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    Recipes

    California Burrito Bowl: Paleo & Whole30

    Published: Aug 9, 2018 · Last Updated: Oct 21, 2021 by Jen Lopez

    This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Growing up in San Diego taco shops are about as prevalent as Starbucks. One of my favorite things to order is carne asada fries or a California burrito. For those of you who do not have this deliciousness near you, California burritos are carne asada burritos filled with fries, sour cream, guac and cheese.  Basically heaven right? But also pretty terrible nutrition wise. While I do indulge every now and then, I decided to try making my own California burrito bowl at home with Whole30 compliant ingredients. The end result was super delicious and really hit the spot!


    If you've listened to the first episode of the A Little Salty Podcast, you know that I could eat chips and salsa forever and never get tired of it. I am a huge fan of all things spicy and Mexican food is my favorite. Here are a few of my favorite spicy, Mexican inspired dishes.

    Mexican Style Shakshuka

    Spicy Taco Casserole

    Spicy Polenta Bake

    Spicy Taco Skillet

    Ingredients

    Here is what you will need to make your own Whole30 version of a California Burrito Bowl:

    • For the "fries", I used russet potatoes but you can use sweet potatoes to pack even more of a nutritional punch. You can also vary the potatoes to your liking with their cut or cooking method.  Chopping the potatoes into smaller cubes instead of wedges and cooking them in a skillet or in the air fryer can help them cook a bit quicker.
    • Flank steak. This is the cut of steak you will need for your carne asada. Along with your steak you will need lime juice, jalapeño, minced garlic and avocado oil to marinate.
    • Toppings. The great thing about this recipe is you can use whatever toppings you love! To keep things Whole30 compliant, I used pico de gallo, salsa fresca and guacamole. You can make these things yourself or you can purchase pre-made to make this recipe that much easier. Just remember to check your labels if you're trying to stay Whole30 compliant.

    Cooking Method

    If you want to cook your potatoes in the air fryer, cut your potato into your desired shape and spray with a little avocado oil and then toss in your air fryer at 400 for about 15 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes or so. This will give you maximum crispiness in the shortest amount of time. If you don't have an air fryer, fear not! For this recipe I used oven instructions.

    And if you DO have an air fryer, check out my other air fryer recipes!

    Carne asada tastes best when cooked on a grill (in my opinion).  You could definitely cook the steak stove top style but I highly recommend busting out the grill for this one.

    carne asada with lime
    burrito bowl with fries, carne asada and guacamole

    This meal would be great as an appetizer for a larger group to share, a tasty lunch or a nice filling dinner. You could even throw a fried egg on top and call it breakfast! Oooooh, I am DEFINITELY trying that.  Sooner rather than later.  This would totally work for a nice meal prep as well! With all the ingredients being Whole30 compliant and just wholesome real food, you really can't go wrong with this California burrito bowl. This recipe makes 4 servings but obviously you can be the judge of that. Wink wink. The hubby and I polished off half and said we were saving the rest for leftovers and somehow they were gone within an hour.  Oops.

    burrito bowl with fries, carne asada and guacamole
    Print
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    whole30 california burrito bowl

    California Burrito Bowl: Paleo, Whole30

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
    • Author: Jen Lopez
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 35 minutes
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 4 1x
    • Category: Blog, Main Dishes, Recipes, Whole30 Compliant
    • Cuisine: Mexican
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This California Burrito Bowl is a satisfying and delicious Whole30 compliant meal. It's all the flavors of a California Burrito using real whole food ingredients.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the Steak

    • 1 lb flank steak
    • ½-1 jalapeno diced (I used 1 but use ½ if you don't want too much heat)
    • 1 ½ TBS olive oil
    • 1 tsp minced garlic
    • Juice of half a lime
    • salt and pepper to taste

    For the Potatoes

    • 2 small russet potatoes cut into wedges (or sweet potatoes)
    • avocado oil spray
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Toppings

    • guacamole
    • cilantro
    • salsa
    • jalapeno slices

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
    2. Add all the ingredients for the steak marinade in a freezer bag along with the meat. Seal bag and use hands to massage marinade into the steak. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour
    3. Place potatoes on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and spray with avocado oil and add salt and pepper
    4. Bake for 35 minutes flipping halfway through
    5. While the potatoes are baking, pre-heat outdoor grill to medium-high
    6. Grill steak for 5-6 minutes on each side (longer if you prefer medium-well or well done). If cooking on the skillet, you will use the same cooking time.
    7. Remove steak from grill and allow to rest for five minutes before cutting into bite sized pieces
    8. Assemble your bowls by placing the potatoes at the bottom then adding your meat and the rest of your toppings
    9. Enjoy!

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