Cilantro Lime Ground Beef with Flash-Charred Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 poundground beef
- 3 wholebell peppers (mixed colors)
- 2lime
- 4 clovesgarlic
- 1 bunchcilantro
- 2 tablespoonolive oil
- ·kosher salt
- ·black pepper
- ½ teaspooncumin
- ¼ teaspoonred pepper flakes
Prep
- 01
Dice 3 bell peppers into bite-size pieces.
- 02
Mince 4 cloves garlic.
- 03
Roughly chop 1/2 cup cilantro leaves.
Method
- 01
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and toast for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 02
Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, for 4–5 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
- 03
Stir in cumin, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Cook 1 minute.
- 04
Squeeze juice from 1 lime into the beef, stir, and transfer to a plate.
- 05
In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced bell peppers and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- 06
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes until peppers are soft with some charred edges.
- 07
Return beef to the pan, add chopped cilantro, and squeeze juice from the remaining lime. Toss to combine and taste for seasoning.
- 08
Serve warm, optionally with rice, greens, or warm tortillas.
Spice Tips
For more heat, increase red pepper flakes to 1/2 teaspoon or add a diced jalapeño to the pepper pan. For deeper warmth, swap in smoked paprika for half the cumin. Fresh lime is key here — bottled juice will flatten the brightness.