Crockpot Barbacoa Bowls (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

This homemade beef barbacoa bowl recipe is simple enough for anyone to make PLUS it’s gluten free and dairy free for those of you that have specific dietary needs. For those of you that don’t, feel free to add sour cream, cheese, and any other additions you feel make this more delicious for you! If you’re not into bowls you can always switch it up and add the barbacoa into quesadillas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, salads, and more.

What was my inspo for this recipe? A fancy restaurant I stumbled upon in my recent adventure to Mexico City you may be thinking? Nope, guess again. I’m obsessed with Chipotle’s barbacoa bowls and I’ve always tried to replicate the deliciousness I experience whenever I order the barbacoa meat. I always aspire to make recipes that are inspired by fast food restaurants or any kind of restaurant more healthy and fresh so here we are.

To keep things as simple as possible, this recipe requires a slow cooker where you toss all of the ingredients in the pot and allow the cooker to do the hard work. Feel free to make this recipe your own and top it with anything that sounds yummy to you.

So let’s get into it.

Ingredients

The Meat

• 1 & 1/2 to 2 lbs of beef chuck roast (I couldn’t find this at my local New Seasons grocery store so I went with Top Sirloin steak. It doesn’t really matter)

• Fresh garlic 4-6 cloves, minced

• Half of an onion

• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

• 1/2 packet of your favorite taco seasoning or approximately 2 tbs

• 2 tsp sea salt

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• 1 cup of beef broth or water

• 1/4 tsp of all spice (feel free to use cloves, nutmeg, or a dash of cinnamon)

  Cilantro Lime White Rice

• 1 cup of white rice

• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

• 1 tsp of lime zest

• 2 tbs of lime juice

• 2 cups water

  Corn and Bean Salsa

• one can of organic white corn

• one can of organic black beans

• 1/2 jalapeno cut into tiny pieces

• 1 tbs of your favorite taco seasoning

  Toppings

• 1 avocado finely sliced

• Vegan tzatziki sauce (I get this from Trader Joe’s)

• Romaine lettuce

Instructions

1. Slow cooker. Combine all of the ingredients from “The Meats”. Toss gently to combine of the ingredients. Cover and let it cook on medium-high from 4-5 hours or until the beef is tend and can easily be shredded.

2. Cook rice. Using a rice cooker add all of the ingredients listed in “Cilantro Lime White Rice” EXCEPT the cilantro, you can also do this on your stovetop, adjust the amount of water slightly if you notice the rice is getting too soggy or dry. Add and toss the cilantro to the cooked rice and let it cool down.

3. Cook the corn and bean salsa. Heat up the canned corn and beans, add the jalapeno and seasoning over a stovetop. Let it warm up for about 8-10 minutes.

4. Shred and soak beef. Shred the tender beef with your hands or two forks (be careful of the hot beef if you’re using your hands, put the beef on a plate and let it cool before handling). Toss the shredded beef back into the slow cooker for 15 more minutes to allow it to absorb the spices and juices.

5. Assemble and serve. Put the cilantro lime rice into bowls, use a pair of tongs to put the barbacoa beef on top, add the corn and bean salsa, and top with avocado, romaine lettuce, and vegan tzatziki sauce or any other toppings you like. If you’re not dairy free, adding sour cream or cheese would also be tasty!