Sizzling Steak Fajitas are always a favorite easy and delicious dinner recipe. Customize them with your favorite Mexican toppings like cheese and guacamole or sour cream.
Steak Fajitas are packed with authentic Southwest flavor and bring restaurant experience to your kitchen! They will become one of your go to Beef Recipes... it's what's for dinner!
Why You’ll Love This Steak Fajitas Recipe:
We love serving fajitas. Put the sizzling pan in the center of the table (don't forget to put hot pads under it) along with the tortillas and "fixings" and you are sure to get the family and friends talking and having fun.
- Fast -Grilling the meat and vegetables takes only a few minutes. Make the marinade when you get home from your day’s activities and, come mealtime, you can have a fiesta on the table in a flash during busy weeknights.
- Versatile -This beef fajitas recipe is easy to make with your favorite toppings and can be served in various ways.
- Family-Friendly -Get oohs and ahhs from your kiddos around the family dining table, just like they do when sizzling fajitas are brought through your favorite Mexican restaurant!
Ingredients for Steak Fajitas and Marinade
The key to delicious fajitas is a great marinade. Throw these ingredients into a blender or use a "stick blender" (also known as an immersion blender) for easier clean up.
- Flank or skirt steak- For the best cut of meat, go to the butcher counter for a 2-pound cut. Trim its extra fat before rubbing it and adding it the marinade. Both cuts of meat are great for grilling. Sirloin steak makes excellent fajitas!
- Jalapeño Pepper or Chipotle in Adobo- Jalapeños adds a sweet tang and a light kick to the beef fajita marinade while Chipotles will up the heat level greatly as well as add a smokey flavor.
- Garlic - No need to chop here! Simply remove the skin, as we’ll be blending the garlic into the marinade.
- Fresh Cilantro - In a pinch, you can use four teaspoons of dried cilantro.
- Citrus Fruit -A mix of lime and orange adds the perfect balance of tang and sweetness to this beef fajita recipe . Stop! Don't peel that fruit. I use the whole fruit for this recipe; just remove the seedsbefore starting. The little bit of bitterness from the whole peel adds a depth of flavor.
- White Wine Vinegar -The acid in this vinegar brightens the marinade and tenderizes the meat. Apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar will also work.
- Vegetable Oil - If you don’t have vegetable oil, a neutral flavored oil like avocado, canola orcorn oil can be used for the same effect.
- Salt and Pepper - To bring out the flavors of the beef fajitas.
- Onion - A sweet and savory staple in fajita recipes . Yellow onions are the traditional choice because of their flavor, but white and red onions can also be used in a pinch.
- Sweet Bell Peppers - I like to use one red and one green bell pepper. Tip: you can swap out the green pepper for a poblano chile pepper to give this recipe more of an authentic flavor.
- Tortillas - Choose your favorite corn tortillas or flour tortilla about 6 to 7-inches in size. I like using flour or corn tortillas .
Toppings for Steak Fajitas-
Beef can stand up to stronger flavors, don't be afraid to add a little more heat and a little more acid. I like to add a more acidic salsa like this Salsa Verde Recipe with tomatillos and pickled red onions or pickled jalapeños.
Great Salsa Recipes are really delicious with fajitas. Choose your favorite salsa and top Your fajitas with any of these garnishes-
- Queso fresco,
- cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Guacamole
- pico de gallo or diced onion
- sour cream
- Mexican Street Corn
- lime wedges all pair well with this recipe
- Fresh Salsas-
How to Make Steak Fajitas
- First, prepare the marinade. Combine the jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, seeded whole limes, seeded whole orange, vinegar, and oil in a blender or food processor and blend until combined. Alternatively, you can mix the marinade ingredients with an immersion blender.
- Marinate the beef. Trim any excess fat and place it in a large baking dish or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the steak, coating it on all sides. Seal the bag or cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Grill the steak. Remove the meat from the marinade and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush the grill or grill pan with oil to prevent sticking, then grill the meat over medium-high heat until medium rare – around 7 to 10 minutes on each side. When done, remove from the grill and transfer to a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes.
- Prepare the vegetables. While the steak is cooking, peel and slice the onion. Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers. Then, cut them lengthwise into thin strips and drizzle both with oil.
- Grill the vegetables. Add the sliced onions and peppers to the grill, cooking until tender but not mushy. You will know they are done when slightly charred around the edges.
- Slice the steak. Cut into thin slices against the grain on a diagonal to keep the pieces tender.
- Assemble and serve. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet over low-medium heat until pliable, but not crunchy or hard or in the microwave for 5 to seven seconds.
- Layer the strips of beef, grilled vegetables, and any desired toppings (see below) on the warm tortillas and enjoy!
How to Serve Fajitas-
TIP For Serving Fajitas: Place the Steak Fajitas and grilled vegetables in the center of the table on a warm grill pan or skillet. You can use a warm platter, as well. Surround the pan with bowls of fajita toppings and let everyone build their own!
Recipe Pro Tips For Steak Fajitas:
- Use a meat thermometer. The meat should read 145°F through its thickest part to be sure it’s safe to eat. Here is an Amazon link to the Meat Thermometer I use in my kitchen.
- Avoid marinating for too long. The citrus juices can make the meat a bit chewy if left too long, so try not to marinate for more than four hours. One hour is all you need for a delicious flavor infusion.
- Don’t turn the steak over more than once when grilling. This will ensure more consistent cooking and prevent too much moisture from escaping. Cook the steak for 7-10 minutes on each side. If you are concerned about it burning, adjust the grill's temperature.
- Slice across the grain. For tender strips of beef, slice the flank steak across the grain or the width of the meat.
- Rest after cooking. Don’t skip the resting step; it helps the juices and heat redistribute throughout the meat.
Serving Suggestions for Fajitas:
Keto Friendly- Make this recipe keto friendly by serving the beef strips and grilled vegetables with your favorite side dish like salad or calabacitas (zucchini and corn dish).
Serve on warm tortillas (as above) with toppings like sour cream and guacamole "fajita-style".makes the perfect meal on its own with your favorite side dish such as salad or potato. It makes the perfect meal on its own with your favorite side dish such as salad or potato.".
Pair the fajitas with other Mexican sides dishes like beans and rice for feeding a family or a crowd.
Make it into fajita bowls salad by serving the beef strips and grilled vegetables one crispy lettuce with pico de Gallo and all of the fixings.
Create a Fajita Bowl by serving it over rice with your choice of bean and topping., or use this steak fajitas for meal prep.
Try out the following ideas!
- Serve with Mexican-style rice and your favorite toppings for easy fajita bowls.
- Pair with a Southwest-inspired side like Chipotle Lime Corn Salsa or Grilled Mango with Honey and Pistachios.
- Portion into containers with your favorite steamed grain or salad greens and toppings for delicious meal prep lunches you can enjoy throughout the week!
Storage Directions:
- Refrigeration: Allow the fajitas to cool completely before transferring the leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Steak fajitas last up to 3 months in a freezer-safe airtight container. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat the fajitas in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
Tools Used in This Recipe
- Knife and Cutting Board - used to slice the steak and prepare the ingredients.
- Grill - for cooking steak and vegetables. An indoor grill pan also works great if you don’t have an outdoor grill.
- Skillet - For warming the tortillas. In a pinch, you can also warm them over a gas flame or in the microwave.
- Blender, Food Processor, or Immersion Blender -For blending the marinade.
- Baking Dish or Zip-Top Bag -This is for holding the steak while it marinates.
- Tongs - To handle the ingredients on the grill.
More Delicious Mexican Dinners:
- Easy Carne Picada
- Crispy Chicken Tacos
- Carne Asada Tacos
- Authentic Mexican Tamales
- Albondigas Soup
I hope you love this recipe! Follow Everyday Southwest on Social Media for more great Southwest Recipes.
on Pinterest for more great Southwest recipes.
Easy Steak Fajitas with Marinade
These sizzling steak fajitas are always a hit for an easy and delicious dinner you can customize with your favorite Mexican toppings!
For the best results, buy flank steak directly from the butcher counter. If flank steak is not available, you can also use skirt steak.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak
- ½ jalapeno, stemmed and seeded
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 limes, cut into quarters
- 1 small orange, cut into quarters
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ½ cup vegetable or corn oil
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 small white onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper or poblano chile
- 16 small flour or corn tortillas (5 to 7-inch)
- Garnish Ideas-
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Guacamole
- Pico de Gallo
- Sour Cream
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Trim flank steak removing extra fat. Place in a large pyrex or plastic dish or zip bag.
Combine jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, limes and oranges (seeds removed), vinegar and oil in food processor and puree. The mixture will be thick. Pour over flank steak and coat it well.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate over night or at least 4 hours. Remove flank steak from marinade and remove the excess marinade season with salt and pepper.
While the steak is marinading, slice the vegetables into ¼ inch thin strips.
Grill steak over medium-high flame (you can also use a grill pan on the stove or under the broiler). Grill until medium rare (about 7 to 8 minutes each side).
Remove flank steak and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice into thin slices by cutting across the grain on a diagonal so that the meat will be tender.
Grill vegetables in a skillet or grill pan until tender but not mushy.
Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet just until warm and pliable. Or heat in a microwave for 7 about seconds.
Toss the Carne Asada Steak and vegetable strips together and serve with warm tortillas and garnishes of your choice. Let each person assemble their own fajitas.
Leave a Reply