Tex-Mex Steak Rice Bowls with Charred Green Pepper and Smoky Crema

These Tex-Mex steak rice bowls layer bright, smoky and savory flavors in one satisfying meal. Fluffy jasmine rice gets a lift from lime and cilantro, then becomes the base for saucy diced steak and charred vegetables.

Finish each bowl with tomato salsa fresca and a drizzle of smoky red pepper crema for a fresh, creamy contrast. It is everything you want from a burrito-style bowl, no tortilla required.

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Ingredients

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Diced SteakView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Smoky Red Pepper CremaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tex-Mex PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView 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. Cook the jasmine rice according to package directions, seasoning with salt as it cooks.
2. While the rice cooks, halve, peel and thinly slice the red onion. Dice the tomato. Halve the lime. Roughly chop the cilantro. Core, seed and slice the long green pepper.
3. In a small bowl, combine the diced tomato with a little chopped onion, a squeeze of lime juice, some cilantro, salt and black pepper. Set the salsa fresca aside.
4. Heat half the cooking oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced green pepper and remaining onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred in spots. Season with salt and black pepper, then transfer to a plate.
5. Pat the diced steak dry and season with salt and black pepper. Heat the remaining cooking oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through.
6. Stir the Tex-Mex paste into the steak until the pieces are evenly coated and saucy. Remove from the heat.
7. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork, then stir in remaining cilantro and lime juice to taste.
8. Divide the cilantro-lime rice between bowls. Top with the saucy steak, charred green pepper and onion, salsa fresca and smoky red pepper crema.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I make the salsa fresca ahead of time?

Yes. You can mix the tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper ahead of serving. Give it a stir before spooning it over the bowls.

How do I keep the steak tender?

Use medium-high heat, avoid overcrowding the skillet and cook the diced steak just until browned and cooked through.

What should I do if I do not want too much lime flavor?

Start with a small squeeze of lime in both the rice and salsa, then add more only if you want extra brightness.