I came up with these Southwest Steak Bowls because I had half a flank steak in my freezer that I needed to use up. As usual, I bulked up the meat with beans, rice, and other yummies, so that one pound of steak covered five servings. The brown rice and black beans make these bowls hearty and budget-friendly, but the smoky cumin-lime steak, juicy pico de gallo, sweet corn, and cool sour cream make them feel like a fresh summer meal. I LOVE that each steak bowl has a good mix of protein, fiber, grains, and toppings, so it feels like a full dinner without needing a bunch of sides!
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“Another total winner! What I most love about these ‘bowls’ is how easy they make entertaining large groups of people. I mean you just set everything out and everyone chooses what THEY love and everyone is happy. My gluten free friends will be happy. My picky friends will be happy. I do love foods that make entertaining both easy and YUMMY!”
Janiece
Build Your Own Steak Bowls at Home
I start these steak bowls with a base of brown rice cooked in chicken broth because that little swap makes a big difference in the overall flavor. You can use white rice if that’s what you have, but I like the extra heartiness brown rice adds here. Then I pile on canned black beans, corn, fresh pico de gallo, cumin-lime marinated flank steak, a dollop of sour cream, and a few sprigs of cilantro. Making steak bowls at home is such an easy, budget-friendly way to get a filling, restaurant-style meal without making dinner complicated. The steak is the only part that really needs your attention, and everything else is simple to prep, spoon on, and swap out depending on what you already have. These steak bowls are SO good. oh. my.
Recipe Success Tips
- Flank steak is the best cut for keeping costs low. It’s lean, flavorful, and a more budget-friendly way to enjoy steak for dinner (compared to other cuts like ribeye!). Flank and skirt steak can be used interchangeably; both have a great beefy flavor and tender texture when cooked properly, though they can get tough if overcooked. I like mine cooked to medium or just under, then sliced thinly against the grain.
- Grill the steak for extra smoky flavor. These bowls are amazing with grilled steak! Preheat the grill so the steak hits hot grates right away, then cook it for about 4-6 minutes per side. Use an instant-read thermometer and pull the steak around 130-135°F for medium-rare or 140-145°F for medium. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
- Follow the rice package directions. Brown rice needs more liquid and a longer cooking time than white rice because the outer bran layer is still intact. If you swap in white rice, follow the package directions for the correct cook time and liquid amount so the rice doesn’t turn mushy.
- Canned beans keep things easy. Canned black beans are already cooked, so all I need to do is drain and rinse them before adding them to the bowls! Dried beans are usually cheaper, but they take more planning: soak them overnight, then simmer in fresh water until tender before using. One 15oz. can of beans is about 1½ cups of cooked beans.
Southwest Steak Bowls
Cost $18.50 recipe / $3.70 serving
Ingredients
For the Steak
- 1 lb. flank or skirt steak (16oz., $12.32)
- 1½ Tbsp olive oil ($0.26)
- 1 garlic clove ($0.06)
- ½ tsp ground cumin ($0.02)
- ¼ tsp salt ($0.01)
- 1 lime ($0.25)
For the Rice
- 1½ cups brown rice (uncooked, (300g) $0.54)
- 3 cups chicken broth ($0.48*)
Toppings
- 1 small onion (small dice, (225g, 2 cups) $0.57)
- 1 large tomato (small dice, (315g, 2 heaping cups) $1.30)
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro (chopped, $0.42)
- ¼ tsp salt ($0.01)
- 15 oz. can black beans (drained and rinsed, $0.92)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels (thawed, $0.40)
- 8 oz. sour cream ($0.94)
Instructions
- Gather and prepare all ingredients.
- To make the steak marinade, mince the garlic and combine it in a bowl with the olive oil, cumin, salt, and juice from half of the lime (1-2 Tbsp juice). Save the other half of the lime to use in the pico de gallo. Add the marinade and steak to a zip-top bag or shallow dish, ensuring the steak is well-coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes while the rice cooks.
- Cook the rice according to the package instructions, but substitute chicken broth for the water.
- While the rice is cooking and the steak is marinating, prepare the pico de gallo. Dice the tomato and half of the onion. Combine the diced tomato, onion, juice from the second half of the lime, ¼ tsp of salt, and a handful of roughly chopped cilantro in a bowl. Stir until combined, taste, and adjust the salt if needed.
- To cook the steak, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the steak and cook for 3-5 minutes on one side, or until deeply golden brown. Flip and cook in the same manner on the second side. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and allow it to rest for five minutes. Thinly slice the second half of your onion and cook it in the skillet for about 3 minutes, or until they are caramelized.
- Once the steak has rested for a few minutes, slice it thinly against the grain (look for the lines in the meat and cut across them). To build the bowls, lay down one cup of rice, ¼ cup each of beans, caramelized onions, corn, and pico de gallo, a few slices of steak, a few sprigs of cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve hot.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Southwest Steak Bowls step-by-step photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Make the cumin-lime steak marinade: Mince 1 garlic clove and add it to a bowl with 1½ Tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp salt, and the juice from HALF of 1 lime (about 1-2 Tbsp juice). Save the other half of the lime for the pico de gallo. Stir the marinade together until it looks glossy and smells fragrant. The oil helps carry the cumin and garlic across the surface of the steak, and the lime juice adds bright flavor and lightly tenderizes the meat.
Marinate the steak: Add 1 lb. flank or skirt steak to a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the steak and turn it a few times so every surface is coated. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes while the rice cooks. That short marinating time gives the steak enough time to pick up flavor without causing the texture to break down too much from the acidic lime juice.
Cook the brown rice: Cook 1½ cups uncooked brown rice according to the package directions, but use chicken broth in place of the water (I use 3 cups of broth for my rice). This adds a LOT of flavor to your bowls. I like to use Better Than Bouillon because it’s less expensive than canned or boxed broths, and I can make any amount that I need, then keep the rest of the jar in the fridge.
Brown rice can vary by brand, so follow the timing on your package and cook until the grains are tender but still slightly chewy.
Make a quick pico de gallo: While the rice cooks and the steak marinates, add 1 diced tomato and half the diced onion to a bowl with the juice from the remaining half of the lime, ¼ tsp salt, and a handful of roughly chopped cilantro. Stir everything together, then taste and add a little more salt if needed.
Sear the steak: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. There was a lot of oil in the marinade, so I didn’t add any more to the skillet. Add the marinated steak and cook for 3-5 minutes on the first side, or until the surface is deeply browned and releases easily from the skillet. Flip and cook the second side for another 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak and your preferred doneness.
To check for doneness, use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak: medium-rare is 130-135°F, medium is about 140-145°F, and well-done is about 160°F or higher. Flank and skirt steak are lean cuts, so they stay more tender when cooked to medium or just under. If cooked well-done, they can become tougher and chewier. Lower the heat slightly if the skillet starts smoking heavily.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes so the juices can settle back into the meat before slicing.
Cook the onions in the skillet: Thinly slice the remaining half of the onion. Add the sliced onion to the same skillet and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned around the edges. The onions will pick up some of the browned bits left behind from the steak, which gives them a sweet, savory flavor without needing extra seasoning!
Slice the steak against the grain: After the steak has rested, slice it thinly against the grain. Look for the lines or the “grain” of the meat and slice it in the opposite direction. This helps keep the steak tender and easy to chew by cutting across the connective tissue.
Build the Southwest steak bowls: To assemble each bowl, start with 1 cup cooked brown rice. Top each bowl with the drained and rinsed black beans, thawed corn kernels, caramelized onions, pico de gallo, a few slices of steak, a few sprigs of fresh cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve the bowls hot and enjoy!
Toppings & Variations
These steak bowls are super flexible, so don’t feel like you have to stick to the exact toppings listed in my recipe here. Basically, anything you like in a burrito or on a taco would be amazing in this free-form bowl. Be creative!
- Swap the pico de gallo for salsa: Fresh pico de gallo keeps the bowls bright and juicy, but your favorite jarred salsa is a great shortcut when tomatoes aren’t in season, or you don’t feel like chopping. Use a chunkier salsa if you still want lots of texture!
- Add avocado or an avocado sour cream sauce: Sliced avocado adds creamy richness without much effort. I also think swapping the sour cream for an avocado sour cream sauce would make the whole bowl feel a little more restaurant-style!
- Make it spicy! Dice up a small jalapeño and add it to the pico, or top your bowl with some pickled jalapeños.
- Try different steak options: Flank or skirt steak are my choice here, but sirloin or even a cheaper cut like bottom round can work if sliced thinly against the grain.
- Bulk it up with extra veggies: Sautéed mushrooms, shredded lettuce, green onions, or extra tomatoes are easy ways to add more volume without spending much. Cherry tomatoes work especially well because they stay sweet and juicy.
- Switch up the beans: I use black beans because they fit the Southwest flavors, but pinto beans or white beans work in a pinch. Make sure they’re drained and rinsed so they don’t make the bowls overly salty or watered down.
- Finish with something crunchy or cheesy: The cheese melts slightly into the warm rice and steak (which I LOVE), then something like tortilla strips adds a nice crunch against all the juicy toppings.
Serving Suggestions
These Southwest steak bowls are already a full meal with rice, beans, steak, and toppings, so you definitely don’t need a bunch of sides. This recipe makes 5 hearty bowl servings, with about 1 cup of cooked rice per bowl, plus beans, corn, pico, steak, and toppings. Just like my easiest burrito bowl meal prep, these Southwest steak bowls are perfect for prepping ahead because the rice, beans, corn, and steak all hold up well in the fridge. Keep the pico de gallo, sour cream, and cilantro separate until serving so everything stays fresh and juicy.
If you do want to add some more sides, I’d keep it simple with some air fryer tortilla chips for scooping up the rice, beans, and pico like a loaded dip. For a healthy side dish, my cumin lime coleslaw adds something cool, crunchy, and limey without making the meal feel heavy!
Storage Instructions
If you’re prepping these bowls ahead, let the steak and rice cool first, then store them in individual airtight containers with the beans and corn. Keep the pico de gallo, sour cream, and cilantro in separate containers and add those after reheating. These steak bowls will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating
Reheat the rice, beans, corn, and steak in the microwave until hot, stirring halfway through so everything heats evenly. If the rice looks a little dry, add a small splash of water or broth before reheating to help loosen it back up. Add the fresh toppings right before serving.
Freezer
These bowls are great for freezing, especially the rice, beans, and corn, which all reheat with very little texture change! The steak can also be frozen, but just keep in mind that it will cook a little more when reheated. Freeze the cooled rice, beans, and steak in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. I’d skip freezing the pico, sour cream, and fresh cilantro and add those fresh after reheating.
Love Bowl Meals? Try These Recipes Next:
- Bibimbap is a colorful rice bowl with chili garlic beef, sesame spinach, crisp veggies, kimchi, and a runny egg all tucked into one seriously satisfying meal!
- I always keep a stash of these Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls in the freezer because rice, beans, salsa, and cheese reheat well for quick future dinners.
- These Sushi Bowls are budget-friendly, customizable, and still have the creamy avocado, crunchy vegetables, and spicy mayo that make sushi night so satisfying.
- I use imitation crab in these Cottage Cheese Crab Bowls because it gives them a sweet seafood flavor without the real crab price tag!
More Easy Steak Recipes
Our Southwest Steak Bowls recipe was originally published 8/14/13. We have updated it to be the best it can be on 6/10/26.
Delicious! We had carne asada instead of plain steak. It was so good. Definitely a new favorite.
Do you cook the corn?
It just needs to be thawed, but you can heat it up if you prefer it warm.
I would love more flank steak recipes from you guys!
This recipe has literally all of the ingredients I like in it. My family insisted on stuffing this into tortillas, but I didn’t even need one for a satisfying Taco Tuesday.
Used your picture as inspiration for my steak bowl very delicious
Looooooove this. The marinade is simple but just fantastically delicious, even with my cheap bottom round steak. I sliced it for our dinner bowls, but the next day for lunch leftovers I diced it up as another commenter suggested and I think next time I make it I’ll do that from the start. I had half a sweet onion in the fridge, and I used that with some quartered cherry tomatoes to make the pico de gallo.
I am making this tonight. I gave it a rating already because of the ease in making it + one can be creative with the toppings, which I already had! I’m adding green onions, home baked tortilla chips, and lettuce to ours. Can’t wait! I follow BudgetBytes on Instagram and have already made a couple of the entrees, including several one pot meals.
Happy to hear it Carmen!
So delicious and a great way to “stretch” steak! These were amazing!
Do you think I could “meal-prep” this recipe for the freezer (without the sour cream of course)? I’m looking for “bowl” recipes to make ahead, and reduce lunch costs!
I think the pico de gallo (tomato, onion, cilantro) would also suffer from freezing and thawing. I’m not sure how the steak would do, though. It might get dry if pre-sliced like that.
I uploaded this recipe into My Fitness Pal and it came back as over 650 calories per bowl! This can’t be right-I divided this into 5 bowls for this weeks dinner. Do you know about what the calories are for each bowl?
Unfortunately, those calculators can sometimes be extremely inaccurate and that’s exactly why I don’t use them to provide nutrition info like other blogs do. :(
I made this last night and it was the best steak bowl ever, my partner and I loved it!
oooh I’ll have to try this! I love eating the Evol fire-grilled steak bowls from the freezer section, let’s see if I can make an equivalent at home…
DELICIOSO!! My picky family devoured these. That marinade is something I’ll be using more often. 500/5 stars!
I have some steak in the freezer that needs to be used. I’m looking forward to making this recipe for dinner this week.
Beth, your bowls are probably the best things I have discovered on your site. Just finished eating this one… damn good. I chopped up some orange cherry tomatoes to go into the pico and just on the side, and used parsley instead of cilantro. Also used white beans because of the diet I’m on, but sooooooooo good.
Thank you for giving something for the “rotation”. My sisters have both demanded I make the Sweet N Spicy Chicken Bowls again! :’)