Description
Steak Queso Rice delivers pure comfort straight from Texas kitchens, blending sizzling grilled beef with creamy melted cheese and fluffy seasoned rice for a hearty meal that brings serious flavor to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 lb (450g) sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced
Base:
- 2 cups cooked white or Spanish rice
Flavor & Sauce Components:
- 1 cup (120g) shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup (120g) prepared salsa or diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Salt and pepper
Garnishes:
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- Fresh jalapeno slices
- Chopped tomatoes
- Diced avocado
- Sour cream
- Extra cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare your 1 lb (450g) sirloin steak by patting the slices completely dry with paper towels, ensuring maximum seasoning absorption.
- Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil with chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to create a robust seasoning blend.
- Coat each steak slice thoroughly with the seasoning mixture, pressing spices gently into the meat to maximize flavor penetration.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until surface is extremely hot and slightly smoky.
- Arrange steak slices in a single layer, ensuring they do not touch each other, and cook for precisely 2 minutes on the first side.
- Flip steak slices and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until achieving a perfect golden-brown exterior while maintaining tender interior.
- Transfer cooked steak to a warm plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil to retain heat and moisture.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, moving it around to coat the pan’s bottom evenly.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour into melted butter, whisking continuously for exactly 1 minute to create a smooth roux.
- Gradually pour 1 cup milk into the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps and create a silky base.
- Reduce heat and fold 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese into the sauce, stirring until completely melted and glossy.
- Incorporate ½ cup salsa and optional ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, mixing until sauce reaches a creamy consistency.
- Cook 2 cups white rice according to package instructions, then fluff with a fork.
- Stir 1 tablespoon lime juice and optional chopped cilantro into the warm rice for added brightness.
- Plate rice as a base, arrange steak slices on top, and generously drizzle queso sauce over the entire dish.
- Garnish with fresh jalapeño slices, chopped tomatoes, diced avocado, and additional cilantro as desired.
Notes
- Choose a well-marbled cut like ribeye or sirloin for maximum flavor and tenderness in your steak.
- Keep your skillet super hot when searing steak to develop a gorgeous golden-brown crust and lock in juices.
- For a lighter version, swap regular cheese sauce for a Greek yogurt-based queso or use cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice.
- Add extra heat with diced jalapeños or a splash of hot sauce if your family enjoys spicier Tex-Mex flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 404 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 330 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg