Queso Steak & Rice Bake

Last year my queso chicken bake was a huge hit, especially for meal preppers, so this year I put a spin on it, simplified some of the steps,  and made it with steak instead! Flank steak is a cost effective and lean protein source which gives this meal a little more heft.

Just like the queso chicken bake, if you wanted to make this a hand held item, and had more carbs available, you could put the cooked mixture into a big tortilla and make a burrito with it! While I used basmati rice in this recipe I have also used Right Rice (plant based) with good results.

Instructions

1. Make the marinade for the steak by adding 10g olive oil, lime juice, garlic and salt to a bowl or ziplock. Add steak and coat. Let sit for an hour.
2. Start preparing your rice per the instructions on the package. This should take about 15-20 minutes to cook, giving you time to work on the queso veggie sauce and the steak. If it finishes before the rest of the food, set aside with lid on.
3. Set oven to a broil (about 475 degrees at top rack position).
4. Grab your steak and lay it out on a foil covered sheet pan. Broil for about 9 minutes. Flank steak cooks pretty quickly!
5. When steak is done pull it from the oven and let cool a bit. Then slice it up into bite sized pieces about 1-2” squares and set aside. Reset oven temp to 375 degrees.
6. While steak is cooking, in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat add 5g olive oil, the onions and bell peppers. Saute for about 8 minutes until soft.
7. Add the jar of salsa, green chiles, milk, cream cheese and taco seasoning. Mix well until everything is melted together, then remove from heat.
8. In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked rice, steak bites and queso veggie mixture until everything is well distributed.
9. Grease a 9x13” casserole dish and spread the queso steak and rice evenly inside it.
10. Top with the shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.
11. To serve, add green onions, cilantro, sour cream, guacamole or any other toppings you wish!
12. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 4 days or frozen for a few months.