The 10-Minute Dinner I Make All the Time

It's so quick and so full of flavor.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve frantically searched “what to make with a pound of ground beef” online, but I can tell you it’s a big number. Bored with burgers and filled with meatball ennui, I’ve made the search many times.

One of the meals I keep coming back to whenever this happens is ground beef hummus bowls. It’s got a lot going for it—ten minutes to prepare, customizable enough to please every family member, and absolutely loaded with protein.

If you’re not already familiar with the hummus bowl, it’s pretty straightforward. A bowl of hummus topped with seasoned ground beef (or ground lamb! Or chicken! Or tofu!) and your favorite garnishes. It’s the garnishes that push this dish beyond "healthy thing my mom likes” to “fun meal I added a bunch of pickles to,” which is exactly the kind of thing my two kids (12 and 6) will actually eat for dinner.

The Best Hummus for Hummus Bowls

A great hummus bowl starts with…a great bowl! Just kidding. It starts with great hummus, and since you’re frantically searching for what to do with ground beef at 5 pm, I’m going to assume you’re not making your own hummus.

In that case, I would recommend keeping Little Sesame hummus in the fridge at all times. It’s got a bright, zippy flavor and excellent silky texture. Plus, there are several flavored varieties that are surprisingly great (and I’m not usually a flavored hummus girlie), especially the caramelized onion variety, which brings in a subtle sweetness via the onions.

How To Make My Ground Beef Hummus Bowls

For four servings of these hummus bowls, you’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Salt and pepper, to tast

• 3 cups hummus

• 4 pitas

Optional toppings, including: chickpeas, feta, olives, pickles, tomatoes, and fresh parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant but not brown, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and spices and cook (breaking up the beef as you go) until the beef is browned and no pink remains, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare four bowls with a roughly 3/4 cup dollop of hummus in each bowl, using the back of a spoon to smooth the hummus, making a well in the center. Top with the prepared ground beef and your choice of toppings, plus a drizzle of olive oil, and serve with pita. Refrigerate any remaining hummus or ground beef separately for up to 5 days.

It’s All About the Add-Ins

Whenever I’m feeding multiple people (so, every night), I find that including a choose-your-own-adventure element in the meal is my best bet for success. Everyone wants to have their own thing, and, with hummus and ground beef as a jumping-off point, this dish lets them do just that. Here are some of my favorite toppings:

• Chickpeas

• Feta

• Kalamata olives

• Banana peppers

• Pickles

• Tomatoes

• Cucumbers

• Red onions

• Fresh parsley
  

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.