Zesty Beef and Rice Bowls with Fresh Salsa and Lime Crema

These hearty beef and rice bowls are all about building your own perfect bite. Start with a base of fluffy lime rice, then pile on richly spiced ground beef, a bright tomato-jalapeño salsa and a drizzle of creamy lime crema. Finish with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and crunchy blue corn tortilla chips for texture and flavor in every spoonful.

This recipe is designed for customization-layer your ingredients however you like, crush chips over the top or use them for scooping. It’s a quick, satisfying meal that brings a little fiesta to your dinner table.

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Ingredients

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit JalapeñoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Beef Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Blue Corn Tortilla ChipsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Finely dice the tomato. Halve, peel and thinly slice the onion; finely chop a few slices until you have 2 tablespoons. Zest and quarter the lime. Halve, deseed and finely chop the jalapeño (leave seeds in for more heat). Peel and finely chop the garlic.
2. In a small pot, combine the rice, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4 servings) and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
3. While rice cooks, in a small bowl, combine the diced tomato, chopped onion, half the lime zest, a squeeze of lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil and as much jalapeño as you like. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the ground beef, garlic, Southwest Spice Blend and another big pinch of salt (add any remaining jalapeño if you like it spicy). Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. If there’s excess grease, carefully pour it out. Stir in the tomato paste and beef stock concentrate, then add ¼ cup water (⅓ cup for 4 servings). Cook until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes more. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter; turn off heat.
5. While beef cooks, in a second small bowl, combine the sour cream with a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
6. Fluff the rice with a fork; stir in 1 tablespoon butter (2 tablespoons for 4 servings) and the remaining lime zest. Season with salt and pepper. Divide rice between bowls. Top with the beef mixture, Monterey Jack cheese, salsa and crema. Serve with tortilla chips and remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of rice?

Yes, you can substitute jasmine rice with white long-grain rice or brown rice, but adjust the cooking time and liquid accordingly.

How do I make this recipe dairy-free?

Use dairy-free sour cream and omit the Monterey Jack cheese or replace with a dairy-free alternative. Use oil instead of butter.

Can I prepare the salsa and crema in advance?

Absolutely! The salsa and crema can be made up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Stir before serving.