Fresh and flavorful Ground Beef Fajita Bowls – made with jasmine rice, lime seasoned beef, sautéed peppers, plus charred corn and creamy avocado for more upgrades. It’s an excellent dinner rotation recipe!
These mouthwatering fajita bowls are a great option for when you are craving fajitas but wanting to try a fresh new spin.
They are also a more economical way to enjoy beef fajitas, switching from steak to ground beef.
Plus these bowls don’t require marinating time and can be made super fast if you have leftover rice. I like to cook up a big batch of rice in my rice cooker and make dinners for the next few days using it up.
Tasty options for when you want to use up a big batch of rice include chicken fried rice, Korean beef bowls, salmon rice bowls, and these nicely seasoned ground beef fajita bowls.
Beef Fajita Bowl Recipe Ingredients
Cooking oil: Avocado oil or olive oil work well for this recipe.
Ground beef: Use lean ground beef, preferably 85% to 90% lean.
Chili powder: You can use a standard light chili powder here or a blend. New Mexico chili powder and ancho chili powder are other good options. A little chipotle chili powder too if you want it spicy.
Ground cumin: This adds a nice earthy flavor to the fajita bowls. You can also add some ground coriander if you want more spice flavor.
Salt and black pepper: Season to taste.
Garlic: In a pinch you could replace with 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
Lime juice: This gives the fajita bowls the classic bright fajita flavor.
Jasmine rice: Used as the base of the bowls for a dense and filling carbohydrate.
Bell peppers: Use one red and one orange, as these are sweeter and provide nicer color than green peppers, which tend to go a bit dull.
Red onion: Adds the typical punch of onion flavor found in fajitas.
Corn: Frozen charred corn works well; fresh grilled or boiled corn are great options as well.
Cilantro: A great herb for Mexican and Tex-Mex food that adds a nice pop of freshness.
Avocado: Adds a rich creaminess to the bowls.
Other optional toppings: Sour cream, salsa, Mexican hot sauce, pico de gallo, or Cotija cheese are all good options.
How to Make a Ground Beef Fajita Bowl
Sear the beef: Heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt. Add beef in chunks to the pan and press down to get a good sear. Let cook about 3 minutes until nicely browned on the bottom.
Break beef into small pieces, season: Flip beef chunks — drain off excess fat at this point if needed — then add 2½ tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1 tsp minced garlic, and season with pepper to taste. Break up the beef and continue to cook until it has cooked through.
Finish the beef: Once cooked through, stir in lime juice and remove from heat.
Sauté the peppers and onion: In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced bell peppers and red onion with the remaining chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred.
Assemble the bowls: Divide cooked jasmine rice among serving bowls. Top with the seasoned ground beef, sautéed peppers and onion, charred corn, sliced avocado, and fresh cilantro. Add any optional toppings and serve immediately.
