Carne Asada Short Ribs Mexican Bowls

Get ready to be wowed by these loaded carne asada short ribs Mexican bowls! Ready in half the time thanks to the Instant Pot, this meal is the definition of a satisfying meal.

Recipe

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Carne Asada Short Ribs Mexican Bowls

Total Time2 hours hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: beef

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Short ribs

• 3 pounds short ribs
• ½ cup orange juice
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 garlic cloves smashed
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon canned chipotle in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Black beans

• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 14-ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt

Cilantro lime rice

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• juice and zest of 1 lime
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Plantain chips

• 2 yellow plantains sliced into ½ inch rounds
• ¼ cup oil
• salt

Marinated tomatoes

• 2 tomatoes diced
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• juice of 1 lime
• salt and pepper

Remaining ingredients

• 2 avocados peeled and sliced
• 1 mango peeled and sliced

Instructions

• Place all ingredients for short ribs in an Instant Pot. Set settings to pressure cooker high for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Release pressure at the end of cooking time. The short ribs should easily fall apart with a fork.
• Meanwhile, prepare the black beans. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic and saute until onions have softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add black beans, chicken stock, cumin, bay leaf, oregano, and salt. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Adjust seasonings accordingly, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Keep warm.
• Make the cilantro lime rice. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add garlic powder, cumin, and salt, and saute 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice with the seasonings. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Stir lime zest, lime juice, and chopped cilantro into cooked rice. Keep warm.
• Prepare the plantain chips. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add plantains and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt.
• Marinate the tomatoes. Combine chopped tomatoes with cilantro, lime and salt, and pepper. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Remove short ribs from the Instant Pot and shred. Assemble the bowls. Portion rice into 4 bowls, followed by the short ribs, black beans, plantain chips, marinated tomatoes, fresh mango, and avocado. Drizzle juices from the short ribs on top. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you don't have an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, you can cook the short ribs in the oven at 325 degrees for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the short ribs are fall-apart tender.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Braise short ribs

Although this recipe calls for the use of an Instant Pot, you can also use a slow cooker, standard pressure cooker, or even the oven. Whatever method you use, the technique will still be the same.

Place all the ingredients for the short ribs in the cooking vessel and braise until the meat is tender. If you are cooking them in the oven, braise the short ribs at 325 degrees F, covered, for 2 ½ hours or until tender.

You can substitute short ribs for chuck roast if desired.

Step 2: Cook rice and beans

While the short ribs are braising, prepare the black beans. I used canned black beans to cut down on the time, but you can also use dried.

If using dried beans, soak them overnight and cook them the following day with the seasonings. It will take longer to cook, about 40-45 minutes.

Make sure to keep the fire on low to prevent the beans from drying out too quickly.

At the same time, prepare the rice. This cilantro lime rice is one of my go-to rice recipes for many bowls. A little cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice are all you need to finish the rice.

Step 3: Prepare toppings

As for the plantains, make sure to use yellow plantains. Green plantains are used for starchier sides, such as tostones, while yellow plantains are sweeter. The yellow plantains won't be crispy like chips but will caramelize and become even more delicious.

If you're not a fan of plantains, you can skip them, but they add a lovely sweetness that complements the hearty beef and beans.

To add some freshness to these carne asada short ribs Mexican bowls, we're going to add a quick tomato salsa, fresh mango, and avocado.

Marinate the tomatoes with cilantro, lime, salt, and pepper, and let them sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the mangoes and avocados. Feel free to use pico de gallo and guacamole or mango salsa instead.

Now that all the components are ready, it's time to assemble the bowls! Portion the rice and top it with the tender beef, braised beans, caramelized plantains, and fresh toppings. Yes, that was a lot of work for one bowl, but it will be worth it, trust me.

Oh, and don't forget to drizzle some of the juices from the short ribs for extra flavor.

These carne asada short ribs Mexican bowls are heavenly, and I mean heavenly.  A little sweet, a little savory, a little creamy, all combined into one bowl for one epic meal.

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can braise the short ribs, cook the beans, and rice ahead of time. Reheat them before assembling the bowls.
• Store: Keep leftover bowls in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the fresh components in separate containers, if possible.

More bowl recipes

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