This Street Corn Beef Bowl is a viral sensation for good reason! Taco-seasoned ground beef, roasted sweet potatoes, creamy avocado, and Tajin-spiced street corn topping.
Authorโs Notes
The Viral Beef Bowl, Now With Street Corn
Around this time last year, beef bowls were everywhere on social media. If you missed it, the combo was ground beef, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, cottage cheese, and a drizzle of hot honey. I shared my version and so many of you loved it!
A year later, Iโm still making that bowl all the time. I donโt always add the cottage cheese, but the taco meat, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, and some kind of sauce are almost always happening. Most of the time I drizzle on this sauce.
So when I saw a street corn version floating around, I knew I had to try it. I tossed roasted corn with that same taco sauce, added it to the bowl, and WOW. This one really lives up to the hype.
I try a lot of viral recipes, but very few make it onto the site. This Street Corn Beef Bowl has earned a permanent spot and absolutely deserves it!
Ingredients In This Street Corn Beef Bowl
| Ingredient | Letโs Chat About It |
|---|---|
| Sweet potatoes & olive oil | Dice evenly and spread them out well on the sheet pan so they roast and brown nicely instead of steaming. |
| Ground beef & taco seasoning | I like using lean ground beef here, but whatever you have will work. Let it sear before stirring so you get better browning, which means more flavor. |
| Corn, garlic & jalapeรฑo | Fire-roasted corn adds great flavor, but regular frozen corn works too. Cook it in a hot pan and donโt stir too much so it gets a little char. |
| Mayo, sour cream, lime, paprika, chili powder & cumin | Fresh lime juice really brightens everything. Use a good-quality mayo here! |
| Cilantro, green onions, avocado & Cotija | These add freshness and creaminess and help balance the spice. If you canโt find Cotija, queso fresco or even feta works. |
How To Make A Street Corn Beef Bowl
This recipe comes together really easily. Hereโs the quick overview:
- Roast potatoes: Toss with oil and seasoning. Roast at 400ยฐF until tender.
- Char corn: Cook in a hot skillet until browned; stir in garlic and set aside to cool.
- Cook beef: Sear, break apart, add seasoning, and simmer with water until saucy.
- Mix corn topping: Stir herbs into corn and toss with the creamy dressing.
- Assemble bowls: Add potatoes, beef, corn topping, and finish with desired toppings.
Readerโs Notes & Tips
The Bowl Toppings
Hereโs what I like adding to my Street Corn Beef Bowl:
- Avocado: Adds creaminess and helps balance the spice.
- Cotija or queso fresco: Salty, crumbly cheese that gives classic street corn flavor.
- Tortilla chips: Great for crunch and scooping up the bowl.
- Tajin: A sprinkle on top of everything adds bright citrusy spice and extra flavor.
Storage
Store: Keep all the components in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Warm the beef and sweet potatoes before assembling. The corn topping is best cold or at room temperature.
Meal Prep These Street Corn Beef Bowls: Divide potatoes and beef into containers, then add the corn topping and fresh toppings right before serving.
More Favorite Bowl Dinners:
Street Corn Beef Bowl
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups sweet potatoes peeled & cut to 1-inch pieces; 1-1/2 lbs
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon paprika divided
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93/7
- 1 (1-ounce) packet taco seasoning plus water, see note 1
- 12 ounces fire-roasted corn frozen, or use regular corn
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced jalapeรฑo optional
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
- 1 large lime 1-1/2 tbsp juice
- 3 tablespoons mayo
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 large ripe avocado diced
- Cotija cheese or Queso Fresco
- Tortilla chips for serving
- Tajin
Instructionsย
- Preheat oven to 400ยฐF. Add chopped sweet potatoes to a large rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with 3 tbsp oil & season with 3/4 tsp paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper (I add 3/4 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper). Toss well, then spread into an even layer so the potatoes roast instead of steam.
- Roast 15 minutes. Remove from oven and toss. Return to the oven and roast another 10-15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes, until tender and nicely charred. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once hot, add the corn and spread into an even layer. Season lightly with salt & pepper (I add about 1/4 tsp each). Cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until the corn is browned and slightly charred. Add the minced garlic and cook 15 seconds, just until fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer the corn to a bowl. Let cool to room temperature (I often pop it in the fridge to speed this up).
- While the corn cools, cook the beef. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef. Let it sear undisturbed for about 1 minute per side, then break it apart with a wooden spoon.
- Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and continue cooking until the beef is fully browned. Add 1/4 cup water and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Let simmer briefly until slightly saucy. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup additional water if needed to create a saucy consistency.
- Corn Dressing: In a separate bowl, zest and juice the lime to get 1/4 tsp zest and 1-1/2 tbsp juice. Whisk together the zest, juice, mayo, sour cream, cumin, remaining 1/4 tsp paprika, and chili powder until smooth. Season to taste (I add about 1/4 tsp each salt & pepper).
- Once the corn is cooled, stir in the cilantro, green onions, and jalapeรฑo (if using). Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and toss until well coated. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Divide the roasted sweet potatoes between bowls. Top with the ground beef, then spoon the street corn mixture evenly over the bowls. Finish with diced avocado, cotija or queso fresco, and serve with tortilla chips if desired. Sprinkle Tajin over everything if you'd like. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
