Whole30 Chipotle Beef & Avocado Bowls
Whole30 Chipotle Beef & Avocado Bowls
Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes20
minutesThese Whole30 chipotle beef & avocado bowls are one of our favorite Whole30 Mexican recipes, loaded with veggies, protein, and healthy fats. Cilantro lime cauliflower rice topped with a saucy, smoky beef & mushroom mixture, all finished with tons of a quick guac, these Whole30 chipotle beef & avocado bowls are bound to be one of your family’s favorite Whole30 Mexican recipes, too!
Ingredients
- Smoky Sauce
1 poblano pepper
1/2 Tbsp. chipotle pepper powder 1 1/2 teaspoons
3 cloves garlic
3/4 cup tomato salsa
2 Tbsp. avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
- Whole30 Chipotle Beef & Avocado Bowls
8 ounces grass-fed ground beef
8 ounces baby Bella mushrooms minced
2 12- ounce bags frozen cauliflower rice or about 6-8 cups, steamed
2 limes juice of, divided
2/3-1 cup fresh cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish, if desired
3 avocados halved, pitted, and peeled
1/2 cup minced red onion plus more for garnish, if desired
Directions
- Roast the poblano pepper: Preheat the broiler then place poblano pepper on the oven rack about 4″ from broiler element. Cook until blackened on top, then, with tongs, flip over. Broil until blackened. Continue rotating and broiling until blackened until all sides are blistered. Alternately, carefully hold the pepper with heat-proof tongs to a gas stove flame (or place on top of stove rack), rotating to blacken all sides. Set aside and let cool slightly.
- Make the smoky sauce: When poblano pepper is cooled to the touch, peel off the blackened skin, remove stem, and seeds. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef, breaking up with a spatulate. Add in mushrooms and sauté until softened and liquid is evaporated just a few minutes. Stir in poblano-salsa sauce and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook a couple of minutes until bubbly and a bit thickened. Remove from heat.
- Make the cilantro-lime cauliflower rice: Stir together steamed cauliflower rice, juice of 1 lime, about 1/3-1/2 cup cilantro, and plenty of salt.
- Make quick guacamole: Mash together avocado meat, juice of one lime, 1/2-2/3 cup cilantro, 1/2 cup red onion, and plenty of salt.
- Serve your Whole30 chipotle beef & avocado bowls: divide cilantro-lime cauliflower rice among bowls, then top with beef mixture. Finish with a couple big, heaping spoonfuls of guacamole. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro and red onion, if desired.
Notes
These Whole30 Chipotle Beef & Avocado Bowls are built around a simple bowl format with cauliflower rice, a smoky beef and mushroom mixture, and a fresh avocado topping. Ground beef is cooked with finely minced mushrooms and coated in a blended sauce made from roasted poblano pepper, salsa, garlic, and chipotle powder. The base uses steamed cauliflower rice finished with lime juice and cilantro, while the topping is a quick mash of avocado, red onion, lime, and herbs.
The recipe works well because each component balances the others. Roasting the poblano adds depth to the sauce, while mushrooms blend into the beef and help absorb the smoky flavors. Cauliflower rice stays light and neutral, which keeps the bowl from feeling heavy, and the guacamole adds a creamy contrast. The components are prepared separately, then assembled at the end, keeping textures distinct.
This dish fits well into everyday home cooking because the parts can be made ahead and assembled as needed. Leftovers keep well when stored separately and reheat best with the guacamole added fresh. Ingredient swaps can be made without changing the structure, such as:
- Using a different compliant ground meat
- Adjusting cilantro amounts to taste
- Adding extra vegetables to the beef mixture