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white bowl full of whole30 paleo meat broccoli garlic salsa and crispy potatoes
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Mexican Crispy Potato Bowls — Whole30, Paleo

Mexican Crispy Potato Bowls are a delicious dinner or breakfast meal! Special bonus: Learn how to make excellent CRISPY potatoes!
Course DInner
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword beef bowl, bowl, mexican, paleo, potatoes, whole30
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 979kcal
Author Megan
Cost $15

Equipment

  • pot
  • sheet pan

Ingredients

Avocado Crema

  • 2 large avocados
  • 1-3/4 cups cashews , soaked for 2 hours: See Recipe Notes for Instructions
  • 1-1/4 cups water , give or take: See Instructions below
  • 1 bunch cilantro , fresh, about 1-1/2 cups
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice , fresh, or lime juice; or if your diet is citrus-free, use 2 drops lemongrass EO (see Recipe Notes for link)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Crispy Potatoes

  • 3 pounds russet potatoes , peeled, each one cut into 4-6 chunks, depending on original size of russets (not too small, about 2"x2" each)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil or avocado oil, coconut oil, melted lard or melted tallow
  • 2 teaspoons oregano , dried
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Sautéed Broccoli and Garlic

  • 3-4 bunches broccoli , about 1-1/2 pounds, cut into flowerettes, stalks peeled and chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or preferred traditional fat
  • 4 cloves garlic , peeled and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Ground Beef

  • 2 pounds ground beef , 85% fat or greater (not too lean), pasture-raised preferred
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt

Instructions

  • Place potatoes in large stock pot. Cover by 2 inches with water. Add baking soda. Turn burner on high. Bring to a boil, and cook until almost fork tender, about 10-15 minutes, after the water begins to boil. Pour potatoes into colander.
  • While potatoes cook, make the Avocado Crema recipe below. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Once drained, place warm/hot potatoes into a large bowl with remaining Crispy Potato ingredients: preferred fat, oregano, cumin and sea salt. Stir. Pour potatoes onto a greased cookie sheet, and spread them into one layer.
    pan of potatoes about to bake
  • Bake about 20 minutes, then remove from oven and flip potatoes using an offset metal spatula. Bake another 20 minutes and check for perfection. Bake a few extra minutes if you want the sides darker and crispier, or remove from oven and begin to assemble and serve. (All the other components will be ready when the potatoes are done.)

Avocado Crema

  • Place all Avocado Crema ingredients in the blender. Purée on medium speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. (Stop motor, scrape down sides, and add a bit more water if needed to blend easily and get the right consistency.) Set aside until ready to serve.

Sautéed Broccoli and Garlic

  • About 10-15 minutes before the potatoes are done cooking, begin: Heat large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons fat of choice. Add broccoli and sea salt.
  • Sauté over medium heat 8-10 minutes until broccoli is cooked to your liking.
  • Move broccoli to the outer circumference of pan, and add final 1 tablespoon of fat. Place garlic slices in center in fat. Fry, flipping once, until browned on both sides. (Be careful not to let them burn.) Stir together broccoli and garlic, and remove from heat. (Transfer broccoli to oven-safe bowl and keep warm in low heat oven if you wish to use the same pan for the final step of cooking the beef.)

Ground Beef

  • Heat large skillet over high heat. Add beef and sea salt. Lower heat to medium-high. Cook meat, breaking it up with spatula, 8-10 minutes, until cooked through to your liking.

Poach or Fried Eggs

  • To poach eggs: Crack each egg separately into a (small) bowl or saucer. Bring a pan of water filled at least 2 inches deep to a simmer. Add a drop of vinegar. Reduce the heat below the pan, and slide in one egg at a time: Slowly tip the first egg into the center of the pan. Maintain the right heat under your pan so there are small bubbles rising. Once the egg begins to set, gently push it to one side of the pan. Add your next eggs in the same manner as the first. As each one cooks (about 3-4 minutes), lift the egg out with a slotted spoon and drain it on dish towel. If you wish, trim off any straggly bits from the edges, and keep it at the right temperature in warm water.
  • See link in Recipe Notes for video and more detailed instructions on poaching eggs if helpful.
  • To fry eggs: Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon avocado oil to pan. Crack each egg into the pan. Optionally, add 1/4 cup water to pan. Season lightly with sea salt. Cover the pan with a lid, and cook for 3 minutes over low heat. Check the white is set and, if not, cook for another 30 seconds; then check again.

Assemble

  • Have your eaters serve themselves or dish it up for them. Each bowl: baked Crispy Potatoes on the bottom or to one side, ground meat to one side or on top. Add broccoli. Top with fried or poached eggs. Top with salsa and Avocado Crema. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired. Serve!

Notes

See more detailed instructions and a video on how to poach an egg here.

How to Soak Cashews

Place cashews in medium size bowl. Cover with room temperature water by two inches. Add 1/4 teaspoon sea salt to help with digestion, if desired. Soak at least two hours or up to 6 hours. Pour into colander. Rinse with fresh water. Your cashews are now ready to use.

Nutrition

Calories: 979kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 2250mg | Potassium: 2698mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2093IU | Vitamin C: 294mg | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 8mg