This simple Steak Fajitas recipe pairs zesty, juicy beef with tender peppers and onions for a restaurant-quality meal in your own home. Make the easy dinner on the stovetop or on the grill! Served with a stack of soft, warm tortillas, it's a family-friendly meal that everyone can agree on.
A chicken or steak fajitas recipe should be a regular staple in every home cook's rotation. Whether you prepare them on the outdoor grill or in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop, fajitas are such an easy way to make the whole family happy. While you might pile your steak on top of a salad or rice bowl with all of the toppings, the kids can keep it simple with just meat, cheese and tortillas. Customizable meals are the way to go -- and you don't even need to visit your local Tex-Mex restaurant!
What is on a fajita?
In Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine, the term fajita refers to any grilled meat that is served as a taco on a corn or flour tortilla. While the dish was originally prepared with skirt steak, chicken and other cuts of beef are also commonly used.
In restaurants, the beef is usually cooked with onions and peppers, which can be served on top of the meat. Other classic condiments include:
- Shredded lettuce
- Pico de gallo
- Salsa
- Cheese
- Guacamole or diced avocado
- Chopped onion
- Sour cream
What cut of beef is best for fajitas?
Skirt steak or flank steak are the best cuts of beef for this steak fajitas recipe. The skirt steak is a little bit more tender than the flank steak, so it can be cooked more without getting tough or chewy (in other words, choose skirt steak if you prefer your meat well done). By contrast, flank steak is leaner, so it's best when cooked rare or medium-rare. I've shown flank steak fajitas here.
How to make Steak Fajitas from scratch:
While this meal might feel fun and fancy, it's actually really simple! Just season the beef with zesty Mexican spices and cook it on the grill or in a skillet. While the meat rests, sauté the veggies and you're ready to feast!
Ingredients for Steak Fajitas Recipe
- Flank steak or skirt steak
- Onion
- Bell peppers
- Olive oil
- Seasonings: paprika, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper
- Plus a variety of optional toppings (see the list below)
Step 1: Prepare the Steak Fajitas Seasoning
First, combine the paprika, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne in a small bowl.
Step 2: Season and Cook the Beef
Next, rub the seasoning into the meat on all sides. Then grill the steak on an indoor or outdoor grill, or cook the steak in a large skillet on the stovetop.
Step 3: Cook the Vegetables
While the meat rests (before slicing it), sauté the peppers and onions in a skillet.
Step 4: Slice the Steak
It's important to make sure that you slice the beef against the grain. This will yield tender, juicy strips of steak for your fajitas!
Step 5: Assemble the Steak Fajitas
You can warm the tortillas in the microwave, on the grill, or in a dry skillet. Then top the warm tortillas with the sliced steak and the tender peppers and onions.
What goes with this Steak Fajitas recipe?
Pair the steak fajitas with any of these easy Mexican-inspired sides:
- Rice
- A simple green salad topped with a Salsa Ranch dressing
- Refried beans or Ranch-Style Beans
- Chips and homemade 5-minute salsa or 3-Ingredient Queso Dip
- Healthy and Easy Corn Salad
- Quick and Easy Pico de Gallo
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
Steak Fajitas Recipe - Nutrition Information:
Steak fajitas are actually a very healthy Tex-Mex meal! They're also flexible, because you can customize your toppings to suit your individual nutritional goals. As written, the recipe calls for flank steak, which is one of the healthiest beef cuts — ounce for ounce, a flank steak has fewer calories and more protein than a ribeye or porterhouse. Grilling the steak doesn't add any fat or calories to the meat, and the seasoning is low in sodium, fat and calories. Top it off with some healthy sautéed vegetables and you've got a delicious dinner that's really good for you!
One sixth of this steak fajitas recipe has just 330 calories, 18 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbohydrates and 33 grams of protein. The nutrition information will vary as you add tortillas or rice and other toppings. To keep it light and low-carb, serve the sliced meat and vegetables over salad greens or cauliflower rice.
Preparation and Storage Tips:
- You can prepare the fajita seasoning mix in advance and keep it stored in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 3 months. If you make fajitas regularly, triple or quadruple the ingredients to make a larger batch to have on hand.
- Leftover cooked steak fajitas will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days.
- You can freeze cooked steak fajitas; however, I find that the meat is the only component that keeps well. Wrapped tightly, the cooked steak will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months. The vegetables tend to have a mushy, watery texture when thawed, so I don't recommend freezing them.
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Don't want to prepare your own fajita seasoning? For a shortcut, you can purchase packets of store-bought seasoning instead.
- This steak fajita seasoning has a small amount of "heat," thanks to a little bit of cayenne. I would consider it comparable to "medium" salsa. If your family prefers a spicier fajita, you can increase the amount of cayenne or serve the fajitas topped with jalapeños. By contrast, if you want a more mild fajita seasoning, I suggest cutting the amount of cayenne in half (or omit it altogether).
- I like soft, warm flour tortillas with fajitas, but you can also serve the fajitas with corn tortillas, over rice, or on top of salad.
- I recommend either skirt steak or flank steak for fajitas; however, you can use just about any steak that you prefer. We've even made the fajitas with New York Strip steaks when that's what we had on hand (just adjust the cooking time for larger, thicker cuts).
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size, thickness and cut of your meat. It's always best to use a digital instant-read meat thermometer to know when your steak has reached the ideal temperature.
- Serving just two people? Cut the ingredients in half and prepare one flank steak (about 1 lb. total).
More steak recipes that you might enjoy:
- The Best Steak Marinade Recipe
- Mom's Easy Marinated Flank Steak
- Ribeye Steak with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans
- Carne Asada
- Chinese Pepper Steak
Steak Fajitas Recipe
Ingredients
FAJITA SEASONING:
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
FAJITAS:
- 2 lbs. flank steak or skirt steak
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 sweet bell peppers (any color), thinly sliced
- Olive oil
- Optional, for serving: salsa, flour tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the seasoning. Rub the seasoning into the beef and set aside. Reserve any leftover seasoning for the vegetables, if desired.
GRILL METHOD:
- Prepare a hot fire by piling charcoal on one side of grill, leaving other side empty. (For gas grills, only light one side.) Place food grate on grill. Place steak on lit side of grill. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you are cooking a smaller flank steak or skirt steak (about 1 lb.), it may only need about 15 minutes on the grill.
- The steak is done when the edges are charred and crispy, and you see some nicely dark searing on the top. Check the temperature in the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer: 115 to 120°F for rare steak, 120 to 125°F for medium-rare steak, 130 to 135°F for medium steak, and 140 to 145°F for medium-well steak.
- Let the steak rest while you prepare the vegetables.
SKILLET METHOD:
- Heat a large cast iron pan or griddle over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the hot skillet and heat the oil for 1 more minute. Sear the steak in the hot oil for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until it reaches desired temperature.
- Check the temperature in the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer: 115 to 120°F for rare steak, 120 to 125°F for medium-rare steak, 130 to 135°F for medium steak, and 140 to 145°F for medium-well steak.
- Let the steak rest while you prepare the vegetables.
FOR THE VEGETABLES:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the onions and peppers in the hot oil until they’re tender (about 7-10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
SERVE:
- Warm up the tortillas by heating them in the microwave, on the grill or in a dry pan.
- Slice the beef against the grain in ½-inch thick slices. Serve the beef with the warm tortillas and the vegetables. Garnish with optional toppings and serve!
Notes
- Don't want to prepare your own fajita seasoning? For a shortcut, you can purchase packets of store-bought seasoning instead! You will likely need two packets of seasoning for this recipe, since you're using two pounds of beef.
- This steak fajita seasoning has a small amount of "heat," thanks to a little bit of cayenne. I would consider it comparable to "medium" salsa. If your family prefers a spicier fajita, you can increase the amount of cayenne or serve the fajitas topped with jalapeños. By contrast, if you want a more mild fajita seasoning, I suggest cutting the amount of cayenne in half (or omit it altogether).
- I like soft, warm flour tortillas with fajitas, but you can also serve the fajitas with corn tortillas, over rice, or on top of salad.
- I recommend either skirt steak or flank steak for fajitas; however, you can use just about any steak that you prefer. We've even made the fajitas with New York Strip steaks when that's what we had on hand (just adjust the cooking time for larger, thicker cuts).
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size, thickness and cut of your meat. It's always best to use a digital instant-read meat thermometer to know when your steak has reached the ideal temperature.
- Serving just two people? Cut the ingredients in half and prepare one flank steak (about 1 lb. total).
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