What kind of plantains should I use?

Use green-yellow plantains for this recipe. Fully ripe yellow plantains are sweeter and softer, which can make the bowls more like mush than a plantain + ground beef combo. Green-yellow gives you that starchy, savory base you're looking for.

Can I make these plantain ground beef bowls ahead for meal prep?

Yes! This recipe holds up really well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store the parsley mayo drizzle separately and add it fresh when you're ready to eat. Looking for more meal prep recipes? Try Feta Greek Salad Meal Prep Bowls or Homemade Italian Turkey Sausage !

Can I use a different protein?

Ground turkey or ground chicken would work well here with the same seasoning. Keep in mind the flavor will be milder than beef, so you may want to lean into the olives and capers even more. Otherwise, ground bison makes a great lean option!

Plantain Ground Beef Bowls with Olives

Description

This simple, hearty ground beef bowl incorporates one of my favorite ingredients, plantains, for something a little different from your standard "meat and rice" combo!

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 green-yellow plantains (or use leftover savory Mashed Plantains and skip the first two steps)
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon water (optional)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

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Instructions

Peel plantains. Slice lengthwise down the peel of each plantain and chop each plantain horizontally into 3 or 4 chunks. No need to peel it now—it's significantly easier to peel after boiling!
Parboil plantains. Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and place on the stovetop. Add the plantain chunks to the pot and bring the water to boiling. Boil for 7 to 10 minutes, until the plantains can easily be pierced with a fork. Turn off heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the plantain. Pull the peels off and discard. Discard water.
Brown ground beef. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up into smaller pieces with a spatula as you go, for 6 to 8 minutes, until mostly browned. Add olives, capers, paprika, onion powder, chipotle powder, salt, and plantains. Stir the mixture and roughly mash the plantain pieces with a fork or spatula, breaking them into smaller pieces. Turn off heat and spoon the mixture into 3-4 bowls.
Prepare dressing and serve. In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, water, and parsley. Add additional water to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over beef bowls and serve.

Notes

Don't skip boiling the plantains. You may think it'll be easier to skip this step, but starchy plantains can be very difficult to peel — boiling them for a few minutes makes peeling easy! If you can easily peel the plantains without boiling, they're probably a little too ripe for this recipe and you should use them for my Plantain Snack Cake instead.