Steak Fajitas are a quick and easy 30-minute dinner that is loaded with well-seasoned steak and perfectly sauteed peppers and onions! This popular Tex-Mex dish is one that can’t be beat!
These Steak Fajitas are perfect to serve up on hot summer days, cold winter nights, and everything in between. No need to dine out when you can create your own hot and sizzling skillet of Steak Fajitas right at home! To make this recipe, you’ll need my Sauteed Peppers And Onions Recipe, which I have to say, is one of the easiest recipes on my site!
What Are Steak Fajitas?
Steak Fajitas are a Tex-Mex dish that is typically served on a hot, sizzling skillet, and consists of grilled steak and sauteed peppers and onions. These are typically served alongside warm tortillas and various toppings, including salsa/pico de Gallo, sour cream, hot sauce, and cheese.
Fajitas originated in Texas and Northern Mexico, where ranchers would find new uses for cuts of meat that were tougher to eat. Skirt steak was typically used in combination with peppers and onions, and this quickly became popular in the 1930s in Texas before spreading across the nation with the sound of a sizzling skillet and the smell of meat and veggies.
Steak Fajita Ingredients
- Avocado oil– This is used for sauteeing vegetables and meat. You can substitute for butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil if you don’t have any avocado oil on hand.
- Sirloin steak– Other cuts of steak may be used depending on your preference.
- Spices– This recipe calls for cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
- Sweet onion– You can substitute for any color onion you have available.
- Garlic cloves– Garlic is a must in so many dishes.
- Bell peppers– This recipe calls for green and red. Yellow or orange may also be used, but keep in mind these color peppers typically give a sweeter flavor as opposed to green and red.
How To Make Steak Fajitas
Step One: To cook the steak, heat a skillet over high heat and add avocado oil. While this is heating, season your steak by combining all of your spices in a small bowl, then sprinkling all over both sides of the steak. Add the steak to the hot skillet and sear each side for 3-5 minutes depending on how you like your steak cooked. Transfer to a plate or cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Step Two: Using the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add avocado oil. Saute the onions and garlic until fragrant and softened, then add the bell peppers and continue to sautee until the peppers are cooked to your liking. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step Three: Slice or chop the steak, then mix in with the sauteed peppers and onions. Serve and enjoy!
Tips And Tricks
- If you’re a family that meal preps, Steak Fajitas are an easy meal to whip up on a Sunday and enjoy throughout the week!
- Serve these up inside a warm tortilla, on a bed of rice, inside a quesadilla, or with your eggs in the morning.
- I recommend serving these with a side of sour cream, cheese, hot sauce, or my favorite Taco Bell Quesadilla Sauce!
FAQ’s
Can you use a different protein for this recipe?
Yes, you can substitute the steak for many different proteins, such as chicken, pork, shrimp, and chorizo! Vegetarians or vegans can use beyond meat or tofu.
How long does it take to sautee the peppers and onions?
The onions and garlic will be sauteed for 1-2 minutes. You will know they will be ready for the peppers to be added when you can smell them. The onions should be starting to become translucent, and the garlic should be a slightly darker color than when it was added. Be careful to not burn the garlic, as it can burn easily.
Once you add the peppers, they will need to be sauteed for at least 2-3 minutes. You can sautee them longer depending on how soft you like them. This is up to your personal preference!
What temperature does the steak need to be cooked to?
Rare steak will be 120 degrees F once done. Medium rare is 130 degrees F, Medium will be 140 degrees F, Medium well is 150 degrees F, and Well done is 160 and higher. For Steak Fajitas, I recommend cooking the steak to medium or medium well.
Why do I need to let the steak rest?
Allowing the steak to rest allows the juices to redistribute throughout it. If you cut into it too early, you will let all of the juices seep out of the steak, and then the steak will be lacking in flavor and juice.
How To Store Steak Fajitas
If you have leftovers, allow them to come to room temperature before placing in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To reheat Steak Fajitas, you can microwave in 30-second increments until it is heated to your liking or on the stove by heating a pan on medium heat, and quickly pan frying them. If you decide to pan fry, be careful to not overcook the steak.
Steak Fajitas
INGREDIENTS
For the steak:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil divided
- 1.25 pound sirloin steak or you can use another cut like skirt steak or flank steak
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the sautéed peppers and onions:
- 1 large sweet onion sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
For the steak:
- Heat a skillet over high heat and then add 1 tablespoon avocado oil.
- Mix the steak seasonings together in a small bowl and then sprinkle it on both sides of the steak.
- Add the steak to the hot skillet and sear on both sides for 3-5 minutes, or until it browns and reaches desired doneness (about 3 minutes on each side for medium rare). Transfer to a plate and set aside while cooking the onions and bell peppers to allow the meat to rest before slicing.
For the sauteed peppers and onions/fajitas:
- Using the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon avocado oil.
- Saute the sliced onions and minced garlic for 1-2 minutes, just until the onions start to soften and the garlic is fragrant. Then add the sliced bell peppers and continue to sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes, until it reaches desired doneness. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Once the steak has finished resting, slice it into strips or chop it into bite sized pieces. Mix it in with the sautéed onions and bell peppers.
