This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This street corn beef bowl is a hearty, healthy Mexican-inspired meal made with seasoned ground beef simmered in enchilada sauce, roasted sweet potatoes, and a creamy Mexican street corn salad. It’s packed with protein and veggies, easy to make, and a great option for weeknight dinners or meal prep.
These street corn beef bowls are my new favorite bowl recipe, although I say that every time I make a new bowl. These beef bowls were inspired by one of my favorite corn salads, Mexican street corn salad, and my love of Southwest and Mexican-inspired flavors. A lot of my beef bowl recipes use rice for carbs, but I love to change things up and swap it with roasted sweet potatoes like I did with these hot honey chicken bowls and sloppy joe bowls.
The sweetness from the roasted sweet potatoes and creamy corn salad pair perfectly with the spicy kick from the enchilada sauce ground beef. This is a great weeknight dinner that also works well for meal prep. I keep the street corn salad stored separately from the ground beef and sweet potatoes for the freshest flavor and to make reheating easy.
Ingredients and Substitutions for Street Corn Beef Bowls
Sweet potatoes – The carbs for this bowl recipe. I love the sweet creamy texture of them paired with the savory ground beef. Peel the sweet potatoes or leave the skin on, then cut them into equal sized cubes so they roast evenly.
Spices – Chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder are a few of my essential spices that I use when making southwest and Mexican-inspired recipes. They’re similar to what you’ll find in taco seasoning. The chili powder should be mild and a blend vs. something like cayenne or chipotle chile powder, which are spicy.
Ground beef – Use lean ground beef to keep the mixture from becoming too greasy. I recommend using 90/10% or 93/7% lean ground beef.
Enchilada sauce – Enchilada sauce is an easy way to give the ground beef amazing flavor and give it a saucy consistency. I used mild red enchilada sauce, but you can use medium or hot for a spicy kick. You can substitute it with green enchilada sauce or salsa.
Corn – Frozen corn works great for these beef bowls, but if fresh corn is in season feel free to use that. For a charred smoky flavor, grill the corn or use frozen fire roasted corn.
Jalapeno and cilantro – The jalapeno gives the corn salad a spicy kick, while cilantro adds a fresh flavor. Remove the jalapeno seeds and vein, unless you want a spicy corn salad.
Dressing – The Mexican street corn salad dressing combines mayo, Greek yogurt, lime juice, and spices.Together they give the salad a creamy consistency with a pop of citrusy lime flavor.
Queso fresco – Queso fresco is a dry, crumbly Mexican cheese that’s mild in flavor. Sort of like feta, but without the tang and less salty. It adds a delicious cheesy element to the salad. You can also use it as a topping for the beef bowls. You can substitute Cotija cheese, but keep in mind that it has a saltier flavor.
Tips for Making Mexican Street Corn Bowls
- Cut the sweet potatoes into equal sized cubes. This helps them roast evenly and prevents some pieces from being undercooked in the center.
- Roast the sweet potatoes on parchment paper for easy cleanup. I love these parchment paper sheets that perfectly fit a half sheet pan.
- Time saving tip. Roast the sweet potatoes first. While they roast it’s the perfect amount of time to make the Mexican street corn salad and ground beef with enchilada sauce.
- Taste the jalapeno before adding it to the street corn salad. Jalapenos can be as mild as a bell pepper or 10/10 spicy. I always taste it before adding it to recipes so I can use less if it happens to be an extra spicy one.
Street Corn Beef Bowl Variations
Protein – Swap the ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken.
Dairy-free – To make the street corn bowls dairy-free, omit the Greek yogurt in the dressing for the street corn salad and use additional mayonnaise. You can also substitute with this black bean and corn salsa.
Toppings – Add avocado, sour cream, cotija or queso fresco, cilantro, or green onions for additional toppings. Tortilla chips are also delicious crushed on top or use them like a spoon to scoop it up!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Storage – Store the ground beef and potatoes in containers separate from the corn salad. Everything will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Reheating – Reheat the ground beef and sweet potatoes in the microwave for 60-90 seconds or until warm. Add the cold corn salad to them along with any other toppings you may want to use.
Mexican Street Corn Beef Bowls
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 3 cups)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine kosher salt or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Street Corn
- 8 ounces defrosted frozen corn
- 2 green onions
- 1 jalapeno seeded and deveined finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 of a lime zest and juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon fine kosher salt or to taste
For the Ground Beef
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine kosher salt or to taste
- 3/4 cup red enchilada sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl toss the sweet potatoes cubes, oil, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper together until coated. Dump them onto the baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Toss halfway through the roasting time.
- While the sweet potatoes roast, add the corn, jalapeno, cilantro, and queso fresco to a mixing bowl. In a glass measuring cup whisk together the mayo, Greek yogurt, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Pour the dressing onto the salad and stir together until well combined. Taste for seasoning then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the ground beef and crumble it. Season with the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Continue to cook and crumble the beef until it's fully cooked.
- Turn the heat down to medium and pour in the enchilada sauce and stir together. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until warmed through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- To assemble: Add a portion of the sweet potatoes, ground beef, and street corn salad to a bowl. Serve as is or with toppings of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Beef Bowl Recipes
Ground beef is an affordable form of beef, cooks fast, and is a great source of protein. Here are a few more ground beef bowl recipes that I love!
