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Nothing beats the sound of sizzling Steak Fajitas hitting the table! Tender, flavorful steak is paired with colorful peppers and onions, all wrapped in warm tortillas and loaded with your favorite toppings. Perfect for meal prep or a weeknight dinner, you can cook these fajitas on the stovetop or on the grill.
For more recipes with bold flavor, try my Fajita Stuffed Chicken Breast or Chicken Poblano Soup next.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Prep Ahead – Marinate the steak ahead of time to make dinnertime a breeze.
- Grill or Stovetop – Grill it outside or make it indoors on the stovetop.
- Customizable Toppings – Everyone can build their own fajita exactly how they like it.
- Family Friendly – Homemade fajita seasoning means you can make these as mild or as spicy as you like.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How To Make Steak Fajitas
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Make the fajita seasoning, making it as spicy or as mild as you like by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper.
Make the marinade. Place steak in a resealable bag, pour in marinade, and massage it so the steak is completely covered. Place in the refrigerator anywhere from 1 hour to 24 hours.
Cook the steak on the stovetop or grill.
Sauté the veggies in a skillet with a little of the fajita seasoning.
Assemble & serve. Slice steak against the grain. Warm tortillas, then fill with steak, veggies, and toppings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best steak for fajitas?
Flat iron, flank, or skirt steak all work beautifully because they’re thin and quick to cook.
Do I have to marinate the steak?
Marinating gives you the best flavor and tenderness, but if you’re in a rush, just reduce the marinade time to 10 minutes, though it won’t be as tender as a longer marinating time.
Fajita Toppings
Pile on as many or as few toppings as you like. Feeding a crowd? Set up a fajita bar so everyone can customize their own.
- Shredded cheese
- Fresh lime wedges to squeeze on top
- Sour cream
- Guacamole or avocado slices
- Pico de gallo or restaurant style salsa
- Fresh ingredients like diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, diced red onions, chopped cilantro
- Spicy additions like hot sauce and pickled or fresh jalapenos
Serving Suggestions
Steak fajitas are a complete meal in themselves, but you can stretch them further with sides like Mexican Rice, Refried Beans, and Fresh Corn Salad. You can also create a full spread with appetizers like Baked Queso Blanco or Taco Cups and a pitcher of Pineapple Margaritas.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Enjoy cold, like on top of a salad, or warmed gently on the stovetop. I like to reheat the steak with a little butter to keep it from drying out.
Recipe Tips
- Double the Seasoning – Keep extra fajita seasoning on hand for chicken, shrimp, or veggie fajitas later.
- Prep Veggies Ahead – Cut peppers and onions in the morning to save time.
- Don’t Overcook the Steak – Medium-rare to medium keeps the steak tender and juicy.
- Slice Against the Grain – This keeps the steak tender.
- Warm the Tortillas – Heating them up in the microwave or on the stovetop makes them softer and more pliable.
More Mexican Recipes
Steak Fajitas
Ingredients
Fajita Seasoning:
- 3 teaspoons Chili powder
- 2 teaspoons Ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper more or less, depending on spice preference
Steak Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons Canola oil
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Lime
- 1 1/2 pounds Flat iron steak
Fajitas:
- Canola or vegetable oil
- 1 Red bell pepper seeded and cut into strips
- 1 Yellow bell pepper seeded and cut into strips
- 1 Red or white onion cut into strips
- 1 Lime
- Salt
- 10 Small flour tortillas
- Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomato, cilantro, avocado, lime wedges
Instructions
Fajita Seasoning and Marinade
- In a small bowl, combine fajita seasoning. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of fajita seasoning with 2 tablespoons of oil, minced garlic and the juice of 1 lime. Place flank steak into a resealable bag and pour marinade in, massaging into the meat to evenly coat. Let marinate for 1 hour, or longer in the refrigerator. (If refrigerated, let meat sit at room temperature 30 minutes prior to cooking).
For Stovetop Steak
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large cast iron or other heavy bottomed skillet or grill pan. Wipe most of the marinade off of the meat and sprinkle with salt and place in the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes per side, flipping once, for medium rare or 5-6 minutes for well done. Transfer to a plate to rest and tent with foil.
For Grilled Steak
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium high heat. Grill steak, flipping once, about 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to rest while you cook the veggies on the stovetop.
Fajita Assembly
- Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet, then add the vegetables. Seasoning with remaining fajita seasoning (about ¾ tablespoon) and a pinch of salt. Cook 5-7 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached. Squeeze lime juice over the veggies and toss.
- Slice steak against the grain. Warm tortillas in the microwave or char on the stovetop. Fill with sliced steak, veggies and desired toppings. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Enjoy cold, like on top of a salad, or warmed gently on the stovetop.
- Pro tip: Reheat steak with a little butter to keep it from drying out.
- When slicing the steak, cut against the grain.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Where does it say what to do with the seasoning
Step 2, under “fajita seasoning and marinade.”
I really loved the flavors of this recipe and it was fun to make. Only problem I had Kristin was that my meat was still tough (skirt steak, marinated for two hours, cooked on the stovetop). Any tips on what I might have done wrong here?
It’s possible that it was overcooked, or that it was a particularly tough piece of meat.
Question, can I use a Top sirloin steak for fajita, should I slice thin before or after cooking?
Yes you can use sirloin and slice it very thin. It may mot be quite as tender but will work fine.
I cannot rave more about this recipe. I looked at others before settling on yours as the ingredients made the most sense to me. It is definitely a keeper. Although I have seen your chicken fajita bowl recipe, I wonder if I can just substitute chicken strips instead of the skirt steak I used? I was thinking maybe I could but not marinate as long? What do you think?
Hi Donna – Wow, that’s high praise! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! For chicken, I think you could marinate for up to 1-2 hours. Any more than that and the acid from the lime will start to “cook” the chicken. Enjoy, and please let me know how it turns out!
This is a new family favorite! Your site is the first one I checked for a recipe, and I wasn’t disappointed. Thank you, Kristin!
You are so welcome Lynn! Thanks for stopping by.