Avocados sliced, about ½ avocado per bowl
- Field greens or spinach leaves optional for base of bowl
- hot honey to drizzle on top
Instructions
To Cook Ground Beef and Sweet Potatoes
- Add 2 lb lean ground beef, ¼ cup taco seasoning, and 3 tablespoon tomato paste to a greased slow cooker
- Use a plastic or rubber meat chopper to break up the beef and mix it with the tomato paste and taco seasoning
- Add 2 large sweet potatoes on top of the meat mixture and sprinkle with 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoon onion powder, and 2 teaspoon salt
- Mix the potatoes and beef together gently.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours
To Assemble Bowls
- Place Field greens or spinach leaves on the bottom of each bowl (if using)
- Add a scoop of the ground beef/sweet potato mixture to each bowl alongside about ½ cup of cottage cheese and half a sliced avocado
- Drizzle with hot honey and enjoy!
Final Step
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Notes
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 1.5 tablespoons cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- optional (if you like it hot): 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Nutrition
All nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
Homemade slow cooker taco seasoning
If you prefer to make your own, rather than use a store-bought mix, this is the recipe I use:
Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 1.5 tablespoons cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- optional (if you like it hot): 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Add all ingredients and stir. Store in a cool, dry, air-tight container.
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Joanie says
I am so excited to find a way to make this without having to use the stovetop and an oven. This was delicious and easy. Thank you.
Susan says
Yay! I love hearing this. Thanks for sharing!