Tender, seasoned steak over fluffy rice, topped with fresh chimichurri, creamy chipotle sauce, and your favorite toppings.

Some recipes become family favorites because they’re quick and easy. Others earn their place in the rotation simply because they’re so delicious. These Steak & Mango Rice Bowls fall into the second category.

The recipe actually came to us through our good friend Mary. One evening while we were out together at Ole Brick House, Mary ordered a rice bowl that was so flavorful she decided to recreate it at home. She eventually made her version for us, shared the recipe, and we’ve been making it ever since!

I’ll admit, this recipe has a few more components than most of the meals I typically share. But the combination of seasoned steak, sweet mango, fresh toppings, and flavorful sauces is so good that it’s become one of our favorite dinners. The good news is: you don’t have to make everything from scratch!

When I have the time, I will make the fresh chimichurri and tomato relish. But you can easily simplify dinner by picking up prepared chimichurri and fresh pico de gallo at the grocery store. Trader Joe’s makes an excellent chimichurri sauce that I highly recommend, and I’ve recently found a great chipotle mayo at ALDI.

We also frequently serve these bowls over regular basmati rice rather than cilantro-lime rice, and they’re every bit as delicious.

So whether you’re in the mood to spend a little extra time in the kitchen or need to get dinner on the table without too much fuss, this recipe works both ways.

Chimichurri Steak & Rice Bowls

Ingredients:

For the steak

• 12 ounces sirloin steak
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

For the bowls

• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice (or jasmine rice)
• 1 ripe mango, diced
• Prepared chimichurri sauce, or homemade (recipe below)
• Fresh pico de gallo, or homemade tomato relish (recipe below)
• Cotija cheese, crumbled, to taste OR any shredded cheese will do
• Fresh cilantro, for serving

For the chipotle mayo

• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon lime juice

Instructions:

1. Prepare the rice. Cook the basmati rice according to the package instructions. Keep warm while preparing the remaining ingredients.
2. Season the steak. Rub the sirloin with olive oil, then coat with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
3. Cook the steak. Heat a skillet over medium-high to high heat. Sear the steak for approximately 3–5 minutes per side, depending on its thickness and your preferred doneness. Let rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
4. Make the chipotle mayo. Stir together the mayonnaise, minced chipotle peppers, and lime juice until smooth. Adjust the amount of chipotle to your preferred spice level.
5. Prepare the toppings. Dice the mango, crumble the cotija cheese, and chop the fresh cilantro. Have your chimichurri and pico de gallo ready.
6. Assemble the bowls. Start with a generous scoop of rice. Add sliced steak, diced mango, pico de gallo, and cotija cheese. Spoon chimichurri over the steak and drizzle with chipotle mayo. Finish with fresh cilantro.

Want to Make Everything From Scratch?

Homemade Chimichurri

• ½ cup fresh parsley
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup olive oil

Finely chop or blend the ingredients together until combined. Leave a little texture rather than blending completely smooth.

Fresh Tomato Relish

• 1 Roma tomato, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon finely minced red onion
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• Pinch of salt

Combine the ingredients and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Optional Cilantro-Lime Rice

If you want to make the original cilantro-lime rice instead of plain basmati, cook 1 cup of rice with 1¾ cups water, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon butter. Once cooked, stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro.

Optional Quick Pickled Red Onions

• ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Stir together the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Pour over the sliced onions and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Add to the finished bowls if desired.

A Few Tips from My Kitchen

Take the shortcut! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with using store-bought chimichurri and pico de gallo. Trader Joe’s chimichurri is especially good. I’ve also recently found a great chipotle mayo at ALDI.

Keep the rice simple. Plain basmati rice works beautifully. There’s already so much flavor in the steak, sauces, and toppings that you won’t miss the cilantro-lime rice.

Let everyone build their own bowl. Set out the steak, rice, mango, sauces, and toppings so everyone can assemble their dinner exactly how they like it.

Don’t skip the mango. The sweetness of the mango balances the seasoned steak, tangy chimichurri, and smoky chipotle mayo.

Worth the Effort

I love a simple dinner as much as anyone, but sometimes a meal with a few extra steps is worth making. These bowls are proof that a flavorful, restaurant-inspired dinner can become a family favorite at home—and that taking a few shortcuts doesn’t mean sacrificing a delicious meal.

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