Steak Fajita Protein Bowls

Name: Steak Fajita Protein Bowls
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Ingredients: 1 1/4 pounds flank or skirt steak; 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 red bell pepper, sliced; 1 green bell pepper, sliced; 1 onion, sliced; 2 cups cooked rice, for serving; 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained, rinsed, and warmed; 1 avocado, sliced; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; Lime wedges, for serving

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

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Steak fajita bowls are mostly about getting three temperatures onto one fork: hot seared beef, warm peppers and onions, and cool avocado. Flank or skirt steak gets a chile-and-cumin rub with garlic, salt, and pepper before a fast skillet sear, then rests while the same pan takes on red and green bell peppers plus onion.

Using the same skillet is not just efficient. The vegetables pick up the browned seasoning left behind by the steak and char around the edges instead of tasting like a separate side dish that wandered into the bowl by mistake. Slice the rested steak thinly against the grain; that shortens the long muscle fibers in flank or skirt steak and gives you a more tender bite than cutting whichever direction happens to be convenient.

Rice and black beans make the base, with avocado, cilantro, and lime finishing the bowl. The lime is especially useful against the richness of the beef and avocado. You can arrange everything in neat little sections if that brings peace to your life, but five minutes later it is all going to be mixed together anyway. The bowl knows. The bowl has always known.

Prep20 minutes

Cook25 minutes

Total45 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

1 1/4 pounds flank or skirt steak
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 cups cooked rice, for serving
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained, rinsed, and warmed
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1Pat the steak dry and season both sides with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
2Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steak for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until it reaches your preferred doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
3In the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil and the bell peppers and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly charred, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt.
4Divide rice among bowls.
5Top each bowl with the sliced steak, peppers and onions, black beans, and avocado.
6Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

750Calories

50 gProtein

58 gCarbohydrates

38 gTotal Fat

11 gSaturated Fat

15 gFiber

4 gTotal Sugars

930 mgSodium

115 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Let the steak rest for a full 5 minutes before slicing -- cutting into it right away lets the juices run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
Always slice steak against the grain; slicing with the grain makes even a well-cooked steak taste chewy and tough.
Use the same skillet for the peppers and onions right after searing the steak -- the browned bits left behind add extra flavor to the vegetables.