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Thick, creamy pale yellow queso cheese generously poured over a bowl of steamed white rice and seared steak cubes. (Steak Queso Rice)

Irresistible Steak Queso Rice Bowls

Steak Queso Rice is the ultimate comfort food bowl, featuring fluffy steamed white rice, perfectly charred bite-sized steak cubes, and a velvety pale yellow cascading cheese sauce garnished with fresh cilantro.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 bowls
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Calories: 685
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Recipe Ingredients
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice (200g) rinsed
  • 2 cups water (480ml)
  • 1.5 lbs top sirloin steak (680g) cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil (15ml)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (5g)
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper (2.5g)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter (30g)
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (16g)
  • 1.5 cups whole milk (360ml)
  • 8 oz white American cheese (225g) freshly shredded from the deli block
  • 4 oz Monterey Jack cheese (113g) freshly grated
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (10g) finely minced

Equipment

  • 1 Cast Iron Skillet Essential for getting a deep, charred crust on the steak cubes.
  • 1 Medium Saucepan Used for building the roux and melting the pale yellow queso.

Method
 

Preparation and Cooking
  1. Rinse 1 cup (200g) of long-grain white rice under cold water until clear. Combine with 2 cups (480ml) of water and a pinch of salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and simmer for 15 minutes until fluffy.
  2. Pat the 1.5 lbs (680g) of bite-sized steak cubes dry. Toss them with 1 tsp (5g) kosher salt and 1/2 tsp (2.5g) black pepper.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp (15ml) avocado oil in a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear the meat in a single layer for 2-3 minutes per side until a deeply browned, slightly charred crust forms. Remove and let rest.
  4. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tbsp (30g) butter over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tbsp (16g) flour and cook for one minute. Gradually pour in 1.5 cups (360ml) whole milk while whisking constantly, allowing it to simmer and thicken for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Gradually fold in 8 oz (225g) white American cheese and 4 oz (113g) Monterey Jack cheese. Whisk continuously until you have a thick, smooth, and creamy pale yellow queso.
  6. Scoop the fluffy rice into bowls. Arrange the seared steak cubes on top. Generously pour the queso cheese sauce over the steak and rice so it cascades down the sides. Garnish with finely minced fresh cilantro.

Notes

Let your bite-sized beef cubes sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before searing to ensure they cook evenly.
Always use freshly grated block cheese for the queso; pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that ruin the velvety texture.