Carne Asada Burrito Bowls
Carne Asada Burrito Bowls are next-level delish! These combine tender grilled flank steak, the most amazing Mexican street corn salad, cilantro lime rice, and a variety of condiments. Great for entertaining and customizable too!
Tex-Mex is on constant rotation here, including our family favorite Grilled Chicken Burrito Bowls, Mexican Chicken Burritos with Chipotle Crema, and Easy Fish Tacos with Avocado Crema.
Carne Asada Bowls
My favorite food rotates between pizza and Mexican food, depending on my mood. You really can’t go wrong with either, am I right?
We love grilling up some chicken and/or steak on the weekends and turning them into burrito bowls, tacos, salads, and quesadillas. It’s so easy to do, especially if you also prep some zesty rice, the best street corn salad, a batch of pico de gallo, and have some chips and guac handy. So many choices to make when you love to cook and have access to yummy recipes!
These steak burrito bowls are seriously next-level AMAZING. They can easily be adapted too, which I do almost every time I make them. Don’t skip the Tex-Mex marinade, however, because it really is the BEST.
What is carne asada?
Carne asada is simply, grilled and sliced beef. You can use a variety of steak – flank steak (in this recipe), skirt steak, sirloin steak, tenderloin steak, or rib steak. It is usually cooked with a marinade and is seared to impart a charred flavor. You can serve carne asada as a main dish or use it as part of a recipe (like these bowls).
How to make Carne Asada Bowls:
Step 1
Make Tex-Mex marinade. In a mixing bowl, combine the marinade ingredients – the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, sugar, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Pour marinade over the steak – in a storage bag or airtight container.
Step 2
Refrigerate. Place meat in refrigerator for a couple of hours. If you marinate overnight, don’t add the lime until a couple hours before grilling.
Step 3
Let meat come to almost room temp. Set the meat out an hour or so before grilling. You want the meat to be almost room temp.
Step 4
Grill. Light a grill to 400 degrees and place steak on grates. Cook until the meat reaches 140 degrees (via a digital thermometer). You decide if you want your meat to be more done or rare.
Step 5
Rest and slice. Let the meat rest for 10-15 minutes, and then slice ACROSS THE GRAIN.
Step 6
Make sides. Make the remaining ingredients, including the street corn, cilantro lime rice, and other toppings.
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Prep all the salad ingredients in advance, grill the corn, let cool (while your meat is on the grill), and then slice the corn off the cobs. Mix it all up, and wa-la. A delicious side for all the things!
- Corn – Use fresh corn on the cob for best results.
- Jalapeños – Use 1-2 jalapeños. You can include seeds and rind if you enjoy spicy. If not, leave them out.
- Onion – Red onion works best in this corn salad.
- Cilantro – A handful of cilantro, chopped finely.
- Cheese – Use a crumbly Cotija Mexican cheese.
- Mayo – You’ll only need a couple tablespoons of mayo for this because the lime juice adds to the creaminess.
- Seasonings – Kosher salt, garlic powder, and ground cumin.
- Lime – Use 1-2 limes, according to your preference. I usually use the zest of one lime in this.
Remaining ingredients:
The carne asada is the show-stopper for this recipe, but the bowls require a few more things after the amazing street corn salad!
- Cilantro Lime Rice – I love making this in the Instant Pot, but you could make in on the stove as well. You can also make plain rice.
- Condiments – Lettuce, tomato, shredded Mexican cheese, and avocado slices
- Other Toppings – Salsa and sour cream, or try one of the toppings below.
Toppings for Burrito Bowls:
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can I use other types of beef for this recipe? We prefer flank steak, but you could use other types like skirt steak, sirloin, tenderloin, etc.
- How can I adapt this recipe? This recipe can be adapted in so many ways. Try adding grilled onions and peppers, skipping the condiments for some chunky guacamole and pico de gallo, using plain rice, adding a dollop of the best refried beans, and even using a different protein (like chicken or shrimp). So many choices!
- Can I meal prep steak bowls? We love to meal prep these bowls for lunches. I often add chicken to the grill (double the marinade) and rotate between chicken and steak bowls.
- How long can I keep leftovers? Leftovers are good for up to four days.
Kitchen Items Used: (affiliate links)
- We used our Big Green Egg with some Mesquite wood chips.
- Instant Pot – for the rice.
- Global 7-inch Knife
- Non-Slip Cutting Board
xoxo ~Sue
Carne Asada Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
For the carne asada:
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 large lime – freshly squeezed
For the remaining bowl ingredients:
- 1 batch Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
- 6 cups cilantro lime rice – or any rice
- Mexican cheese, avocado slices, chopped tomatoes and lettuce
- sour cream and salsa
Instructions
Make the carne asada:
- Place the flank steak in a storage bag or airtight container.
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl – the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, sugar, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Pour the marinade over the steak and refrigerate. (The steak should marinate for a couple of hours. If you marinate it for longer, wait to add the lime. Add it a couple of hours before grilling the meat.)
- Before grilling, let the meat come to almost room temperature by removing from the refrigerator and sitting on countertop.
- Light a grill to 400 degrees. When hot, sear meat on both sides and cook until it reaches about 140 degrees (via a digital thermometer) or whatever doneness you prefer.
- Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice ACROSS THE GRAIN to keep the meat tender.
Make the Mexican Street Corn Salad:
- Grill the corn (indoor or outdoor) on medium-high heat. Char the outsides but don't over-cook. Remove from grill to cool slightly. When corn is cool enough to handle, slice kernels off the cobs.
- In a medium bowl, combine the salad ingredients – the jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, cotija cheese, may, seasonings, and freshl lime zest and juice.
- Add the corn kernels to the bowl and mix well.
Prepare remaining ingredients:
- Make some cilantro lime rice (or use plain rice). Prep remaining condiments.
- Assemble bowls – combine the cilantro lime rice, street corn salad, and the carne asada. Top with condiments of choice – Mexican cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and avocado slices.
- Top with a combo of salsa and sour cream or make up a batch of Chipotle Ranch Dressing.
Video
Notes
- add grilled onions and peppers
- skip the condiments for some chunky guacamole and pico de gallo
- use plain rice or green Chile rice
- add a dollop of the best refried beans
- use a different protein (like chicken or shrimp)
We are big fans of Suebee Homemaker TexMex. The combination of ingredients in this recipe is a tasty Texas treat. 😁
Yes it is! So glad you’re a fan of Tex-Mex like we are, Jackie!
Talk about the ultimate bowl of Tex-Mex!