Steak Ranchero

This steak ranchero recipe features tender flank steak cooked to perfection with a blend of Mexican spices and vegetables. It's the perfect steak for any Mexcian food lover.

I love steak and I love all things Mexican and Tex-Mex. This recipe combines both of those things to delicious perfection.

Steak Ranchero Recipe

This was inspired by my crunchy Mexican chicken recipe. I figured if chicken and Mexican flavors gelled like that, then steak had to be my next step. It pairs well with this amazing slow cooker Mexican street corn casserole recipe or my other Mexican corn recipe.

Ingredients

There are several ingredients to this recipe, but they're all very simple. You'll find them all easily at your local grocery store.

For the Steak and Marinade

• Flank steak
• Garlic cloves
• Peppercorns
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lime juice
• Cumin
• Ancho chili powder
• Mexican oregano
• Salt

For the Ranchero Sauce

• Plum tomatoes
• Cilantro
• Sliced white onion
• Pressed garlic cloves
• Lime juice
• Minced canned chipotle peppers
• Canned roasted bell peppers
• Adobo sauce
• Sliced jalapeno
• Pepper
• Cumin
• Salt
• Tequila

See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.

Instructions

It only takes a few simple steps to make this complex-flavored steak dish.

Step 1: Marinate the Steak

Add garlic cloves and peppercorns to a bowl and grind them into a paste. Then, pour in the olive oil, lime juice, cumin, ancho chili powder, oregano, and salt and stir well. Place the steak in a shallow pan, pour the marinade over it, and let it marinate covered while you make the sauce.

Step 2: Prep for the Sauce

Slice the tomatoes into wedges and cut them in half. Then, slice the white onion and jalapeno to ¼-inch thickness. Crush the garlic through a press, juice the limes, mince 3-4 chipotles peppers in adobo sauce, and roughly chop the canned roasted red bell peppers. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce.

Step 3: Cook the Vegetables

Preheat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Then, add the onions and stir for a minute. Add tomatoes, jalapenos, chipotles, and roasted red peppers. Saute for 7 minutes then add the garlic, pepper, and cumin.

Step 4: Add the Liquid Ingredients

Add adobo sauce and lime juice, and stir to incorporate them into the vegetables. Then, push the vegetables to the outer edge of the pan and pour the tequila into the pan's center. Cook for a couple of minutes to burn off the alcohol, then stir the sauce, lower the heat to simmer, and cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Sear the Steak

Heat a skillet over high heat. Then, add the steak and sear for 3 minutes per side.

Step 6: Finish the Dish

Thinly slice the steak on a cutting board and add it to the pan with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes to finish cooking the steak and serve with chopped cilantro and rice. Also serve with sliced avocado, salsa and cheese inside a corn or flour tortilla.

Hint: Let the steak rest for a few minutes so you don't lose the juices when you slice it.

Substitutions

Don't have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this ranchero steak recipe.

• Skirt Steak - If you don't have flank steak, use a skirt steak, top blade, top round, top sirloin, tri-tip or hanger steak instead.
• Lime Juice - If you don't have fresh limes, use fresh lemons or you can use bottled lime or lemon juice.
• Ancho chili powder - Use regular chili powder with a pinch of red pepper flakes instead
• Mexican Oregano - Marjoram and if a hint of citrus is important add a pinch of coriander too. I never do but my husband always does.
• Black Peppercorns - ground black pepper will work instead to mash with the garlic cloves
• Tequila - light rum or cachaca (from Brazil) will work in a pinch
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Use olive or another vegetable oil will work and work well
• Jalapeno Peppers - Omit or replace with ideally with serrano peppers, however, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika will work as well.
• Plum tomatoes - If you can't get plum or roma tomatoes use 2 regular tomatoes and add a couple tablespoons of tomato paste to thicken and add flavor.
• Cilantro - parsley, basil or dill will work in it's place or omit entirely, if desired.
• White Onion - Ideally, yellow onions but red onions will work in a pinch

Variations

Want to personalize this ranchero steak recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.

• Extra Spicy - Add extra hot peppers, your favorite hot sauce or some cayenne pepper or smoked paprika to the marinade for a spicier kick.
• Add Potatoes - 4 medium russet or yellow fleshed potatoes cut into bite sized pieces and fried with ⅓ cup oil in skillet over medium high heat until cooked, crisp and lightly browned. Drain on paper towels, add a sprinkling of salt and pepper and add to dish right before serving or serve as side dish instead of rice.
• Sour Cream - Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy smoked flank steak Or, If you prefer to use a slow cooker check out our Crock Pot Steak Bites.

Storage

Store the leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Tips

I have a couple of tips to help you make the best possible version of this dish.

• Let your steak rest for a couple of minutes before slicing so you don't lose the juices.
• Be sure to cook your tequila for at least 2 minutes to get the alcohol out of the dish.
• Use a skillet to sear the steak if possible.

FAQ

Do you have questions about ranchero steak? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this ranchero steak recipe.

Video

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Ranchero Steak

Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.