Under-20-Minute Beef Fajita Bowl
Craving takeout energy without the takeout delay? Make this beef fajita bowl tonight.
When dinner has to happen fast and your brain is done making choices, this beef fajita bowl is the easy answer. It gives you the familiar fajita combo of seasoned beef, peppers, onions, and rice, all in one bowl with very little thinking required. You can use leftover rice to make it even quicker, but freshly warmed rice works too. Expect bold flavor, a little sizzle, and a dinner that feels complete without a lot of chopping or cleanup. It is not fussy, and it is not trying to be restaurant-level complicated. It is just a solid, satisfying bowl that gets you fed fast.
Ingredients
- 1 lb thinly sliced flank steak — or sirloin
- 2 tbsp olive oil — divided
- 1 unit red bell pepper — thinly sliced
- 1 unit green bell pepper — thinly sliced
- 1 unit yellow onion — thinly sliced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 3 cup cooked rice — warm
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup shredded lettuce — optional
- 0.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese — optional
- 0.25 cup sour cream — optional
Method
- 1 Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced beef, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- 2 Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Cook the bell peppers and onion for 4 to 5 minutes, until crisp-tender.
- 3 Return the beef to the skillet, add the lime juice, and toss for 30 seconds. Spoon the rice into bowls, top with the beef and peppers, then finish with salsa and any optional toppings.
- 4 Taste and add a little more salt or lime if needed. Serve right away while everything is hot.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Replace the beef with 2 cans of drained black beans or 14 oz pressed extra-firm tofu cubes, then season and cook the same way.
- Faster swap — Use frozen pepper and onion strips and microwavable rice to cut prep down to almost nothing.
- Substitutions — Swap flank steak for sirloin or thinly sliced skirt steak, and use Monterey Jack instead of cheddar if that is what you have.
Notes
For the fastest version, use leftover rice or microwave rice and slice the beef as thinly as possible. If your skillet is crowded, cook the beef in two batches so it browns instead of steaming. Keep toppings simple so this stays decision-light.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet — A wide pan lets the beef brown quickly and gives the peppers room to soften without steaming.
- Sharp knife — Thin slices cook fast, which is the whole point of keeping this dinner under 20 minutes.
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