Cumin-Spiced Steak Bowls with Creamy Cilantro Sauce and Charred Green Pepper

These steak bowls are all about bold, fresh flavors. A cumin-rubbed ranch steak is seared to perfection, then sliced and served over fragrant garlic lime rice with charred green peppers and onions. The real star is the creamy cilantro sauce-a blend of sour cream, fresh cilantro, jalapeño and lime that adds a bright, tangy finish.

This dish comes together quickly, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels special. The combination of textures and flavors-tender steak, charred veggies, fluffy rice and zesty sauce-will have you coming back for more.

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Ingredients

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon CuminView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ranch SteakView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit JalapeñoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Peel and mince garlic; set aside ¼ tsp for the sauce. Mince cilantro. Halve, peel and thinly slice onion; mince a few slices until you have 1 tsp. Zest and quarter lime. Slice jalapeño into thin rounds, removing ribs and seeds for less heat; mince a few slices until you have ½ tsp. Core, deseed and thinly slice green pepper.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in rice, ¾ cup water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, cilantro, minced onion, 1 TBSP olive oil, reserved ¼ tsp garlic, juice from two lime wedges, a pinch of minced jalapeño, a pinch of cumin (you’ll use the rest in the next step), salt and pepper. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
4. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Season all over with remaining cumin, salt and pepper; rub to thoroughly coat. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook to desired doneness, 3-6 minutes per side. Turn off heat; transfer steak to a cutting board to rest. Wipe out pan.
5. Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly charred, 6-8 minutes. If veggies begin to brown too quickly, add a splash of water.
6. Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest, 1 TBSP butter, salt and pepper. Thinly slice steak against the grain. Divide rice between bowls. Top with veggies and steak. Drizzle steak with sauce. Top with as much sliced jalapeño as you like. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different cut of steak?

Yes, you can substitute with sirloin, flank or skirt steak. Adjust cooking time as needed.

How can I make this dairy-free?

Replace sour cream with a dairy-free alternative like coconut yogurt or cashew cream and use oil instead of butter.

Can I prepare the sauce ahead of time?

Absolutely! The creamy cilantro sauce can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.