When it comes to making takeout meals at home, I love recreating a burrito-style bowl for my family. It’s an interactive dinner that’s quick to prepare on any weeknight and also comes in handy for reheating the next day. These steak bowls are extremely flavorful, thanks to marinated steak served over cilantro-lime rice.
I make a homemade chipotle crema, inspired by my favorite local Mexican restaurant, and top it with other fresh veggies I usually have on hand. A little secret, I find my kids eat more veggies by making their own bowls too (a win-win!). If you love a Mexican-inspired recipe, my cilantro lime chicken and chicken quesadillas are two you don’t want to miss.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Build your own bowl for dinner. My family loves these steak bowls for a weeknight meal. My kids customize them with their favorite toppings!
- Great as leftovers and for meal prep. I love enjoying these bowls for lunches or dinners throughout the week. A great tip is to make a double batch of protein or rice to last for several days.
- Restaurant flavors at home. If you’re a fan of burrito bowls, these Southwest steak bowls are similar and deliver restaurant-quality flavor with healthier ingredients.
Tips for Busy Cooks
To prep these steak bowls efficiently, I recommend marinating the steak first, then cooking the rice. This way, you can prep the toppings while the rice cooks and get dinner on the table in under 45 minutes!
Key Ingredient Notes
Cilantro Lime Rice:
- Cooked white rice – The base to these steak bowls, long grain is best, you can also use brown rice if you please. I often like to use leftover rice here as well.
- Lime juice and zest – Fresh is best, avoid the pre-bottled juice.
- Cilantro – Adds bright flavor, don’t skip on this, you want to garnish with it too.
Chipotle Crema:
- Sour cream – Base to any delicious crema, buy full-fat.
- Lime juice – Helps to thin the crema to the right consistency. You can also use lemon juice if you already have it.
- Chipotle powder – Adds a kick of spice and a little bit of heat. Chili powder also works nicely.
Marinated Steak:
- Sirloin steak – Quick cooking and easy to slice. You can also use flank or skirt steak here.
- Olive oil – Oil for marinating, avocado or canola oil can also be used.
- Lime juice – By adding an acid to the marinade, you help to tenderize the meat and brighten the flavors.
- Chili powder adds smokiness and warmth.
- Cumin – Make sure it’s ground, also a warming spice with a hint of citrus flavor.
- Garlic powder gives that concentrated garlic flavor throughout the marinade. You can also use minced fresh garlic if you please.
- Smoked paprika adds an extra hint of smokiness.
Toppings:
- Black beans – Canned is easiest, drain and rinse them for the bowls. If you love pinto beans, you can substitute for those.
- Corn – Fresh, canned, or frozen all work well.
- Avocado – Make sure it’s ripe; when you gently squeeze, it should be soft but not mushy.
- Tomato – If regular tomatoes aren’t in season, use cherry or grape.
- White onion or sliced green onions add bright green color and light onion flavor.
- Garnish: Chopped cilantro and lime wedges are the perfect finish for a tangy, fresh bite.
How to make steak bowls
Toss the cooked rice with lime juice, lime zest, and chopped cilantro in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Set aside.
Stir together the sour cream, lime juice, chipotle powder, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth. Add a small splash of water if needed to reach a drizzle consistency. Set aside.
Combine the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a bowl or shallow dish.
Add the sirloin steak and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for 10–15 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook for 3–5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until it reaches your desired doneness.
Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
Slice the steak into thin strips against the grain.
Warm the black beans and corn in a small pan or microwave until heated through.
To assemble the bowls, divide the cilantro lime rice among serving bowls. Top with sliced steak, black beans, corn, diced avocado, and tomato. Drizzle with chipotle crema, then top with optional herbs or pickles.
Expert Tips:
- Don’t marinate the steak for too long or the lime juice will break down the protein. Just 10 to 15 minutes is all you need at room temperature. This will lightly tenderize the meat, thanks to the acid and add nice flavor.
- If you are looking for medium-rare, aim for 145ºF on a meat thermometer. That’s about 3 to 5 minutes per side, but if you want to be precise to avoid overcooking, I recommend you use a thermometer.
- Allow the steak to rest and slice against the grain. This will help the juices to settle after cooking and will make for the most tender bite.
- Have fun with toppings. I love to make a toppings bar for my kids to build their own. I put our family’s favorites, but you can always add your own.
- Use leftover or pre-cooked rice to save on time. I have bought it already cooked from the grocery store before to keep weeknight dinner prep quick.
Variations
Try these other toppings for your steak bowls, we’ve made them dozens of ways in our house and they’re always a hit. I also find it’s a great recipe to clean out the fridge.
Storage
Store any leftover steak and rice bowls in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to try to keep the components in separate containers for easy reheating and topping for lunch or dinner.
While you can freeze leftover rice or cooked steak, I highly recommend eating it fresh for the best flavor and texture. When it comes to meal prepping these steak burrito bowls, I often make the crema in advance along with the rice. This way I only need to marinate the steak and prep the toppings when it’s time to make dinner.
FAQs
It’s best to use sirloin steak, flank steak, or skirt steak since they cook quickly and are also easy to slice against the grain.
I recommend a crema for a Mexican-inspired bowl, teriyaki for Asian-inspired, or a classic herby sauce, like chimichurri, too.
For this recipe, we are making them Southwest-inspired with cilantro lime rice and a chipotle crema. You can make them with any sort of grain base and top with fresh veggies, sauces, cheeses, and more.
More Easy Beef Dinner Recipes
Steak Bowls
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Rice:
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Chipotle Crema:
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- Pinch of salt
Marinated Steak:
- 1 pound sirloin steak
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Toppings:
- 1 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn fresh, canned, or frozen
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 tomato diced
- ½ cup white onion or sliced green onions
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
- lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the cooked rice with lime juice, lime zest, and chopped cilantro until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, lime juice, chipotle powder, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add a small splash of water if needed to reach a drizzle consistency. Set aside.
- In a bowl or shallow dish, combine the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add the sirloin steak and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate for 10–15 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook for 3–5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until cooked to desired doneness. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
- Warm the black beans and corn in a small pan or microwave until heated through.
- To assemble the bowls, divide the cilantro lime rice among serving bowls. Top with sliced steak, black beans, corn, diced avocado, and tomato. Drizzle with chipotle crema and finish with optional herbs or pickles if desired. Serve immediately.
Share your thoughts! If you make this please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
– Using lime zest in the rice adds brightness without making the dish overly acidic.
– The chipotle crema can be adjusted for spice level by increasing or decreasing the chipotle powder. For a milder version, use less or substitute a pinch of smoked paprika.
– Always slice steak against the grain for the most tender texture.
– Leftovers can be repurposed into wraps or salads for the next day.
– Optional heat additions like jalapeños or hot sauce for those who prefer extra spice. Storing Tips:
– Store any leftover steak and rice bowls in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to try to keep the components in separate containers for easy reheating and topping for lunch or dinner.
– When it comes to meal prepping these steak burrito bowls, I often make the crema in advance along with the rice. This way I only need to marinate the steak and prep the toppings when it’s time to make dinner.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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