Latin American & Caribbean · Lunch · Dinner
Cuban-Style Steak with Onions
Bistec encebollado
Thin, citrus-and-garlic marinated steaks seared and simmered with a big tangle of soft, sweet onions and green pepper in a light, tangy pan sauce. A lean, flavour-packed Latin American classic made with just a spoonful of oil.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 21% · Fat 26% · Protein 53%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 600 g (4 thin steaks)Beef top round steak, thinly sliced (about 1 cm thick), fat trimmed
- 2 large400 gOnions, sliced into rings
- 1 medium120 gGreen bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 4 cloves12 gGarlic, minced
- 1/4 cup60 gFresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup60 gOrange juice
- 1 tspDried oregano
- 1/2 tspGround cumin
- 1/2 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1 tbsp14 gOlive oil
- 1/2 cup120 gWater
- 2 tbspFresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Steps
- 1
Lay the steaks between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to an even thickness of about 5 mm.
- 2
In a bowl, mix the lime juice, orange juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, black pepper and salt.
- 3
Add the steaks to the marinade, turn to coat, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 4
Lift the steaks out of the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and keep the marinade.
- 5
Heat half the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat.
- 6
Sear the steaks in batches for about 1 to 2 minutes per side until browned, then set them aside on a plate.
- 7
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil, the onions and the green pepper, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden.
- 8
Pour in the reserved marinade and the water and scrape up the browned bits from the pan.
- 9
Return the steaks and any juices to the pan, nestling them under the onions.
- 10
Cover and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until the beef is tender and cooked to at least 63 °C / 145 °F, and the sauce has reduced slightly.
- 11
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning.
- 12
Serve the steaks topped with the onions and sauce, sprinkled with cilantro if using.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use beef sirloin or flank steak instead of top round if that is easier to find, slicing and pounding it thin the same way.
- Replace the orange juice with an extra 1/4 cup of lime juice mixed with a little water for a sharper, tangier marinade.
- Add a sliced red bell pepper alongside the green one for extra colour and sweetness.
- Swap the cilantro for chopped fresh parsley if you are not a fan of cilantro.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating the steak and onions in a covered pan with a splash of water until steaming hot. You can freeze the cooked steak and onions for up to 2 to 3 months, though the onions will soften further after thawing.
Make ahead
Mix the marinade and slice the onions and pepper up to a day ahead, keeping them covered in the fridge. You can also pound the steaks in advance, but marinate them for only about 30 minutes before cooking so the citrus does not make the meat mushy.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (349 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 274 kcal | 79 kcal |
| Protein | 37.1 g | 10.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g | 4.3 g |
| of which sugars | 6.5 g | 1.9 g |
| Fiber | 2.6 g | 0.7 g |
| Fat | 8.1 g | 2.3 g |
| of which saturated | 2.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Sodium | 671 mg | 192 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
