Simple Tex Mex Steak Bowl

If you’re looking to spice up your dinner routine, this tex mex steak recipe with homemade salsa is a simple, healthy recipe that packs a lot of flavor. Prepare it for yourself, or for your family in under an hour with only about 215 calories per serving.

And now, let’s get cooking this simple tex mex steak recipe!

Simple Tex Mex Steak Bowl

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 55 minutes

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 215 / Fat: 9g / Protein: 12g / Carbs: 16g

Tex Mex Steak Bowl INGREDIENTS

1 pound strip steak
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil, divided
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces snap peas, trimmed
1 Cup brown rice

For the Salsa:

2 green onions, trimmed
1 Cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 jalapeno pepper, stem removed (seeds and ribs removed for less heat)
1 Tablespoon lime juice
2 Tablespoons cilantro
Clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper, to taste

Tex Mex Steak Bowl DIRECTIONS

Season strip steak on both sides with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Set it aside and let the meat come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place rice in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water. Cover saucepan and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through. Remove saucepan from heat, fluff rice with a fork, and set aside.
For the salsa: place green onions, tomatoes, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and chopped onion in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to chop to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and add more lime juice, if needed.
For the vegetables: heat 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil in a cast-iron or sturdy skillet (skillet will be used to cook the steak next) over medium-high heat. Sauté mushrooms until soft. Add onion and snap peas. Toss the mixture frequently with tongs until vegetables are cooked through, but still crunchy. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and scrape the mixture into a large bowl.
Wipe skillet with a paper towel and heat remaining 1/2 Tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until very hot and almost smoking. Meanwhile, pat steak dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, but being careful not to wipe off the seasoning.
Place steak in the middle of the pan and cook without moving it for 1 to 2 minutes, until seared on one side. Flip with tongs and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until seared or cooked to desired doneness. Remove from heat and place on a plate to let rest for 3 minutes. Place steak on cutting board and cut into thin slices.
Divide rice among 4 plates and top with vegetables, steak, and salsa before serving.

What is the Best Steak for Tex Mex?

The best tex mex steak recipe starts with the best tex mex ingredients, and the most important ingredient of all is your cut of meat. The best steak for a tex mex steak recipe is a New York strip steak. This cut of meat is a little pricier than others, but as the star of the show in this simple dish, it’s worth spending a little extra money. The strip steak is a tender, juicy cut of beef that is easy to prepare and a tasty addition to the meal.

How Long do I Marinate Steak?

While this recipe doesn’t call for a tex mex steak marinade, you will want to pre-season your steak. In fact, many people contend that the best steak marinade isn’t a marinade at all, but a simple dusting of salt and fresh pepper. For tex mex grilling, salt and fresh pepper is the only tex mex rub you’ll need. Season it with salt and fresh cracked pepper about 30-40 minutes before cooking. This gives the seasonings a chance to absorb into the meat, which will give you a juicier steak. If you wait to do this right before cooking, the taste of the seasoning will shine through instead of the steak.

Strip Steak Cooking Tips

To get the most from your strip steak, follow these steak cooking tips:

Let your steak come to room temperature before cooking so it will cook more quickly and evenly.
Season it with salt and pepper 30-40 minutes before cooking to let the meat absorb the seasonings.
Pat the steak dry with a paper towel before you put it in the pan. Removing the extra moisture will help you get a good sear on the steak. If it is too wet, the steak will end up boiling itself in the pan, and no one wants that.
Use a heavy pan, like a cast-iron skillet, and get it nearly smoking hot before adding the steak. This helps create a good sear or crust.
Only cook for a couple of minutes on each side.
Turn the steak with tongs since a fork can release the juices.
Let it rest for 5-10 minutes after you remove it from the pan to lock in the juices before cutting it.

Why is my Strip Steak Tough and Chewy?

There are a lot of factors that can contribute to a steak’s texture—from the cut to the cooking method. Generally speaking, a New York strip steak is a tender cut of meat, but there are a few things you can do to make sure it stays that way. If your steak is tough and chewy, it could be for one of these reasons:

The pan wasn’t hot enough. Your pan should be almost smoking hot when you put your steak in. This helps get a good sear and cook the steak quickly.
The wrong pan was used. A heavy pan, like a cast-iron skillet, retains heat better than a non-stick pan and will give you a good sear and a quick cook.
You cooked it too long. Steak cooks quickly, so it only needs a couple of minutes on each side. Overcooking it will make it tough.
You turned it too much. Steak doesn’t require a lot of manhandling. The less you fuss with it, the better.
It was too wet. Failing to pat your steak dry before you put it in the pan will cause it to boil instead of sear.
Not enough marbling. Pick a cut of meat with a good amount of marbling (fat throughout) for a juicier, tender steak.
It wasn’t room temperature when you cooked it. Allowing the steak to warm up a bit helps it cook more quickly and evenly.
You cut it too soon. Letting the steak rest for a few minutes after cooking allows all the juices to get locked in. Cut into it too soon, and they will all run out and leave your steak dry and tough.

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