Cilantro-Lime Ground Beef with Charred Peppers
Ingredients
- 1½ poundsground beef
- 3 wholebell peppers
- 2lime
- ·cilantro
- 4 clovesgarlic
- 3 tablespoonsolive oil
- 1 teaspooncumin
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
Prep
- 01
Dice 3 bell peppers into strips or bite-sized pieces.
- 02
Mince 4 cloves garlic.
- 03
Chop a handful of fresh cilantro and set aside.
Method
- 01
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add ground beef and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, until browned and no pink remains, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
- 02
Add minced garlic to the beef and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons) and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer beef to a plate.
- 03
Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add charred bell pepper strips and cook, stirring occasionally, until they develop color and soften, about 5-6 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- 04
Return beef to the skillet, add most of the chopped cilantro (reserve some for garnish), and the juice of the second lime. Toss everything together for 1 minute over heat.
- 05
Taste and adjust salt, lime, or cumin to taste. Serve hot, topped with reserved fresh cilantro.
Spice Tips
For heat, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the beef as it cooks. For deeper warmth, try a pinch of smoked paprika. A splash of hot sauce stirred in at the end also works beautifully.