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Bife à cavalo, steak on horseback, is a pan-fried steak topped with a sunny fried egg that rides on top like a jockey. It is classic diner food all over Brazil, usually served with rice, beans and fries. Here it comes with buttery garlic cauliflower rice, and the runny yolk becomes the sauce.
Per serving: 522 calories · 4.5 g net carbs · 43 g protein · 36 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 4 thin sirloin or rump steaks about 6 ounces each
- 1 teaspoon fine salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 4 cups riced cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pat the steaks dry and season with most of the salt and the pepper.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the cauliflower rice and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes until tender and dry. Keep warm.
- Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until shimmering. Sear the steaks 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium. Move them to plates and let them rest.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining butter to the steak pan. Crack in the eggs and fry, spooning the butter over the whites, until the whites are set and the yolks still runny, about 3 minutes.
- Slide one egg on top of each steak. Sprinkle with parsley and the last pinch of salt and serve with the garlic cauliflower rice.
Notes
Nutrition
About This Dish
The name describes the egg sitting on top of the steak like a rider on a horse. Portugal has a similar tradition, where an egg served on top of a steak is said to be a cavalo. In Brazil, bife à cavalo is a fixture of the prato feito, the set lunch plate served in simple restaurants and lunch counters. The prato feito usually comes with rice, beans, salad and a meat, and adding an egg on top is one of the most common upgrades. Many Brazilians grew up eating this as an everyday weekday lunch.
Pairs Well With
- Brazilian Salada de Palmito, Hearts of Palm Salad with Tomato and Lime
- Brazilian Salpicão de Frango, Holiday Chicken Salad
This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 4: Churrasco & Beef (Ruins of São Miguel das Missões). See all Brazilian recipes