Southwest Beef Enchilada Rice Bowls with Lime Crema

Rice bowls have become a dinnertime staple for good reason-they’re hearty, flavorful and endlessly versatile. This version features bold, saucy ground beef served over a bed of fluffy lime-infused rice, then topped with a fresh tomato-onion pico de gallo, shredded Monterey Jack cheese and a Southwest-spiced crema that ties it all together.

Every bite delivers a mix of textures and tastes: the tangy lime rice, the rich and slightly spicy beef, the cool crema and the pop of fresh pico. It’s a satisfying, complete meal that comes together in about 35 minutes.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tex-Mex PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Dice the tomato. Halve, peel and thinly slice the onion; mince a few slices until you have 2 tablespoons (3 tablespoons for 4 servings). Zest and quarter the lime. Halve, core and thinly slice the green pepper into strips.
2. In a small pot, combine the rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-20 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to use.
3. While the rice cooks, in a small bowl, combine the diced tomato, minced onion and juice from half the lime. Season with salt and pepper. In a separate small bowl, combine the sour cream and ¼ teaspoon Southwest spice blend (½ teaspoon for 4 servings; you’ll use more later). Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the green pepper strips and cook until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are browned and tender, 5-7 minutes. Add half the remaining Southwest spice blend, 2 tablespoons water (4 tablespoons for 4 servings), salt and pepper. Cook until the water has mostly evaporated and the veggies are coated, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.
5. Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. If there’s excess grease, carefully pour it out. Stir in the Tex-Mex paste and the remaining Southwest spice blend until combined. Add ¼ cup water (⅓ cup for 4 servings) and simmer until the mixture is reduced and saucy, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter (2 tablespoons for 4 servings) until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Fluff the rice with a fork; stir in the lime zest and season with salt and pepper. Divide the rice between bowls and top with the beef mixture, sautéed veggies, Monterey Jack cheese, pico de gallo and crema. Serve with the remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different protein instead of ground beef?

Yes! Ground turkey, chicken or a plant-based crumble work well. Adjust cooking time as needed.

How do I store leftovers?

Store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the beef and rice, then add fresh toppings.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Absolutely. This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written. Just double-check that your Tex-Mex paste and spice blend are certified gluten-free.