Cilantro Lime Steak and Rice Bowls

With tender marinated steak, cilantro lime rice, avocado and finished with a cilantro lime crema, these steak and rice bowls may be simple, but they’re packed with flavor. Naturally gluten free, dairy free and so easy to make!

I haven’t always been a big steak girlie, but these days it’s a multiple times a week thing for me. I mix up the flavor profile often, but these cilantro lime steak and rice bowls have been on repeat! They’re easy to make, packed with flavor and so versatile.

I love a burrito or taco bowl kind of vibe for dinner, so these steaks bowls are the perfect addition to my rotation. The steak does need to be marinated so it has a lot of flavor, but the actual cook time of this recipe is super short.

This recipe has fluffy rice, black beans, cilantro lime steak, corn, avocado and my cilantro lime crema to top it off. There’s so many variations though, so it’s easy to customize to your own liking. Try my Mexican beef and rice skillet or chicken shawarma bowls next!

Before we get started…

• If you don’t have a full hour to marinate your steak, even just 10-15 minutes will be better than nothing! Same with my gluten free steak fajitas!
• For extra flavor, I love using my cilantro lime rice, Spanish rice, or Mexican green rice.

How to make steak and rice bowls

Whisk together all ingredients for the steak marinade. This includes the olive oil, juice and zest of a lime, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper.

Add the steak to a shallow dish and pour the marinade on top. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Heat a cast iron pan to medium high and place steak on. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or steak reaches desired internal temperature.

Let the steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice – into strips or cubes.

Assemble your bowls with the rice, black beans, corn, avocado, steak, then top with the cilantro lime crema.

You can also add in some chopped lettuce, sauteed bell peppers and onions. etc. – this recipe is very versatily. Enjoy and try my chicken burrito bowls or gluten free beef and broccoli next!

Variations

Use cauliflower rice. Make it paleo friendly by swapping the regular white rice for cauliflower rice! Whole Foods sells a frozen cilantro lime riced cauliflower that would be delicious here.

Add other veggies. I love adding some sauteed bell pepper and onion to kind of make these like a steak fajita bowl. It adds a lot of flavor and veggies. Diced up romaine lettuce, pico de gallo or a scoop of guac is also great here.

Switch up the sauce. I used my cashew cilantro lime crema here, but my chipotle aioli is also delicious. Even just doing some pico de gallo and guac together will add a lot of flavor without the need for a proper sauce.

Top with cheese! I’m on a slight dairy free kick these days, but a generous sprinkle of cheddar cheese or a mexican cheese mix would be delicious.

What’s the best cut of steak?

It really depends on the recipe and your personal preference, but for this recipe, whatever your favorite is will work great! I like flank steak or sirloin here, but if you prefer a fattier cut, that will work great too.

Cooking tips

Don’t overcook the steak! You can always cook it more, but you can’t cook it less once it’s already cooked. I like using a meat thermometer to ensure it’s perfect every time. I start with about 3-4 minutes on each side and adjust from there.

Greasing the pan. I don’t find it necessary to grease the pan because of the marinade, but you can add a bit of butter to your pan if you think it needs it or if you just like a little extra flavor! This will also depend on the type of pan you use, but I suggest cast iron.

Let the steak rest. After the steak has cooked, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing it. This allows the juices to redistribute which yields a more tender and flavorful cut.

More bowl recipes!

• Greek Chicken Bowls
• Mongolian Beef Bowls
• Chicken Fajita Bowls
• Honey Sriracha Salmon Bowls

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