Steak Bowls Recipe with Mashed Potatoes & Street Corn
Juicy Cajun garlic butter steak bites are piled over creamy mashed potatoes with street corn and homemade aji verde for a loaded steak-and-potatoes dinner bowl.
Servings: 4 bowls
Ingredients
- 4 cups Prepared Street Corn
Aji Verde Sauce
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup mild pickled nacho jalapeños plus a splash of brine
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 green onions or 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 2 small garlic cloves
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro
- 1 ounce Cotija cheese about 4 tablespoons finely crumbled, or Parmesan
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Mashed Potatoes
- 3-4 pounds potatoes peeled and cut into 1½–2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon salt for the cooking water
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1-1 1/2 cups half-and-half divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Cajun Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- 2 pounds beef tenderloin ribeye or sirloin
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil for coating
- Cajun seasoning enough to generously coat steak
- 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil for searing
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Instructions
- Prepare the street corn. Prepare the Street Corn Salad according to the recipe and refrigerate until you're ready to assemble the bowls. This can be done a day ahead.
- Make the aji verde. Add the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, pickled jalapeños and a splash of brine, lime juice, green onions, garlic, cilantro and Cotija to a blender. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and adjust the lime or jalapeño brine to taste. Refrigerate until serving.
- Start the potatoes. Place the peeled, cut potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until completely fork-tender.
- Prepare the steak. Meanwhile, trim excess fat or silver skin from the steak and cut it into roughly 1½-inch pieces. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons avocado oil and generously coat with Cajun seasoning.
- Sear the steak. Heat 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil in a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes or until deeply golden. Flip and cook for about 1 minute more.
- Add the garlic butter. Reduce the heat to low and move the steak to one side. Add 2 tablespoons butter and the minced garlic to the skillet. Cook briefly until fragrant, then toss the steak in the garlic butter. Continue cooking just until your preferred internal temperature is reached. Transfer to a bowl and tent loosely with foil.
- Finish the potatoes. Drain the fork-tender potatoes thoroughly. In the empty pot, combine 5 tablespoons butter with 1 cup half-and-half over medium-low heat. Warm just until the butter melts without boiling, then whisk in the garlic powder.
- Mash. Return the potatoes to the pot and mash to your preferred consistency. Gradually add up to the remaining 1/2 cup half-and-half as needed. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Assemble. Divide the warm mashed potatoes among four bowls. Top with the Cajun garlic butter steak bites and prepared street corn. Generously drizzle with aji verde and serve immediately.
Notes
- Steak: Tenderloin is my go-to, but I've personally made these bowls with ribeye and sirloin as well.
- Don't overcrowd: Two pounds of steak will likely need to be cooked in batches depending on the size of your skillet.
- Steak temperature: Use an instant-read thermometer in the center of one of the largest pieces. Steak bites cook quickly, so begin checking early. USDA recommends cooking whole cuts of beef to 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
- Potatoes: Begin with 1 cup half-and-half and add up to another 1/2 cup only as needed. This lets you control how soft and creamy your mashed potatoes become.
- Make ahead: The aji verde and street corn can both be prepared ahead and refrigerated.