Spicy Peruvian Steak with Loaded Rice and Creamy Salsa Verde

Bring the vibrant flavors of Peru to your table with this bold and zesty steak dish. Tender ranch steak is seasoned with a smoky fajita spice blend, then pan-seared to perfection. It’s served over a bed of garlicky jasmine rice studded with fresh tomatoes, scallions and lime zest and finished with a creamy salsa verde that gets its kick from pickled jalapeño.

This recipe is all about balance-the richness of the steak and creamy sauce is offset by bright citrus and a touch of heat. Quick enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for company, it’s a complete meal that delivers on flavor every time.

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Ingredients

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ranch SteakView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit JalapeñoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fajita Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 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 all produce. Peel and mince or grate the garlic; set aside a pinch of the minced garlic in a small bowl for the sauce. Trim and thinly slice the scallions, separating the white parts from the green tops. Thinly slice the jalapeño into rounds, removing the ribs and seeds if you prefer less heat. Zest the lime, then cut it into quarters. Dice the tomato into ½-inch pieces.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the scallion whites, the remaining garlic (not the reserved pinch) and 1 teaspoon of the fajita spice blend. Cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, chicken stock concentrate, 1¼ cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off the heat until ready to serve.
3. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the sliced jalapeño, the juice from half of the lime, ¼ teaspoon sugar and a pinch of salt. Microwave for 30 seconds. Set aside to pickle, stirring occasionally.
4. Pat the ranch steak dry with paper towels. Season all over with the remaining fajita spice blend, salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
5. Remove the jalapeño from the pickling liquid (reserve the liquid). Set aside a few jalapeño rounds for garnish, then mince the remaining jalapeño. To the bowl with the reserved garlic, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice, a big pinch of lime zest and a pinch of the minced jalapeño (add more to taste). If you like extra heat, add a small splash of the pickling liquid in place of or in addition to the lime juice. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the sauce reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the diced tomato, half of the scallion greens, the remaining lime zest, a squeeze of lime juice and as much of the remaining minced jalapeño as you like. Season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Divide the rice between bowls, top with the sliced steak and squeeze the remaining lime wedges over the top. Drizzle everything with the creamy salsa verde, then garnish with the remaining scallion greens and the reserved jalapeño rounds. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different cut of steak?

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

How do I make this dish dairy-free?

Use a dairy-free butter alternative and replace the sour cream with a plant-based version. The mayonnaise can be vegan mayonnaise.

Can I prepare the pickled jalapeño in advance?

Absolutely! The pickled jalapeño can be made up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. It will only get more flavorful.