These are INCREDIBLY GOOD steak fajitas. Tender, tangy, and super flavorful beef paired with slightly charred veggies, warm tortillas, sour cream, and guacamole.
A while back, I shared my favorite Carne Asada marinade with you, and today, I’m sharing my very favorite way to use that marinade: to make steak fajitas.
Friend, these steak fajitas are SO GOOD. Plus, since this is a recipe that does best with a nice long marinade, if you start marinating your fajita steak the night before, your meat can go from marinade to plate in less than 20 minutes when dinner time comes around.
The Best Steak for Fajitas
The best steak for fajitas is skirt steak, flank steak, or flap meat. All three cuts of meat have a good, beefy flavor, take a marinade well, and cook up relatively tender under quick, high heat.
Given the choice, my personal favorite is flap meat, but all three are great options, and depending on their popularity in your area, you might not always be able to find all of these cuts at your local butcher. So just use whichever cut is available and most reasonably priced.
Fajita Marinade Recipe
The fajita marinade we’ll be using on the steak is citrus-based, so it not only produces tangy and delicious meat, but the acidity of the orange, lemon, and lime juice helps break down the steak for a more tender finished product.
If you’re short on time, you can marinate your steak for as little as four hours, but you’re going to get the best results with a 24-hour marinade.
How to Make Steak Fajitas
1. Start with a nice long marinade to tenderize the meat and make sure it really soaks up as much flavor as possible.
2. Prep your fajita veggies by slicing two bell peppers of any color and half of an onion into thin slices. This can be done the night before (store the veggies in an airtight container) when you start marinating your steak if you know you’re going to be short on time the following day.
3. Cook the steak under a very hot broiler for about 4-6 minutes per side (less if your steak is very thin). Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes and then slice across the grain.
4. While your steak cooks, you’ll prepare the vegetables on the stove. The fajita veggies also get cooked quickly over high heat, so you get some charred edges while retaining the peppers’ color and texture.
5. And that’s it. Serve over warm tortillas with guacamole, sour cream, maybe a little pico de gallo, and enjoy!
FAQ
What goes with steak fajitas?
Classic fajita restaurant sides are rice and beans, but if you want something a little quicker for weeknights, you might also try:
- Oven-roasted Broccoli
- Tortilla Chips with Nacho Cheese
- Oven-baked Green Beans
Can the steak be cooked on a grill?
Absolutely! To cook on the grill, cook the meat over medium-high heat, 3-8 minutes per side, less if you’re working with really thin cuts of meat.
Can this recipe be made ahead of time?
Yes. Fajitas are a great make-ahead dinner. Simply cook the beef and veggies up to 2 days in advance. When you’re ready to eat them, reheat everything, and serve with warmed tortillas.
Meal Prep Steak Fajita Rice Bowls
And last thing before we go, this recipe makes about four servings. If you’re a household of one or two, I highly recommend turning the leftovers into meal prep steak fajita bowls.
Just layer cilantro rice (or cauliflower rice) in your meal prep containers and top with the steak and veggies. It turns your fajitas into super easy and portable lunches.
More Meaty Main Dishes
Awesome Steak Fajitas
Ingredients
Fajita Steak Marinade
- ½ cup orange juice bottled is fine
- ½ cup soy sauce low-sodium is fine
- ¼ cup lemon juice bottled is fine
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice bottled is fine
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or diced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper OR 1 teaspoon finely chopped, canned chipotle pepper optional
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro chopped about ¾ to 1 cup very loosely packed
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds skirt, flank, or flap steak
Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ large onion sliced
- 2 bell peppers any color, sliced ¼-inch
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Fajita Toppings
- 8 tortillas warmed
- Sour cream optional
- Guacamole optional
- Pico de gallo optional
Instructions
Steak Fajita Marinade
- In a medium bowl, stir together all marinade ingredients. Place meat in a gallon-size plastic bag or glass container and pour marinade over the top. Marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably closer to 24, flipping the meat once halfway through.
Fajita Steak
- Arrange your top oven rack to about 4 inches below the broiler and heat broiler on high.
- Line a heavy-duty baking sheet or roasting pan with foil and broil steak for 4-6 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 135°F for medium-rare, 145°F for medium. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing across the grain into strips.
Fajita Vegetables
- While your meat cooks, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add onion and bell pepper slices. Sprinkle spices over the top and generously salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 8 minutes, until edges are lightly charred and vegetables are tender crisp.For softer vegetables, turn heat down to medium once the vegetables get a nice char so they don’t burn, and continue to cook until vegetables reach your desired level of doneness.
- Serve with the sliced steak over warmed tortillas with sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
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Elizabeth says
Do you think this would work on a grill at high heat? For the steak. Sometimes in the summer, my family is looking for ways to avoid heating the house with the oven, so I wondered if you think that would work
Tracy says
Hi, Elizabeth, this works great on the grill. I’d do medium-high heat, 4-8 minutes per side, less if you’re working with really thin cuts of meat.
Jennifer says
Do I put it in the refrigerator to marinade? If I do, how long before cooking it should I take it out of the fridge? Thank you! I’ve been loving your recipes.
Tracy says
Hi, Jennifer, definitely marinate the meat in the fridge. I sometimes just cook it straight out of the refrigerator, but if you have time, you can let it sit out for about half an hour.
I’ve honestly never noticed a difference either way, but I’ve never done a side by side taste test. 🙂 And I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipes!! Hope you like the fajitas. They’re one of my favorites!
Carol says
Made this twice now and we like it. 🙂 I just have one problem though well maybe two I can’t make enough at one time, the family loves it, so I guess that is a good problem to have. 🙂
I don’t seem to get it tender enough and it still seems very chewy and kind of tough should you tell me what I’m doing wrong? I have used Flap, flank, and skirt steak and they all come out that way. ( I did two kinds of meat one night ) I did marinate all of them overnight. So could you explain where I went wrong?
Thanks.
Tracy says
Hi Carol, for the most tender beef, make sure you’re cooking the meat just to medium doneness (use a thermometer, and go by what that’s telling you rather than cooking time) and cutting it across the grain. The temp the meat is cooked to and cutting it properly does make a really huge difference. Hope that helps!