Servings: 3

Prep: 30 min

Cook: 30 min

Total: 1 hour

Ingredients

For about 1 package of Trader Joe's shaved beef:

• 1 lb shaved beef

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1 tbsp orange juice

• 1 tbsp neutral oil

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• ¼ tsp cayenne — optional

• 1 tsp honey or brown sugar

Marinate: Mix everything together and toss with the beef. Let it sit 30–60 minutes. I wouldn't go much longer because the lime can make such thin beef a little mushy.

Cook the beef

1. Take the beef out of the marinade and let excess marinade drip off. Don't dump all the liquid into the pan.

2. Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot.

3. Add about 1 tsp oil.

4. Cook the beef in small batches. Spread it out and let it sit undisturbed for about 30–60 seconds so it can brown.

5. Toss/stir and continue cooking until you get some deeply browned, crispy edges, about 2–3 minutes total per batch.

6. Remove each batch to a plate and repeat.

7. Once everything is cooked, return the beef to the pan for 30–60 seconds to bring it all together.

Don't overcrowd the pan. That's the biggest danger with shaved beef—you'll end up steaming it in its own liquid instead of getting those delicious browned carne-asada edges.

Build the bowls

Cilantro-lime rice

I'd use:

• 2 cups cooked white or jasmine rice

• 1 tbsp lime juice

• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro

• ¼ tsp salt

Toss everything together while the rice is warm.

Thin-sliced pickled cucumbers

For 1 regular cucumber:

• ¼ cup rice vinegar

• 1 tbsp sugar

• ½ tsp salt

• Optional: thinly sliced jalapeño

Let it sit at least 20–30 minutes. The crisp, cold, acidic cucumber would be fantastic against the hot carne asada and creamy sauce.

Another option: Just do a handful of crunched-up tortilla chips in the bowl.

Charred corn

Use about 1½ cups corn (frozen works great).

Cook it in a hot skillet with a little oil until you get some browned/charred spots, 3-4 minutes. Stir and keep cooking a few more minutes Then at the end, add:

• Pinch of salt

• Squeeze of lime

• Optional: ¼ tsp chili powder

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce

Mix:

• 1.5 tbsp plain Greek yogurt

• 1.5 tbsp mayonnaise

• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

• ¼ tsp garlic powder

• ¼ tsp ground cumin

• Pinch of salt

• ½–1 tsp water, as needed to thin

• Optional: dash of chipotle sauce (or something spicy)

Fresh toppings

I'd do:

• Pico de gallo

• Pickled red onions

• Avocado

• Fresh cilantro

• Lime wedges

Tip:

I'd skip cheese on this particular bowl. The avocado + creamy sauce + beef already give you plenty of richness, and leaving out cheese keeps it closer to a really good street-taco flavor rather than turning it into a generic burrito bowl.

Nutrition

Calories

~750 kcal

Protein

~43 g

Carbohydrates

~65 g

Fat

~36 g

Fiber

~8 g

Sugar

~8 g