Steak Fajitas

With an easy homemade fajita seasoning, a simple citrusy marinade, and lots of colorful veggies, Steak Fajitas have never been easier or more delicious! Instructions included for stove or grill cooking.

Recipe ingredients:

Ingredient notes:

• Steak: The recipe calls for flank steak, but you can use rump or skirt steak, too.
• Fajita seasoning: A simple blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and some salt and sugar.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Mix together the Fajita seasoning, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Then add the steak and mix to make sure the beef is completely coated in the marinade. Let the steak marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.
   
2. Heat a skillet and some oil over medium-high heat on the stove. Next, add the steak and cook until crispy and browned on the bottom. Then flip the steak and continue to cook until the new side is browned.
   
3. Once your steak is finished cooking, move it to a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice the steaks into thin strips against the grain of the muscle fiber.
   
4. To the fat in the skillet, add the sliced peppers and onions and cook until tender.
   
5. Then, add the strips of steak back to the skillet for easy serving.
   

Recipe notes and substitutions:

• Cooking on the grill: Leave the steak pieces whole, cut the peppers in quarters, and cut the onions in fat rings (so you don’t lose the veggies in the fire grates). Then you can slice and dice and add everything back to a sizzling skillet just before serving. (You can also use a grill basket or skewers).
• Warming tortillas:  Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, then add tortillas in a single layer. Heat until softened on one side (1-2 minutes). Flip and heat on the other side for a minute or so. Wrap in a tortilla towel or foil and repeat. You can also warm tortillas on the grill.
• Carryover cooking: When you pull meat off the stove or grill, the internal temperature will rise a few degrees because of what we call “carryover cooking.” Letting the meat rest is crucial to achieving juicy, perfectly cooked meat. If you cut the steak too soon, all the juices will flow out onto the cutting board.
• Meat doneness temperatures: 
  • 120-125 degrees for medium rare
  • 130-135 degrees for medium
  • 140 degrees for medium well
• Make ahead: Prep all the ingredients ahead, but don’t let the steak sit in the lime juice for more than an hour or it will “cook” and become too tough.

Perfect sides for sizzling Fajitas:

• Mexican rice
• Cilantro-lime rice
• Black beans
• Guacamole
• Corn salsa

More Fajita recipes:

• Chicken fajitas
• Shrimp fajitas
• Chipotle copycat fajita veggies

Did you enjoy this recipe? Please leave a rating and a comment below!

Steak Fajitas

With an easy homemade fajita seasoning, a simple citrusy marinade, and lots of colorful veggies, Steak Fajitas have never been easier or more delicious!

5 from 2 votes

ReviewPrint

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Marinating time 30 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Servings 4 servings

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Calories 438

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the fajita seasoning (see note 1):

• ▢ 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or less to taste
• ▢ salt

For the marinade:

• ▢ 2 pounds flank steak trimmed and slice lengthwise (with grain) into 4 equal pieces (see note 2)
• ▢ 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh lime juice from 2 limes

For the fajitas:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
• ▢ 3 large bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, or green) cut into strips
• ▢ 1 large red onion halved and thinly sliced
• ▢ tortillas warmed, for serving
• ▢ sour cream and hot sauce, cilantro, and lime wedges, for serving

Instructions 

• In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, paprika, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon).
• To a large zipper-top plastic bag, add steak, cilantro, lime juice, and fajita seasoning. Mash until steak is evenly coated. Marinate at least 30 minutes (room temperature) or up to 1 hour (refrigerated).
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add steak and cook, without moving, until crispy and browned on one side, about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the second side, about 3 to 5 minutes longer.
• Using tongs, stand each piece on a cut side and cook, turning as necessary, until all cut sides are browned and until meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 3 to 8 minutes.
• Transfer steak to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before cutting into strips (do not discard fat in skillet). Slice steak pieces thin against grain.
• Meanwhile, to the skillet with the fat over medium-high heat, add bell peppers and onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Push peppers and onions to one side and add sliced steak back to skillet for serving. Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings.

Notes

1. Fajita seasoning: This recipe uses my favorite homemade blend. For this recipe, I’ve portioned out exactly what you need to make this recipe if you don’t already have a jar on hand.
2. Steak: The recipe calls for flank steak, but you can use rump or skirt steak, too.
3. Yield: Although you start with 2 pounds of raw steak, you’ll have closer to 1 or 1 ½ pounds of cooked steak after cooking. This recipe will make at least 4 servings (1 cup EACH steak and vegetables per serving).
4. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
5. Make ahead: Make the seasoning well in advance and marinade the steak up to 1 hour before you want to start cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 8ouncesCalories: 438kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 51gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 136mgSodium: 145mgPotassium: 1131mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 4513IUVitamin C: 164mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 5mg

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