How to Make Steak Fajitas: Easy Recipe

Some days, you want something delicious, but you don't want to spend hours preparing a meal. Sounds like a great excuse to try a Tex-Mex favorite: Steak fajitas! This veggie-packed meal is simple, flavorful, and loaded with nutrients, and you can get an extra kick when you add some spice, if you like it hot.

What are steak fajitas?

Steak fajitas are made of grilled strips of skirt steak or flank steak, grilled vegetables such as peppers and onions, marinade, and other ingredients of choice—all rolled into soft, warm tortillas. The beauty of this meal is that ingredients can be prepared separately and then assembled according to taste, so cooks can please the person who doesn't like onions as easily as the person who does. This steak fajitas recipe also allows for easy substitutions, such as flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas, sirloin or tri-tip (or chicken) instead of skirt steak or flank steak, etc.

Are steak fajitas healthy?

While health can and should be defined differently for everyone based on individual needs, diet, background, and accessibility, steak fajitas are a well-balanced meal packed with nutrients. Steak is a protein powerhouse and a key source of iron, zinc and vitamin B12.

Additionally, fajitas provide an entire serving of colorful vegetables via bell peppers and onions. Bell peppers contain important vitamins in a healthy diet, including vitamins A, E and C.

If you're seeking a meal that provides ample protein, vitamins and micronutrients as part of a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle, these easy steak fajitas are an excellent choice.

Are beef fajitas keto friendly?

A keto-friendly diet contains high fat and low carbohydrates. It's easy to turn a traditional fajita recipe into a keto fajita recipe by omitting the tortillas. Tortillas are the main source of carbohydrates in beef fajitas, while the steak is a high source of protein. The vegetables provide carbohydrates, but less than you would find in corn or flour tortillas.

This steak fajitas recipe is great to use as a base of inspiration and add ingredients to not only increase flavor but increase the fat content of the meal if you want a keto-friendly meal. Two great ways to increase the fat are adding sliced avocado and extra-virgin olive oil.

What is the best cut of beef for fajitas?

I'm a steak lover, and I often feel you can't really go wrong with a steak that is cooked exceptionally, no matter the cut of beef. However, I have found (through a lot of fajita taste-testing!) that more tender cuts will yield more flavorful beef fajitas. The more tender meat will also be easier to chew in thin strips (versus cutting into smaller bites like you might a sirloin steak).

Thus, the following cuts of beef are all great choices for beef fajitas:

• Skirt steak (The best option!)
• Flank steak (The second-best option for when you don't have skirt steak)
• Hanger steak (An option with a strong recommendation to marinate it overnight to tenderize it)

Any of these cuts will soak up your steak fajita marinade very well, cook quickly, and taste flavorful.

Can you make steak fajitas in the oven?

The best dinners are flavorful ones that you can make via whichever method works best for you. Restaurants often make steak fajitas in a cast iron skillet that is delivered to your table still sizzling. While you can't beat the flavor from a grilled steak, broiling or baking your steak in the oven is still a tasty way to make beef fajitas.

No matter the cut of steak you're using for fajitas, you should marinate your beef before cooking. That way it soaks up the flavor of the fajita seasoning better than it would if you waited to add the marinade on the grill.

When cooking steak in the oven, bake it to your desired doneness and then broil it under high heat to get the outside slightly crispy. Cooking it to medium-rare only before broiling will help it stay tender.

What about the rest of the fajitas—the vegetables? Slice up your bell peppers and your onion, spread them on a sheet pan, and bake those, too! It's so easy, has minimal clean up, and yields perfectly cooked vegetables to assemble with your meat and tortillas.

How to make spicy steak fajitas from scratch

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. skirt steak
• ¼ cup California Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 green bell peppers, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 2 fresh limes

Preparation

1. Combine half of the olive oil, plus the soy sauce, chili powder, garlic powder and 1½ tsp of salt and pepper in large bowl.
2. Add steak to the bowl and coat well with marinade. Let the steak marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (overnight is best).
3. Preheat your grill to at least 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Add the sliced bell peppers and onion to a vegetable grill basket and coat with the half remaining olive oil and salt.
5. Add marinated steak and prepared vegetables to the preheated grill and cook with the lid closed.
6. Cook until desired steak doneness with an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit and until the vegetables are softened.
7. Remove steak and vegetables from grill and let rest for at least five minutes.
8. Slice steak against the grain into thin slices.
9. Serve steak and grilled vegetables in warm tortillas and top with fresh lime juice.

Nutritional Value

Total Servings: 6
Nutrition facts per serving:
Calories: 473 calories
Protein: 34 grams
Carbohydrates: 28 grams
Fat: 25 grams

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes.

Spicy steak fajitas: Pro-tips

Steak fajitas are not only a great choice for an easy meal for your family, they're also great to prepare in bulk and serve while entertaining. You can serve them restaurant-style and create a family-friendly assembly line for your guests to fill their tortillas with fajita meat, vegetables and toppings of their choice.

There are many great toppings for fajitas to please your guests (and your picky eaters):

• Sour cream
• Avocado
• Fresh limes
• Jalapenos (for extra spice)
• Cilantro
• Shredded cheese
• Homemade salsa

The versatility of fajitas doesn't stop there. Do you have some leftover meat or vegetables that have been hanging out in the back of your refrigerator? You know the ones I'm talking about! Don't be shy, use them in fajitas!

You can use the same preparation methods above to make chicken fajitas or even meatless fajitas with any vegetables you desire. Sliced zucchini, eggplant, and chopped cabbage all add pleasant flavors and textures, plus hearty-healthy fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial plant compounds to the dish. You may not see them on fajitas as often, but they're the perfect complement, especially when marinated with the same flavors as your meat.

You can also experiment with marinade flavor, adding Worcestershire sauce or liquid smoke, pineapple juice or orange juice, pepper flakes, cumin or another spice mix.

What to do with leftover steak fajitas?

Fajitas make the ultimate leftover meal. You can store the fajita meat and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days, or you can keep them in the freezer for up to six months. Heat up your beef and vegetables over medium-high heat, warm your tortillas, pull out your lime juice and sour cream, and you're ready to enjoy this meal again! You can also eat the fajita meat and vegetables with tortilla chips, in tacos, or topped on a salad if you don't have any leftover tortillas.

Best sides for steak fajitas

Steak fajitas are a filling and satisfying meal, which makes them a wholesome go-to at dinnertime. You'll find protein, carbohydrates and fat from the steak, vegetables and tortillas. If you do wish to pair them with a side, here are some favorites:

• Spanish rice
• Chips & salsa
• Tacos
• Corn salad
• Fresh guacamole

Do you get enough vitamin B from steak fajitas?

While beef has a significant amount of vitamin B in a serving, daily intake of steak is not recommended. Supplementing with vitamin B12 is a great way to ensure you're getting enough.

Since all dietary needs are based on individual diet, a good first step is a Health Needs Quiz. This will help determine your specific nutrition needs based on your health goals and help you get the most out of your diet and supplement routine.

Vitamin B12 supplements

Vitamin B supports healthy organ function, cellular metabolism, cognition, stress management, and other essential processes. You can find a variety of vitamin B supplements to support your heart, brain, energy and more in individual vitamin and blended vitamin formulas.

Beef is high in vitamin B12, and it is essential for a healthy brain, cognitive function, energy metabolism, and the production of red blood cells. But many people don't get enough B12 from their diet alone—especially those who limit or avoid eating animal products that contain B12.

If you are a vegan or vegetarian—or you just prefer a mainly plant-based diet—a vegetarian B12 supplement may help you get the nutrition you need to maintain your brain health and energy. 

References

• Anaya-Esparza LM, et al. "Bell Peppers (Capsicum annum L.) Losses and Wastes: Source for Food and Pharmaceutical Applications." Molecules, September 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8434037/
• Wolffenbuttel, Bruce H.R., MD, PhD et al. "The Many Faces of Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) Deficiency", Mayo clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes, June 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6543499/
• "Beef: Health Benefits, Nutrition, and How to Prepare It." Nourish by WebMD, August 2020, https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-beef