One of my favorite quick restaurant meals is a burrito bowl from Chipotle, minus the rice and beans. This healthy keto burrito bowl recipe is a homemade version of that, but I swapped in thinly sliced steak for the meat and used cilantro lime cauliflower rice instead of no rice at all. To make it faster and easier, I also used sliced avocado instead of the guac I usually get at Chipotle, but feel free to make guacamole if you prefer. I have several other variations for you below, so you can customize your healthy burrito bowl with your favorite toppings and flavors.
What Is A Keto Burrito Bowl?
A keto burrito bowl adds all your favorite low carb burrito ingredients into an all-in-one meal — without the tortilla! This beef burrito bowl recipe uses cilantro lime cauliflower rice and flank steak, but it’s easy to customize with different meats and toppings. This keto friendly burrito bowl tastes very similar to the ones from Chipotle, without the high-carb ingredients like brown rice, white rice, or black beans.
Low Carb Burrito Bowl Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this steak burrito bowl recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Flank Steak – I chose grass-fed beef for this recipe, but conventional beef will work too. You can substitute other cuts like hanger steak, sirloin steak, or top round. Any keto meats that you would enjoy in a burrito can go in this recipe!Olive Oil – You can also use avocado oil, which tastes neutral and works well for grilling steak.Lime Juice – Juice from fresh limes tastes the absolute best, but use lime juice in a bottle if you need to.Taco Seasoning – A zesty blend of spices, including cumin, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and others. You can buy it pre-made (just watch for sugar or other starchy fillers), or make homemade taco seasoning in minutes! The homemade seasoning already contains salt, but if the one you are using does not, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the meat.Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice – Swapping grain-based rice with one made from vegetables makes this low carb burrito bowl naturally paleo and whole30, too. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, plain cauliflower rice works as well.Fresh Garnishes – Including sour cream (omit for paleo/whole30), tomatoes, red onion, and avocado. Guacamole is also delicious in place of the avocado, if you have time.
How To Make A Burrito Bowl
This section shows how to make a homemade burrito bowl with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Make cauliflower rice. Get instructions for cilantro lime cauliflower rice here or plain cauliflower rice here. For both, cook over medium heat and stir occasionally.
Season steak. Toss steak with 1 tablespoon of the oil, lime juice, and taco seasoning.
TIP: If you have time, marinate the steak in the oil, lime juice, and seasoning for 1-2 hours. This is not required, but will make it more flavorful.
Cook steak. Add oil to a skillet, and cook steak on medium high heat, until browned on both sides.
Assemble. Divide cauliflower rice among bowls, then top with steak and garnishes.
Are burrito bowls healthy?
Burrito bowls are definitely healthy and easy to customize to your dietary needs. This bowl replaces traditional rice with cauliflower rice to make it keto and cut down on carbohydrates, but you can also adjust toppings to omit dairy, go meatless, or add more protein. Full nutrition information is on the recipe card below.
Burrito bowl vs taco salad: What’s the difference?
A taco salad uses romaine lettuce (or other greens) as the base for taco-style toppings, while a burrito bowl uses a bed of rice.
How to make a burrito bowl vegetarian?
To make a vegetarian burrito bowl recipe, replace the protein with a fried egg, beans (or a low carb bean substitute), or additional dairy like shredded cheddar cheese.
Keto Burrito Recipe Variations
There are so many ways to customize this bowl! Try these additional toppings and variations to fit your tastes.
Meats – Instead of steak, try seasoned ground beef, beef barbacoa, grilled shrimp, pulled pork, or shredded chicken. You can also make a chicken burrito bowl by tossing raw chicken pieces in the same seasonings, instead of the flank steak, and then cook the same way.Rice Swaps – Trade cilantro lime rice for spaghetti squash, shirataki rice, or a bed of lettuce.Burrito Bowl Sauces – Try homemade queso, fresh tomato salsa, salsa verde, or guacamole.Toppings – Fry bell pepper and onions for traditional flavor, cilantro lime taco slaw, pico de gallo, or incorporate any other keto vegetables you like.Chips Or Tortillas – Serve with keto tortilla chips, nachos, or homemade tortillas.
Storage Instructions
Store: Store toppings and cooked components separately in the fridge for up to 3 days, without avocado. Avocado is best sliced freshMeal prep: Prep all components except avocado ahead of time, and assemble when ready to serve.Reheat: For the cauliflower rice and steak, microwave or heat in a 350 degree F oven, until warm. You can also reheat on the stovetop.Freeze: Only freeze cooked components. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Top with fresh toppings when ready to serve.
More Keto Mexican-Inspired Recipes
If you like this keto burrito recipe, you’ll love these low carb takes on Mexican favorites:
Mexican Ground Beef CasseroleStuffed Poblano PeppersZucchini Taco BoatsKeto Chicken Enchiladas
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it! Recipe from The Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook.
