Whip up this easy recipe for quick steak fajitas that is packed with spices and takes about 10 minutes to make once the meat has marinated.
You will love the incredible sear from this cast iron fajita recipe.
This is honestly, the best fajita recipe. Think juicy steak with bright bell peppers and crunchy onions. The marinade ensures that the steak is ultra-juicy and flavor-loaded!
Try it with my 5-minute creamy avocado dip! If you love this recipe, you're going to love my chicken fajita salad and simple chicken tacos too!
Jump To
- 🛒 Steak Fajita Ingredients
- 🥘 How To Make Quick Steak Fajitas Step By Step
- 🥩 What Meat To Use for Steak Fajitas?
- 📋 Tips for Fajita Meat
- 👨🍳 Equipment Needed to Make This Air Fryer Chicken Skewers Recipe
- 🍱 Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With Quick Steak Fajitas
- More Quick Beef Recipes You'll Like
- Did You Try This Recipe?
- 📖Recipe
- 🤷Quick Steak Fajitas: Frequently Asked Questions
- 💬 Comments
🛒 Steak Fajita Ingredients
- Beef steak - Choose sirloin, flank, or skirt steak that's at least 1 inch thick. If your steak is thinner, you'll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly—shorter cooking times for thinner cuts.
- Bell pepper - Choose small fajita peppers in at least two different colors. Slice them into ½-inch thick strips for a vibrant and flavorful mix.
- Brown onion - Slice a brown onion into ½-inch thick strips to add a rich, sweet flavor.
- Vegetable oil - Go for oils with a high smoke point like sunflower or canola oil. Olive oil works well too, adding a delightful flavor.
- Lime juice - Adds a refreshing, tangy kick to the dish, perfect for balancing flavors.
- Cumin - Is a warm, earthy spice that's essential in many savory dishes.
- Smoked paprika - Infuses a rich, smoky taste that enhances the overall depth of the dish. Regular paprika is ok too.
- Garlic - Minced garlic cloves bring a pungent, aromatic element that complements the other spices.
- Chili flakes - Adds a touch of heat, adjustable to your spice preference.
- Salt and pepper - Seasoning the ingredients well is key to a great-tasting beef fajitas!
- Olive oil - It has a smooth taste.
👩🍳 You'll find the complete list of ingredients below the recipe card.
🥘 How To Make Quick Steak Fajitas Step By Step
- Prepare the veggies by cutting them up - set them aside.
- Make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients in a large shallow dish or a ziplock bag. Save 2 tablespoons of the marinade for the veggies later.
- Marinate the steak by coating it with the marinade and letting it sit for at least 30 minutes. If you have more time, marinate it in the fridge for a couple of hours. Before cooking, let the steak come to room temperature.
- Cook the steak by searing the steak for 4 minutes on each side in a hot cast iron pan until medium rare. Use kitchen tongs to sear the edges (both side) for 1 minute each. Take the steak out of the pan and let it rest for several minutes, covered loosely with a piece of foil.
- Transfer the steak to a cutting board, sprinkle with sea salt, and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice into at least ½-inch strips.
- Cook the veggies over medium-high heat with the reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade until just softened. Season with salt and pepper before serving.
🥩 What Meat To Use for Steak Fajitas?
Want to know what the best beef steak for fajitas is? Here's what you need to know about your fajita meat options:
1. Flank steak: This lean cut has a rich flavor and slightly chewy texture. When marinated and cooked properly, it becomes tender and delicious.
2. Skirt steak: Often used in authentic fajitas, skirt steak is a bit fattier and more flavorful than flank steak. Some say its the best cut of meat for fajitas. It has a distinctive grain that makes it ideal for slicing against the grain for maximum tenderness.
3. Sirloin steak: You can use sirloin steak for fajitas very successfully. Its a more tender option, sirloin steak is versatile and easy fajita beef cut to work with. It absorbs marinades well and cooks up juicy and flavorful.
Check that the beef fajita internal temp reaches 145°F before removing it from the pan.
Rita's Tip
The longer you marinade the meat for, the better it will taste!
📋 Tips for Fajita Meat
- Use a hot cast iron skillet or grill pan heated over medium-high heat. The high temperature will sear the steak, creating a delicious crust while keeping the inside juicy.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan and cook the steak and veggies in batches if necessary. Overcrowding can cause steaming instead of searing, which affects the texture.
- When searing the steak, use tongs to easily handle and maneuver the meat, especially when searing the edges.
- After cooking, let the steak rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every bite is flavorful and moist.
- For the most tender bites, cut the steak against the grain. This means slicing perpendicular to the direction of the muscle fibers.
👨🍳 Equipment Needed to Make This Air Fryer Chicken Skewers Recipe
- A Ziplock bag or a shallow dish - for the marinade.
- Cast iron skillet or grill pan - for cooking the steak.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Cutting board.
🍱 Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store. Store leftover steak fajitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Separate the steak, veggies, and any toppings to keep them fresh. They will keep well for up to 3-4 days.
- 🥶Freezing. For longer storage, freeze the cooked steak and veggies. Place them in freezer-safe bags or containers, removing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
- 🔥To Reheat. For a quick reheat, place the steak and veggies on a microwave-safe plate and cover them with a damp paper towel to prevent drying out. Heat in short intervals, about 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally until heated through.
- 🔥 For a more even reheat, use a skillet over medium heat. Add a small amount of oil to the pan, then add the steak and veggies. Stir occasionally until warmed through, usually about 5-7 minutes.
What To Serve With Quick Steak Fajitas
More Quick Beef Recipes You'll Like
- Air Fryer Meatballs
- Texmex Cabbage and Ground Beef Skillet
- Mexican One Pot Ground Beef and Potatoes
- Roast Beef Sliders
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
📖Recipe
THE BEST QUICK Steak Fajitas
Ingredients
For Steak
- 1 pound sirloin, flank, or skirt steak, at least 1 inch thick steak (can be thinner, and cooking time needs to be adjusted)
- 3 small bell pepper, tricolor or at least 2 different colors, cut into ½-inch thick strips
- 1 brown onion, cut into ½-inch thick strips
- vegetable oil for cooking
For the Marinade
- 2 teaspoon lime juice and more for serving
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, or more depending on how spicy you’d like it
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black ground pepper or less/to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the veggies on a separate plate so they are ready when you need them.3 small bell pepper, 1 brown onion
- Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large shallow dish (or ziplock bag). Reserve 2 tablespoons for the veggies later.2 teaspoon lime juice and more for serving, 1 ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 large garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black ground pepper or less/to taste, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- Coat the steak with the marinade and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or for a couple of hours (refrigerated) if you have time. Before cooking allow steak come to room temperature.1 pound sirloin
- Heat a good cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat with some vegetable oil. Sear the steak for 4 minutes on both sides (to achieve medium rare)* and 1 minute on both sides/edges (kitchen thongs will be very helpful here to hold the steak!).vegetable oil for cooking
- Transfer to cutting board, sprinkle with sea salt, and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into at least ½ inch strips to serve.
- Wipe the skillet and add more vegetable oil. Cook the veggies on medium high with 2 tablespoons of marinade until just softened. Season with salt and pepper in the end.
Notes
- Medium rare: 145ºF (soft and pink center)
- Medium: 160ºF (soft but with less pink or lighter pink in the center)
- Well Done: 170ºF (chewy, firm and no pink center)
- Marinade: You can use your favorite spices or a store-bought fajita mix here. The steak is delicious on its own with just a pinch of salt and pepper! But as it is a dish from Tex-Mex cuisine, we want to use enough spices accordingly.
- Tip: You don't need to marinate a good steak for hours, but for fajita-style meat, it's best to marinate for at least 30 minutes to get the flavors right. If you're short on time, double the marinade. Use some to coat the steak and heat the rest in a small pot to drizzle over the cooked steak.
Nutrition
🤷Quick Steak Fajitas: Frequently Asked Questions
While marinating peppers and onions isn't necessary for fajitas, tossing them in a bit of the marinade can enhance their flavor.
For best results, coat them lightly and let them sit while the steak marinates.
The calorie count in a steak fajita can vary widely based on portion size, type of meat, tortilla size, and toppings used.
Generally, a typical steak fajita with a medium-sized tortilla, grilled steak, peppers, onions, and minimal toppings can range from 300 to 500 calories.
Start with a tender cut of meat like flank or skirt steak. Marinate the steak for at least 30 minutes to infuse flavor and tenderize.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the steak quickly (about 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare), and let it rest before slicing against the grain.
Cook the peppers and onions separately over high heat until they're just softened to retain their crisp texture.
Cooking time for steak fajitas depends on the thickness of the steak and desired doneness.
For thin cuts like skirt or flank steak, cook on a hot skillet or grill for about 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare.
Thicker cuts may need slightly longer. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 135-140°F (57-60°C) for medium-rare, then let the steak rest before slicing.
Rita
enjoy delicious steak fajitas!
Angelia Shelton
very good I don't know what else to say delicious 👍❤️