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Marinated Carne Asada Bowl with Sweet Potatoes
This carne asada bowl recipe was first featured in my May Healthy Dinner Meal Plan on Substack. It’s been one of my absolute favorite recipes recently, and I’ve heard so many good things from people who have made it on Substack as well! So, I knew it deserved a permanent spot here on the blog.
I cannot get over how good these high-protein steak bowls are! Honestly, it gives me the same vibe as my viral hot honey ground beef bowls, just elevated with a brighter, fresher flavor that feels perfect for warm weather. I’m officially obsessed, and I have a feeling you will be, too!
P.S.: You can also make the meat in an Instant Pot!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Make Ahead-Friendly – The steak is flavorful as-is and even more delicious when left to marinate overnight. Plus, the individual components can all be prepared in advance, making the bowl assembly quick and easy for busy weeknights.
- Bold Flavor – Between the citrusy carne asada marinade, creamy lime-jalapeño aioli, and optional drizzle of hot honey, every bite is full of sweet, savory, smoky, and bright flavors. I can’t get enough!
- The Best Textures – These bowls have the perfect combination of tender steak, soft roasted sweet potatoes, crunchy slaw, and creamy avocado.
- Healthy & Filling – With 43 grams of protein, healthy fats, and fiber, these bowls are hearty enough to keep you full for hours without feeling too heavy, which I love.
RELATED: Steak Couscous Bowls
Ingredients
Marinade
- Citrus – Orange juice, lime juice, and lime zest add a bright, citrusy taste and help tenderize the meat.
- Worcestershire Sauce – This adds savory, salty, umami flavor, giving the marinade lots of depth.
- Oil – I prefer to use avocado oil for its neutral flavor, but olive oil also works.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – This adds extra acidity to tenderize the steak.
- Garlic – Use pre-minced garlic to save time!
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper, dried oregano, coriander, ground cumin, and smoked paprika give the marinade a warm, savory, herbaceous taste.
- Cilantro – Finely chopped, this adds a pop of bright, peppery flavor that balances the warm spices nicely.
Carne Asada
- Flank Steak – Use 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of flank steak.
- Avocado Oil
Lime-Jalapeño Aioli
- Light Mayo and Greek Yogurt – These form the base of the aioli. I use light mayo to keep it a little lighter, but regular mayo also works. Make sure to use plain Greek yogurt. Any percentage you have on hand is totally fine!
- Olive Oil – This thins the aioli without diluting the flavor.
- Lime – Lime zest and lime juice add brightness, balancing some of the heaviness of the fats.
- Garlic
- Dijon Mustard
- Honey – Adjust to taste. Or, substitute maple syrup if preferred.
- Jalapeño – Finely minced, this adds crunch and the perfect amount of heat. Make sure to remove the seeds and white membrane of your jalapeño before adding it to the aioli!
- Cilantro
- Salt/Pepper
Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes – You’ll need 4-5 cups of diced sweet potatoes. Cut them into equal-sized pieces for quick, even cooking.
- Avocado Oil
- Salt
Cabbage Slaw
- Red Cabbage
- Carrots – Buy matchstick carrots to save time, or shred whole carrots.
Bowls
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Hot Honey – I always make extra hot honey to keep on hand when making my Hot Honey Salmon Bites, but store-bought hot honey is also great.
How to Make a Carne Asada Bowl
To cut down on prep time, I like to cook all the different components at once. Before cooking, gather a small bowl, a sharp knife, a blender, a casserole dish, a large skillet, and a small bowl. Here’s how to make a Sweet Potato Carne Asada Bowl:
- Prepare the marinade and aioli – Whisk all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, and pulse the aioli ingredients in a blender at the same time. They come together with similar ingredients. So, I find this saves a lot of time!
- Marinate the steak – Pour the marinade over the steak in an airtight container, and set the meat aside to marinate.
- Roast the potatoes – Peel and cube the potatoes. Then, toss them with avocado oil and salt, and spread them in an even layer in a casserole dish. Roast until the potatoes are fork-tender, tossing them throughout the process to promote even cooking. You can also roast the sweet potatoes on a sheet pan if preferred, cooking them for about 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through. They cook a little faster this way, but they tend to get a bit crispier and burn a little on the tops.
- Sear the steak – While the potatoes roast, sear the steak in oil in a hot skillet, cooking both sides. I like to add some of the extra marinade in the last couple of minutes of cooking to create a caramelized exterior!
- Make the slaw – While the steak cooks, mix the slaw ingredients with the aioli, coating them completely.
- Serve – Divide the roasted sweet potatoes into bowls. Then, add the steak, slaw, and avocado. Finish with chopped cilantro and a drizzle of hot honey, and enjoy warm!
Tips
- Marinate the steak overnight if possible. Even 30 minutes adds flavor, but a longer marinade creates more tender, flavorful carne asada.
- Cut the sweet potatoes evenly. Try to keep them around 1/2-inch in size so they roast evenly and become perfectly tender.
- Use a cast-iron skillet. A hot cast-iron skillet helps create a flavorful sear and caramelization on the steak, cooking it quickly without drying it out.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook the steak in batches if needed, leaving a little space between each piece, so it browns evenly on all sides.
- Let the steak rest before slicing. This allows the natural juices to redistribute, keeping it tender and juicy.
- Slice against the grain. Cutting the steak against the grain makes the carne asada easier to chew and a lot more tender.
- Slice the steak before cooking. I like to slice my steak after cooking to keep it a little more tender. However, you can slice it into strips before cooking if you want to speed up the cooking time.
You’ll Also Love: Ginger Beef & Broccoli Bowls
Variations
Make your carne asada bowls spicier. Add extra jalapeño to the aioli, include red pepper flakes in the marinade, or finish the bowls with extra hot honey or your favorite hot sauce to amp up the heat.
Use chicken instead of steak. Swap the flank steak for chicken thighs or chicken breast for a slightly lighter variation with similar flavors.
Add rice or quinoa. Make the bowls even heartier by adding cilantro lime rice, Instant Pot brown rice (or microwave rice packets), or quinoa as a base.
Use different veggies. Add roasted corn, pickled onions, bell peppers, or cherry tomatoes for extra flavor and texture.
Turn the bowls into tacos. Skip the bowls and serve the carne asada and toppings in almond flour tortillas for easy tacos.
Add extra protein. Top the bowls with a fried egg for an even more filling meal.
Make the bowls lower-carb. Replace the sweet potatoes with cauliflower rice or extra cabbage slaw.
How to Store
I don’t recommend storing the bowls once they’re assembled, because the produce is likely to become soggy. Instead, I prep all the components ahead of time and store them separately!
The carne asada, sweet potatoes, slaw, and aioli will keep fresh in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the steak and potatoes for up to 2-3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to eat.
To serve, reheat the steak and sweet potatoes in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave. Then, assemble your bowls as usual, and enjoy.
Meal Prep Bowl Recipes
- Carnitas Bowl
- Chimichurri Chicken Bowl
- Orange Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
- Honey Sesame Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
- Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Turkey Taco Bowl Recipe
Easy Recipes with Beef
- Chili Lime Steak Tacos w/ Mango Salsa
- Korean Beef Bowl Recipe
- Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
- Easy Ground Beef Tacos Recipe
- Beef Curry Rice Burger Bowls
- Slow Cooker Beef Carnitas Tacos
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Carne Asada Sweet Potato Bowls
Video
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- handful of fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
Carne Asada
- 1-1 1/2 pounds flank steak
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil (divided)
Lime-Jalapeño Aioli
- 1/4 cup light mayo
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2-3 Tablespoons jalapeño (about 1 small jalapeños, seeded, finely minced)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Sweet Potatoes
- 4-5 cups sweet potatoes (diced)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cabbage Slaw
- 1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
Bowls
- 1 large avocado
- extra cilantro (chopped)
- optional: drizzle hot honey
Instructions
- Whisk the marinade ingredients together. I recommend using a blender to combine the aioli ingredients at the same time as you make the marinade, since they both use many of the same ingredients (saving you time and measuring spoons)!
- Pour the marinade over the steak and marinate in an airtight container overnight if possible, but for at least 30 minutes while you prep other parts of the recipe.
- If you haven’t already, blend the aioli ingredients together. Set aside in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Peel and cube the potatoes into small, 1/2-inch cubes.
- Mix the sweet potatoes, avocado oil, and salt in a 9×13” glass casserole dish (see notes for sheet pan method), then roast for 50-55 minutes until they are fork-tender, tossing them 2-3 times throughout the process to make sure they don’t burn and cook evenly.
- While the potatoes roast, heat a large cast iron skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated steak into the pan and sear for about 7-8 minutes on each side. Add in some of the marinade when you have 1-2 minutes left to caramelize over the steak.
- Meanwhile, mix with slaw ingredients with the set aside aioli.
- Divide the sweet potatoes, steak, slaw, and avocado into 4 bowls. Top with chopped cilantro, drizzle with hot honey, and enjoy!
Notes
- The sweet potatoes can also be roasted on a sheet pan! They cook a little faster this way, but they tend to get a bit crispier and burn a little on the tops. That’s totally fine! Personally, I like the glass casserole dish method best for even cooking and flavor, even if it takes longer! If using a sheet pan, roast the potatoes for about 30-40 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- If the carne asada seems undercooked, you can also throw the slices back into the skillet to finish cooking them immediately.
- Another option is to totally slice all of the steak before cooking. However, it’s important to note that this will reduce the cooking time!
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