Bistec a la mexicana (Mexican steak with tomato, onion and jalapeño)
20 min · 35 g protein · 317 cals / serving
A northern Mexican home-cooking staple: strips of steak seared fast, then simmered for a few minutes with tomatoes, white onion and jalapeño until they slump into a light, juicy sauce. Serve it with sliced avocado, or wrap it in warm tortillas if you like.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 lb top sirloin steak, sliced into thin strips (or pre-sliced bistec or fajita strips)
- 3/4 tsp salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp canola oil, divided
- 1 small white onion, sliced
- 2 jalapeño, sliced (keep the seeds for more heat)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 Roma Roma tomatoes, chopped (or a 28-oz / 800 g can of diced tomatoes, drained)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
To serve
- 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 tbsp lime juice, from 1 lime, plus wedges to serve
Steps
- Season the steak strips with half the salt and the pepper. Heat a large skillet over high heat and sear the strips in two batches, each in 1 teaspoon of the oil, 1–2 minutes a batch, until browned but still pink inside. Move to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium-high, add the onion and jalapeño to the fat left in the pan (a splash of water if it looks dry) and cook 3 minutes until the onion softens (chop the tomatoes meanwhile); stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, cumin and the rest of the salt and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes break down into a loose sauce.
- Return the steak and its juices and simmer 1 minute, just to heat through. Scatter with cilantro and serve with the avocado and lime wedges.
Good to know
Which steak works best?
Thin-cut sirloin, flank or the pre-sliced 'bistec' sold in Latin markets. Cut it across the grain and do not crowd the pan, or it stews instead of searing.
Can I make it with chicken?
Pollo a la mexicana is just as common: use strips of chicken breast, sear them until cooked through, and finish the same way. About 74 instead of 68.
Per
- Calories
- 111
- Protein
- (46%)
- 12 g
- Fat
- (43%)
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- (12%)
- 4 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 196 mg
More meals
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How
As written, 1268 kcal goes into the pot and 1395 g of ingredients comes out as about 1140 g of food: 111 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.