Paleo Carne Asada Bowl (Whole30, AIP-friendly)

What’s Inside: This Paleo Carne Asada Bowl recipe is perfect for summer grilling and meal prep! It’s a lightened up low carb version of your favorite takeout alternative, yet filling, and packed with fresh flavors like the Cucumber-Radish Pico de Gallo, grilled flank steak, and creamy avocado dressing. It’s AIP-friendly and Whole30, too!

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Delicious and Easy Carne Asada Bowls

This Paleo Carne Asada Bowl recipe is the perfect summertime meal! I recently took a poll inside my private meal plan community on what their favorite summer meal was… and I mostly received a mix of grilled meats, crisp veggies, and bold flavors. And, I obviously agree and was inspired while making this dish that fits the bill perfectly! It’s filling and satisfying, but won’t weigh you down or make you feel sluggish. This is the definition of fueling your body with healthy and delicious food!

The star of this dish is — no surprise — the juicy, tender, succulent grilled carne asada. The carne, aka the steak shines so bright because of the marinade it’s grilled with and because of the other meal components, like the bright and fresh Cucumber-Radish Pico de Gallo, the creamy avocado dressing, and the bed of fresh salad greens mixed with turmeric cauliflower rice as the base of the bowl.

This is a must-make recipe for summertime lunches, dinners, and meal prep! You can easily prep the components separately and bring it all together just before serving.

What Kind of Meat Do You Use for Carne Asada?

Traditionally, carne asada is with skirt steak or flank steak. While these two cuts of beef are similar and can be used interchangeably, they do have some distinct differences.

Flank steak (or, Bavette) is a more lean option and has a great, intense meaty flavor. This is the cut I used that I sourced from Grass Roots Coop, ensuring it’s grass-fed, grass-finished, and sustainably raised which is not only more nutrient-dense but healthier for the environment. Skirt steak also has an intense meaty flavor, but its fibers can get tougher than flank steak. Skirt steak should only be cooked to rare or medium-rare; otherwise, it will get too chewy.

Both flank and skirt steaks, like any steak, should be allowed to rest for a few minutes after cooking, then sliced against the grain before serving. This ensures optimal juiciness!

Key Ingredients

This recipe for Paleo Carne Asada Bowls is comprised of four ingredient groups: the steak and marinade, the cucumber-radish pico de gallo, the avocado dressing, and the bowl’s foundation.

• For the Steak and Marinade, you’ll need: 2 pounds of Bavette Steak (Flank or skirt), ¼ cup orange juice, the juice of 1 lime, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic powder, dried oregano, cumin (or cinnamon for AIP), sweet or smoked paprika (omit for AIP), coriander powder (omit for AIP), and sea salt.
• For the Cucumber-Radish Pico de Gallo: Mini cucumbers, radishes, red onion, lime (juice and zest), fresh cilantro, and sea salt.
• For the Avocado Dressing: 1 ripe avocado, lime (juice and zest), extra virgin olive oil, fresh cilantro, and sea salt.
• For the Bowl: 4 cups of cauliflower rice, turmeric powder, sweet or smoked paprika, dried oregano, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper (omit for AIP), and shredded lettuce (or any preferred greens).
• Garnish with sliced avocado, coconut yogurt, lime wedges, and sea salt.

Tip: Take this carne asada bowl to the next level with the addition of one of my favorite dairy-free cheese sauces!

How To Make a Paleo Carne Asada Bowl

1. Marinate the Steak: Clean steak and cut off any “silver skin” on the fat layer that may remain for a more easily chewable bite. Place steak in a baking dish or Ziplock bag. Combine all other ingredients for marinade in a small mixing bowl and whisk, pour over the steak and make sure it’s fully coated. Refrigerate and allow it to marinade for at least 1 to 4 hours.
2. Prepare Sauce and Salsa: Meanwhile, combine all pico de gallo ingredients in a small mixing bowl, and let sit for the flavors to meld. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Also, prepare the avocado dressing at this time by combining all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add water as needed to loosen the dressing. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. Grill the Steak: Heat a grill or cast iron skillet over high heat, add olive oil and once shimmering, place the marinated steak (discard the extra marinade). Grill on each side for approx. 6 minutes for medium-rare or more if you’d like it well-done (depending on thickness of steak). Once ready, let the steaks rest for 5 minutes, and slice thinly at a bias.
4. Prepare Cauliflower Rice and Salad: In a skillet, add ghee or oil over medium-low heat. Add cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen) and season with seasonings. Mix to combine with a wooden spoon and cook for 5-8 minutes until rice is soft. Set aside. In serving bowls, add salad greens and cauliflower rice to be the base of the bowl.
5. Assemble the Carne Asada Bowl: Add sliced steak over cauliflower rice, drizzle with avocado dressing and optionally garnish with sliced avocado, lime wedges, cilantro, and coconut yogurt. Enjoy!

Storage Instructions

If making these Whole30 Carne Asada bowls for meal prep, assemble as directed in individual, airtight containers and eat as desired throughout the week. They will keep for up to 4 days.

More Recipes To Try

If you enjoyed this Paleo Carne Asada Bowl recipe, then you’ll love these other quick and easy weeknight meals:

• Easy Paleo Ground Chicken Taco Salad
• 20-Minute Egg Roll Skillet
• Instant Pot Greek Spaghetti
• Gluten-Free Orange Chicken
• The BEST Egg-Free Meatballs

Video: Watch How To Make The Recipe

This recipe was made in partnership with Grass Roots Coop. As always, I only recommend and partner with brands I trust and use myself.