Stir-fry recipes are perfect for a fast cooking filling meal. This Spicy Southwestern Steak Stir Fry with Cilantro-Lime Rice shares the flavor inspiration from Santa Fe, New Mexico and makes an exciting East-meets-Southwest satisfying meal!
This delicious recipe was originally posted in March 2015 and has been updated in March 2018!
I love making quick stir fry dishes. Selecting fresh seasonal ingredients, favorite protein sources and preparing a scrumptious meal in less than 30 minutes? It’s a win every time. Spicy Southwestern Steak Stir Fry has deep, fresh flavors of the Southwest whipped up in a quick stir fry. Marinated top sirloin steak strips, red pepper, jalapeno rings, corn and onion over Cilantro-Lime Rice create a filling but light meal.
My recipe for Spicy Garlic Sriracha Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry, made me remember how much I love making stir-fry meals (and a number of you commented to the same effect). It kicked off a flurry of stir fry recipe-making in my kitchen with today’s Spicy Southwestern Steak Stir Fry being an all time favorite.
It’s a misconception that just because it’s stir-fry with lots of fresh ingredients that it isn’t also filling and satisfying. This recipe is a perfect example!
When I shared this recipe for Spicy Southwestern Steak Stir Fry originally, I was traveling in the Southwest rounding some delicious recipes to share with you. Southwestern cuisine is known for its earthy chilies which deliver not only some heat but really deep, serious flavor as well.
Southwestern cuisine is truly is my favorite type of food. I even took a salsa cooking class from the Santa Fe Cooking School. I love being able to make a regional recipe when I’m back at home. It’s a perfect souvenier.
How to Make Spicy Southwestern Steak Stir Fry
Thinly sliced top sirloin is marinated overnight in a cilantro-cumin-red pepper marinade then quick stir fried in a wok or skillet with corn, red pepper, red onion, jalapeno and a chipotle-lime sauce all served with Cilantro Lime Rice. The steak adds substance to the recipe however the slices are about 1/8 inch thick, the dish is not heavy. It’s a very flavorful and satisfying dish that will have your diners wanting more!
The Cilantro-Lime recipe is an easy side dish perfect to serve topped with the steak stir fry. It can be used with any recipe and is great in rice bowls or a light side to grilled proteins.
Stir Fry Best Tips
Stir frying is best done in a wok or a large skillet(non-stick is a bonus). A high heatproof silicone spatula is a great utensil as well.
It is a fast cooking method with the ingredients only cooking for a few minutes tops. Make sure you have all the ingredients prepped before beginning! It goes so quickly you won’t have time to stop and prep somthing you didn’t prepare before beginning!
More Easy Stir Fry Recipes You’ll Love:
- Spicy Garlic Sriracha Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Mongolian Beef Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette
- Spicy Ginger Chicken Stir Fry
If you’ve tried this Spicy Southwestern Steak Stir Fry recipe or any other recipe on BoulderLocavore.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m up to!
Spicy Southwestern Steak Stir Fry with Cilantro-Lime Rice
This unique spicy Southwestern steak stir fry will liven up your dinner table! The majority of the recipe time is the overnight marinating of the steak slices. The stir fry may be made while the Cilantro-Lime Rice is cooking. Be sure to have the ingredients for the rice and stir fry prepared and available before beginning to cook as the stir fry goes quickly!
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Steak and Marinade:
- 1 pound Top Sirloin Steak , cut against the grain (across the steak) into thin 1/8 inch slices
- 2 tablespoons Tamari Sauce (low-sodium Soy Sauce may be substituted if the dish will not be gluten-free)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed Lime Juice (approximately 3 limes)
- ¼ cup Sunflower Oil
- 2 tablespoons Cilantro , chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground Cumin
- 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 large Garlic Cloves , chopped
- 1 medium Shallot , diced
- 1 teaspoon Red Chile Pepper Flakes
Ingredients for the Cilantro-Lime Rice:
- 1 cup Long Grain White or Jasmin Rice
- 1 cup low sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Water
- 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
- Zest of 1 Lime
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed Lime Juice
Ingredients for the Stir Fry:
- 3 tablespoons Tamari Sauce (low-sodium Soy Sauce may be substituted if not making the recipe gluten-free)
- 2 teaspoons Adobo Sauce (can use it from Chipotle en Adobo just do not use the peppers themselves)
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- Juice of ½ Lime
- 2 tablespoons Sunflower Oil
- 1 large Garlic Clove , diced
- ½ Red Onion , sliced in 1/8-inch rings
- 1 cup Corn Kernels (fresh or frozen; take frozen corn out of the freezer when beginning to cook, they do not need to be fully thawed)
- 1 large Red Pepper , seeded and cut into 1/8-inch vertical strips
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper , stem and seeds removed, cut into thin rings
Instructions
To Prepare the Marinade (marinate steak the night before cooking):
- Place all the marinade ingredients into a sealable container or a 1 gallon zipper plastic bag (tamari, lime juice, sunflower oil, cilantro, cumin, apple cider vinegar, garlic, shallot and red pepper flakes); do not add the steak yet. Seal the container or bag and shake to combine all the ingredients.
- Add the steak slices and stir or massage (if in a bag) to cover all the steak with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator overnight.
To Prepare the Cilantro-Lime Rice:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, chicken stock and water. Bring to a low boil, reduce temperature to low, cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes (or for the length recommended on the rice package). Note: if substituting brown rice, the cooking time will be longer; consult your rice package for exact timing, it’s usually doubled.
- Once the rice is done, remove it from the heat and allow it to sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the cilantro, lime zest and lime juice. Stir together with a fork.
To Prepare the Stir Fry (start the stir fry 15 minutes into the rice cooking time to complete at the same time):
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari sauce, adobo sauce, cornstarch and lime juice. Set aside.
- Place a colander in the sink and pour the contents of the marinade container/bag into the colander. Allow it to drain for a minute and shake it to release any excess liquid. Don’t work about any of the solid ingredients remaining on the steak.
- In a large skillet or wok over high, heat 1 tablespoon of the sunflower oil. When ripples can be seen on the oil’s surface add the steak.
Allow steak to sear for about 30 seconds and then continuously stir the beef until there is no visible pink color remaining; about 3-3 1/3 minutes. Note: with this recipe it may be difficult to see the pink color due to the marinade. 3 ½ minutes should be enough time to cook the beef without over cooking it; it should still be moist. Remove from the skillet/work and set aside. Any excess marinade which was released during the cooking of the steak may be drained before proceeding.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of sunflower oil over medium-high heat. When ripples are visible on the oil’s surface, add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the red onion rings and continue to stir until the onions become limp; about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper, corn and jalapeno rings. Continue to stir until the vegetables are cooked but not limp; 3-5 minutes.
- Return the steak to the skillet/wok, along with the sauce prepared in the first step (tamari-adobo). Stir rapidly to coat the ingredients; 30 seconds to 1 minutes. Serve immediately.
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
This dish looks amazing! A very long time ago, probably 18 years or so, our family took a cooking class at the Santa Fe School of Cooking while on vacation there and we loved it! I can’t wait to try this! We love Southwest style dishes! Pinning and sharing!
Toni Dash says
That’s so funny Michelle. My husband and I did the same thing before we were married which was right around that long ago. Yesterday my kids and I took a class there! We did a salsa making class which was easy since the three of us are gluten-free. We also learned how to make corn tortillas. Our hotel fridge is full of little containers of various salsas now! I will be sharing about the class and one of the recipes soon. They have moved locations to be farther off the Plaza and are celebrating their 25th year this year!
Chris @ Celebrations At Home says
We love Southwestern food and this looks beautiful and delicious!
Toni Dash says
Thank you Chris. I too love Southwestern food and this steak is really delicious!
Melissa Chapman says
Southwestern is one of the special areas of this country that makes America great. I will keep this recipe for a special occasion.
heather @french press says
I just love all the smoky flavors of the south west – and how can you beat a stir fry that is ready in less than 30 minutes – hope you’re having a wonderful time 🙂
Toni Dash says
Thanks Heather! We are nearing the end of the trip but went to a desert Botanical Garden, a great local restaurant, took a cooking class and did margarita tasting yesterday. Going to need a vacation when I get home.
Finoola says
I love this recipe! So much flavor and fast to make.
Ron says
This does sound so yummy. The marinade looks to have a great flavor and must stir-fry wonderfully. A must cook meal!
robin rue says
That sounds delicious. My husband and I have been doing a lot of at home date nights and I want to add this to the menu for one of our upcoming ones.
Annie says
This looks incredible! I’ve been looking for a new beef recipe. I think I found one to try!
Melissa Chapman says
A very good looking meal. I love a one skillet/wok meal that has everything you need in it. I will take away that cilantro flavored sauce and use it for so many different dishes.
LaShawn says
This looks delicious! I love southwestern style dishes! I’m adding this to my meal plan for next week.
Jeanine says
Wow! This looks absolutely incredible! I haven’t ever tried anything like this before but it would be perfect for a husband and I date night! I think it looks so delicious!
Stacie says
That looks so good! We are big beef eaters in my family, and I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy it. This looks perfect for my family. Even the kids love spicy food.
monica says
We are huge stir fry fans and this one looks SO good! I’m going to have to try to make this one with chicken for my family. Love your recipes!
Jeanette says
That looks like a great idea for dinner! I love anything that has to do with the Southwest. The spices and flavors that they have compare to nowhere else. I love them.
Danielle Smith says
I love stir-fry recipes! I love this recipe, although I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a huge fan of cilantro, but will eat a meal that has it included.
Amy D says
I had the best spicy steak bowl from a new restaurant yesterday. I’m definitely going to try and make this at home!
Christie says
This dish looks incredible! Dishes of the Southwest are so delicious with the various spices and cilantro!
Liz Mays says
This is going to be such a good spring and summer meal. The peppers and spices sound amazing and I love cilantro lime rice.
Allison Cooper says
Oh yum! This sounds like something that my husband and I would completely devour. I’m such a fan of cilantro-lime rice, too – sounds perfect!
Dogvills says
This looks like a really delicious stir fry recipe that I must make the soonest. Cooking the steak in high heat is the best way to keep the beef tender and retain the flavors. Thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to serve this to my family!
Maureen says
Your spicy southwestern steak stir fry looks amazing. I am going to have to try to make this for dinner one night. It looks like a great mix of flavors, cannot wait to taste it.
Kelly Reci says
Okay, you had me at cilantro! This stir fry is just what my family needs for weeknight dinners.
Jenna M Wood says
When I think stir fry I think Asian cuisine so this recipe has definitely piqued my taste buds and curiosity. I love how simple and fresh it looks, too!
Toni Dash says
Me too but when this popped to mind I realized that was my only reference point. It’s a great cooking method to keep the steak flavorful and the vegetables a pleasing texture too!
Shell says
This sounds delicious! I’m going to have to give it a try. That rice would be a good side for some other dishes, too.
Amy says
I love the fresh flavors of cilantro! I think it is super vibrant and really works so well with rice, and beef products. Heck, I will add it to anything.
AnnMarie John says
Sounds like a lovely side dish. I’ve always liked rice with proteins and I think this one’s perfect with steak stir fry. I’m pretty sure my two boys will praise me when I cook this for the family.
Gingermommy says
This sounds really super delicious. I am going to have to give this a try for sure. I love a good stir fry.
Nancy at Whispered Inspirations says
Honestly the colours on this made me super excited to try it. I am sure my family would love it so much. I can’t wait to give it a try this week.
Mama to 6 Blessings says
This dish looks delicious! Reminds me of Mexican food which my family enjoys eating very much. I bet they would love this dish!
Heather says
I love the idea of recipe and season souvenirs from travels! I need to be more mindful of collecting those when I travel. This Southwestern recipe sounds like a fabulous meal to serve at home when we are looking for a little kick. That cilantro lime rice is going to be a serious upgrade for our meals.
brianne says
This dish looks so delicious, my mouth is watering! I am so making this for my kiddies this week!
Dawn Lopez says
My family loves spicy foods and I’m always on the lookout for new recipes. I will definitely give this meal a go with the family. That rice looks really delicious to me as a side dish for many other meals too.
Connie says
Oh my goodness. This looks so yummy.
krystal says
Hello delicious! This is one of my favorite ways to prepare steak… in a Mexican inspired bowl! Love the cilantro.
Sara Welch says
Now this is my kind of meal! I would love to make this one for dinner.
Reesa Lewandowski says
I am loving everything about how this sounds and looks! I know my family will too! Gotta try this!
Toni Dash says
Please let me know what you think when you do!
Kiwi says
This is delicious. I love a good stir fry but this sounds like a tasty remix.
Stacie says
I am all about quick and easy meals. I will have to add this dish to my must make list.
Tara says
I am loving the flavors of this stir-fry. I can’t wait to make this.
Claudia Krusch says
Oh, my! It looks soooo good! I can’t wait to make it! My son and hubby will love it!
Kamla L. says
This looks and sounds delicious! It will definitely be a crowdpleaser in my house.