Steak Fajitas are made with juicy strips of marinated skirt steak and tender veggies served with soft flour tortillas and fixings like sour cream, a Mexican cheese blend, pico de gallo, and guacamole. They cook in under 20 minutes which makes them a perfect weeknight meal!
I used to work at a Mexican restaurant and the "sizzlin' steak fajitas" were always the best selling item on the menu. And Paul will tell you without hesitation that fajitas are his favorite food and he requests for most every birthday and Father's Day. So when it comes to making the BEST steak fajitas, we've definitely got experience on our side.
Our preferred way of making this easy steak fajitas recipe is to saute the fajita veggies in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop until they are tender but never mushy. Meanwhile, we typically like to grill the meat, then combine the two. But you can also broil or sear the steak on the stovetop if that's what works for you. I'll include notes below to tell you how.
We love Mexican food! Consider serving your beef fajitas with Mexican Rice, Instant Pot Refried Beans, and Tres Leches Cake for a complete Mexican feast!
Why You'll Love These Steak Fajitas
- Loads of veggies. Want kids to eat tons of vegetables? Make them fajitas. Our kids gobble up the peppers and onions with gusto.
- Fajita marinade. If you want the most succulent steak fajitas of your like, then using our steak fajita marinade is the way to go. It's so good with lime juice, soy sauce, and the perfect blend of seasonings and spices that compliment the meat without taking over the show.
- Make 'em your own. Doesn't everybody enjoy assembling their own fajitas? Part of the fun is topping them with as much cheese, guac, sour cream, or pico de gallo as you want.
Beef Fajita Ingredients
This is a quick overview of some of the important ingredients you'll need for this recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Steak. But for the BEST steak fajitas, we recommend skirt steak. Flank steak is our second pick. Both grill quickly, really take to the fajita marinade well, and slice up into juicy, tender pieces of beef. But you could also use your favorite steak like a New York strip or even a sirloin steak, if you wanted to.
- Bell peppers. Colorful fajitas are an easy way to eat the rainbow! We like a mix of red, yellow, and green bell peppers.
- Onion. A large, sliced onion adds so much flavor and a slight sweetness as it softens.
- Spices. We're using a pretty classic blend of spices for our fajita seasoning consisting of garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, black pepper, and chipotle chili powder for a little smoky heat without being too spicy.
- Marinade. The wonderfully marbled beef is going to soak up all the delicious flavors of fresh lime juice, soy sauce, and olive oil in the steak fajita marinade.
How to Make Steak Fajitas
It's easy to make this recipe. This is a quick overview with step-by-step images to help you visualize the process. Scroll down to the recipe card for printable, detailed instructions.
- Marinate the meat. Start by whisking the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Then pour it over the meat in a resealable bag and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. Although if you have the time it's even better if you can let it go 4 hours or overnight so the marinade can really penetrate and tenderize the meat.
- Cook the fajita veggies. Start with the onions in a large cast iron skillet or heavy duty pan. Once those have cooked down for a few minutes and started to soften a bit, add the sliced bell peppers. Saute until the veggies have softened but still have some bite to them, then toss them with some of the reserved marinade for even more flavor. Go ahead and taste them, then add salt and pepper, as needed.
- Cook the meat. We most often grill our skirt steak because it's fast and easy and adds wonderful flavor. To grill, just preheat your grill to medium-high heat so the grates are nice and hot for sear marks. Remove the meat from the marinade and place it on the grill. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until it is medium-rare. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and like any good steak, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
- Broil or pan-seared approach: If you want to broil the meat or cook it in a large skillet, the cooking time and is the same with 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels, then heat 1 tablespoon of olive in the skillet. You may need to slice your skirt steak in half and work in batches so it can fit in the pan.
- Slice, toss, and serve. Once the meat has rested, slice it against the grain into thin strips, then add to the skillet with the fajita veggies. Toss to combine, then serve with warm tortillas and toppings for individual assembly.
Recipe FAQ's
You could just use the spices to make fajita seasoning and use that to rub the meat before grilling, but the marinade really helps tenderize the skirt steak even more.
Both are great choices but we prefer skirt steak because it's a little thinner, cooks a little faster, and is generally more tender than flank steak. Flank steak has great flavor and only takes a minute or two longer to cook, but it can be slightly chewier and makes it slightly more difficult to eat the fajitas than when we use skirt steak.
When looking at a piece of skirt or flank steak, you will notice lines in the meat that run the same direction. This is called the "grain" of the meat and slicing perpendicular to those lines, which are muscle fibers, actually makes for more tender, easier to chew bites of meat.
Yes, absolutely! This marinade and method works just as well for chicken fajitas. For chicken breasts, you will just want to cook them for 6-8 minutes per side until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Keep in mind that the temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5 degrees after taking it off the grill, so you might want to pull it a minute or two early so it isn't overdone.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Don't skip the marinade time. Not only does the marinade add flavor, but it also tenderizes the meat. These are actually great for prepping the night before if you plan ahead so the meat can marinate overnight and be ready to cook the next day.
- Be sure to preheat the pan or grill. Regardless of the cooking method, you want to make sure you are working with a hot grill or hot pan to really sear the meat and lock in the juices.
- Double the veggies. I will often double the veggies because they are my favorite part and I love having leftovers. They are fantastic with scrambled eggs for breakfast, in salads, in burritos or burrito bowls.
- Don't overcook the meat. Even if you like your meat more well-done, you don't want to have dry steak for fajitas. Medium-rare or maybe medium is perfect and everything nice and juicy without being bloody.
What to Serve With Fajitas
The meat, vegetables, and flour or corn tortillas mean that fajitas are pretty much a balanced meal all on their own, but you still might want to serve them with some delicious accompaniments.
- Tortilla chips with our favorite restaurant-style salsa
- Horchata (a delicious and refreshing Mexican cinnamon rice drink)
- Cafe Rio Black Beans
- Cilantro Lime Rice
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- How to store: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They actually store really well and leftover fajita meat and veggies over crispy romaine lettuce with some cilantro lime dressing makes a fantastic lunch the next day.
- How to freeze: You can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months.
- How to reheat: Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, in the microwave for a minute or two, or in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350°F.
More Mexican Recipes
- Shredded Beef Chimichangas
- Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Authentic Carne Asada
- Crispy Mexican Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Steak Fajitas
Ingredients
Fajitas
- 1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds skirt steak or flank steak
- 2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, seeds and stem removed, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 green bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced
Fajita Marinade
- Zest of 1 lime (about 2 teaspoons)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon chipotle or ancho chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Assembly
- 8 small fajita-sized flour tortillas
- Pico de gallo
- Sour cream
- Grated cheese or queso fresco
- Guacamole
Instructions
- Whisk all marinade ingredients together. Reserve 2 tablespoons of marinade in a separate bowl. Pour remaining marinade over skirt steak in a resealable bag and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours. Massage the meat periodically to redistribute marinade.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute for 4-5 minutes until slightly softened. Add bell peppers and cook another 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly softened.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the peppers and onions are slightly seared, softened, and starting to caramelize. Add reserved marinade and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan.
- To cook the meat, heat a grill to medium-high heat or heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Remove the meat from the marinade and discard the marinade. Cook the meat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until medium-rare. You may need to cut the steak in half and cook it in batches if your skillet isn't big enough. Remove the meat from the grill or pan to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing against the grain into ½-inch strips.
- Add the cooked, sliced steak to the fajita veggies and toss to combine. Sprinkle with additional cilantro, if desired. Serve with warmed flour tortillas, pico de gallo, sour cream, cheese, and guacamole for individual assembly.
Notes
- How to store: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They actually store really well and leftover fajita meat and veggies over crispy romaine lettuce with some cilantro lime dressing makes a fantastic lunch the next day.
- How to freeze: You can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months.
- How to reheat: Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, in the microwave for a minute or two, or in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350°F.
- Slice against the grain: When looking at a piece of skirt or flank steak, you will notice lines in the meat that run the same direction. This is called the "grain" of the meat and slicing perpendicular to those lines actually makes for more tender, easier to chew bites of meat.
I have been trying to find new recipes and this one is a keeper! 10/10 recommend using the liquid smoke in the marinade. It really makes the flavor pop (especially if you are a college student like me who does not own a grill so all recipes are done on the stove or in the oven haha)
I've tried other fajita recipes but this is by far the best one yet