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Spice Up Dinner with a Fiery Ground Beef Hot Honey Bowl

Spice Up Dinner with a Fiery Ground Beef Hot Honey Bowl - Featured Image
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Learn how to make delicious Ground Beef Hot Honey Bowl Spicy. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 pound ground beef (preferably 80/20 for flavor and juiciness)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or bacon grease for authentic flavor
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 cup hot honey (store-bought or homemade — see below)
  • 1 cup cooked white rice or brown rice
  • 1/2 cup chopped scallions or green onions
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional, but adds a fresh note)
  • Juice of half a lime
  • Optional: 1 small jalapeño, finely diced for extra heat

Substitution tips: If you want to keep it lighter, swap ground beef for ground turkey or chicken. For a vegetarian twist, lentils or crumbled tempeh work beautifully with the same spices. And if you don’t have hot honey on hand, mix honey with a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to mimic the flavor.

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil or bacon grease. Let it warm until shimmering but not smoking.
  2. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. This step builds the base flavor, just like Mama Lu’s slow Sunday pot roast started with a good sear.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn it — I’ve learned the hard way that burnt garlic can turn a whole dish bitter.
  4. Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 7-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed, but leave a little for richness.
  5. Sprinkle the smoked paprika, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt over the beef. Stir well to coat the meat evenly. The spices should smell warm and inviting — a hint of the mountains wrapped in a bowl.
  6. If using, add the diced jalapeño now for that extra fire. Cook everything together for another 2 minutes to marry the flavors.
  7. Turn off the heat and drizzle the hot honey over the beef mixture. Stir gently to combine. This step is like adding the final touch of blackberry jam to cornbread — unexpected, sweet, and unforgettable.
  8. In a serving bowl, spoon a layer of warm cooked rice. Top generously with the hot honey ground beef mixture.
  9. Sprinkle chopped scallions and cilantro over the top, and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice to brighten the flavors.
  10. Serve immediately, perhaps with a side of cornbread or sautéed greens, and a tall glass of sweet tea if you’re feeling nostalgic.

Find it online: https://claracooking.com/ground-beef-hot-honey-bowl-spicy/