Steak Burrito Bowl, packed with tender marinated steak, rice, beans, and avocado, is a proven weeknight winner. Did you know 62% of home cooks search for bowl recipes on social media first, making bowl content ideal for Pinterest and Facebook traffic? This guide focuses on flavor, speed, and clean plating, and it outperforms generic recipes by showing exact steps, troubleshooting, and smart swaps. In this guide, you’ll learn how to marinate, cook, assemble, and store a perfect Steak Burrito Bowl, plus pro tips for meal prep and nutrition.
For inspiration, try a lively street-style take like the street corn chicken rice bowl, which uses similar bold flavors.
Pros & cons
This quick pros and cons list helps you decide if this bowl fits your routine.
- Pros, quick to make in 30 to 40 minutes, high in protein, customizable for diets.
- Cons, requires attention to avoid overcooking steak, avocado should be used within 24 hours.
What Is Steak Burrito Bowl?
A Steak Burrito Bowl is a deconstructed burrito, served in a bowl with rice, beans, vegetables, and sliced steak. It keeps all the burrito flavors without the tortilla, making it gluten-free by default and easy to portion for meal prep.
This bowl is flexible for nutrition goals, from high-protein to lower-carb. Swap rice for cauliflower rice to reduce carbs, or add extra beans for fiber. Quick Facts about Steak Burrito Bowl
- Typical serving size, 1 bowl (about 550 g).
- Approximate nutrition per serving, 650 kcal, 40 g protein, 20 g fat, 70 g carbs.
- Prep time, 15 minutes; cook time, 15 to 20 minutes.
Nutritional highlights - Protein boost, flank steak or skirt steak provides 30 to 45 g protein per serving.
- Fiber, black beans add 8 to 10 g fiber per serving.
- Micronutrients, avocado delivers potassium and healthy monounsaturated fats.
Steak Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice Freshly squeezed is best
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt Adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Freshly ground is recommended
- 1 pound flank steak Thinly sliced
Bowl Assembly
- 3 cups cooked rice Or cauliflower rice for low-carb
- 1 can black beans Drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn Can be grilled or canned
- 2 avocados diced Add just before serving
- 1 cup salsa Store-bought or homemade
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro Chopped for garnish
- 4 wedge lime For serving
Instructions
Preparation
- In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Add thinly sliced flank steak and toss to coat. Let marinate for 15-30 minutes at room temperature.
Cooking
- Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until very hot.
- Add marinated steak in batches to avoid overcrowding, cooking for 2-3 minutes per side until caramelized edges form and steak reaches 140°F for medium doneness.
- Transfer cooked steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
Assembly
- Divide rice among four bowls.
- Top each bowl with sliced steak, black beans, corn, diced avocado, salsa, and fresh cilantro.
- Serve with lime wedges and any optional toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by marinating the steak to build flavor and tenderize the meat. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the thinly sliced flank steak and toss to coat. Let marinate for 15-30 minutes at room temperature. Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add marinated steak in batches to avoid overcrowding, you will likely need 2-3 batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until caramelized edges form and steak reaches 140°F for medium doneness. Transfer cooked steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, this keeps the meat juicy. Assemble bowls by dividing rice among four bowls. Top each with sliced steak, black beans, corn, diced avocado, salsa, and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and optional toppings.
Step-by-step actions and expected results
- Marinate steak, action: toss steak in marinade, expected result: more tender, flavorful meat.
- Heat pan very hot, action: preheat skillet, expected result: fast sear and caramelization.
- Cook in batches, action: avoid crowding, expected result: brown crust, not steam.
- Rest steak, action: let meat rest 5 minutes, expected result: juicier slices.
- Assemble bowls, action: layer rice then toppings, expected result: balanced texture and flavor.
For meal prep notes, see a quick guide to high-protein morning prep like this high-protein breakfast burrito for scheduling tips.
Variations & Substitutes
This section helps you alter the bowl for diets or local ingredients. Swap proteins, grains, and toppings to create regional or dietary versions without losing balance.
Variations and impact
- Vegetarian, replace steak with grilled portobello or spiced tempeh, adds fiber and lowers saturated fat.
- Low-carb, use cauliflower rice, cuts carbs by about 60% and reduces kcal to ~420 per serving.
- Regional twist, add chipotle or adobo for smoky heat, increases spice level and sodium slightly.
Chef tip
“To deepen steak flavor, add 1 tsp soy sauce to the marinade for umami, but reduce added salt.”
Mistakes to Avoid
Beginners often overcook steak or overcrowd the pan, which ruins texture. Follow this checklist to get a consistent result every time.
Checklist of 5 common errors and fixes
- Overcrowding pan, fix: cook in 2-3 batches for a sear.
- Skipping rest, fix: rest 5 minutes to retain juices.
- Undersalting, fix: season in two stages, during marinade and after cooking.
- Cutting wrong direction, fix: slice against the grain for tenderness.
- Late avocado addition, fix: add avocado just before serving to avoid browning.
Storage, Reuse
Leftovers can be a meal-prep hero when stored properly. Cool bowls to room temperature, then refrigerate within 2 hours in airtight containers.
Storage and reuse tips
- Refrigerator, keep up to 3 days at 4°C.
- Freezer, freeze steak only for up to 2 months, thaw in fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat, gently warm steak in a skillet with a splash of water for 1 to 2 minutes to avoid drying.
Related Recipes / See Also
If you love this, try our other bowls that use bold spices and smart swaps.
- For a hearty skillet chili, try our gourmet chili bowl.
- For plant-based bowls, see the Mediterranean chickpea bowls.
- For a gluten-free taco-style option, try the sweet potato taco bowl.
Conclusion
Recap, a Steak Burrito Bowl gives you fast protein, big flavor, and flexible swaps for any diet. Benefit statement, once you master searing and simple assembly, you can produce a restaurant-style bowl at home any night of the week.
