Steak Fajitas

There’s nothing like a sizzling platter of fajitas, especially in a restaurant when the smell of charred meat, vegetables and spices fills the room. When my family moved to Texas from the Midwest, I quickly became enamored with the bright flavors of Tex-Mex food. Part of settling into our new Texan culture was recreating restaurant staples like steak fajitas. Luckily, fajitas are one of the easiest dishes to prepare and can be made in just one skillet.

This steak fajita recipe is packed with flavor from the sharp, citrusy and slightly spicy beef marinade (you can adjust the heat up or down to suit your taste). Once you combine it with sauteed bell peppers and onions, you’ll only need warm flour tortillas and a few simple toppings to make this restaurant-worthy steak fajitas recipe. Once you master steak fajitas, you can branch out to other fajita recipes, each delicious in its own way.

What’s the best steak for fajitas?

The best steak for fajitas is a flavorful, tender cut of meat, like top sirloin, that can be thinly sliced so it lays flat inside a tortilla. Top sirloin steak, used in this recipe, is easy to find and lean, so you don’t have to do much trimming before you cook it. You can also use flank or skirt steak, two cuts that hold up to marinades and cook quickly. Remember: The best way to cut a steak, whether raw or cooked, is against the grain.

Ingredients for Steak Fajitas

• Marinade: This tangy steak fajita marinade combines orange juice, white vinegar, minced garlic, seasoned salt, dried oregano, ground cumin and cayenne pepper for a potent blend that quickly flavors and tenderizes the beef.
• Beef top sirloin steak: Top sirloin is a thick, lean cut of meat with a robust beefy flavor. Avoid overcooking the steak, and marinate it when possible to keep it tender (even a brief marinade is better than none at all). If you can’t find top sirloin, try a flank steak.
• Onion: Several types of onions can be delicious in a fajita, including yellow, white or red, depending on how strong you want the onion flavor. A white or red onion will be milder than a yellow onion. There are several ways to cut an onion (even Stanley Tucci has a favorite technique); unfortunately, most still cause tears.
• Bell peppers: This recipe calls for green and red bell peppers, which have contrasting but complementary flavors. Green peppers taste grassy, while red peppers are sweeter. Green bell peppers aren’t usually found in multipacks, so you’ll probably need to buy them separately. If you don’t like the taste of green peppers, use a poblano instead, which is spicier but not as strongly flavored.
• Canola oil: A neutral oil works best as it won’t overtake the flavor of the marinated beef. If you don’t have canola, any cooking oil will work.
• Flour tortillas: Flour tortillas are sturdier than corn tortillas and can hold the hefty fajita ingredients without tearing. This recipe calls for 10-inch tortillas, but any size works. You could also try your hand at homemade tortillas.
• Toppings: Shredded cheddar cheese, picante sauce and sour cream are classic fajita toppings, but you can also set out fresh cilantro leaves, sliced avocado, pickled red onions and pickled jalapeno rings.

Directions

Step 1: Marinate the beef

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In a large bowl, combine the orange juice, vinegar, garlic, seasoned salt, oregano, cumin and cayenne. Add the beef, turn it to coat it in the marinade, and set it aside.

Step 2: Cook the vegetables

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In a skillet, saute the onion and peppers in 1 tablespoon of oil until they’re crisp-tender. Remove them from the skillet and set them aside.

Editor’s Tip: If the vegetables start releasing water and are steaming rather than browning, increase the heat under the skillet.

Step 3: Cook the beef and mix with the vegetables

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Drain the beef and discard the marinade. In the same skillet, cook the beef in the remaining tablespoon of oil until it reaches the desired doneness, two to four minutes. Return the vegetables to the pan and heat them through.

Step 4: Assemble the fajitas

Spoon the meat and vegetables onto the tortillas. If desired, top them with cheese and serve them with picante sauce and sour cream.

Editor’s Tip: Warm your tortillas in a separate skillet or directly over a gas flame to lightly toast them and make them more pliable.

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Steak Fajitas Variations

• Mix up the peppers: Instead of red and green bell peppers, try yellow or orange bell peppers for a milder and slightly sweeter taste.
• Change the citrus: Take a cue from this Key West flank steak and try a lime-based marinade. Even though it’s not specifically a Tex-Mex recipe, it uses many of the same ingredients and will taste great in a fajita.
• Try it with shrimp: For an equally quick-cooking option, turn this recipe into a skillet of shrimp fajitas.
• Use a different marinade: For a taco-meets-fajita flavor twist, use the marinade from this tacos on a stick recipe. The marinade isn’t as acidic, so you can marinate the sliced beef for a few hours instead of a few minutes.
• Turn the filling into a quesadilla: Whip up beef quesadillas using steak fajitas for the filling. There is no need to reheat the fajita steak mixture first; it will warm as you cook the quesadilla.

How to Store Steak Fajitas

Store steak fajitas in an airtight container or sturdy food storage bag; a container is preferable because the steak and vegetable mixture will be juicy, and you don’t want it to leak in your refrigerator. Leftovers last for three to four days in the fridge.

Can you freeze steak fajitas?

Freezing food is a great way to prevent waste, and steak fajitas freeze very well because the water is already cooked out of the vegetables, so they won’t become mushy when thawed. For best results, use a freezer-safe food storage bag, squeezing out the excess air to avoid ice crystals and freezer burn.

How do you reheat steak fajitas?

There are several ways to reheat steak, but since you’re reheating a combination of thinly sliced beef, peppers and onions, some options won’t work as well as others. Quickly reheat steak fajitas in a skillet (use a nonstick skillet or add a touch of oil) or use the microwave so the meat does not become dry or chewy.

Steak Fajitas Tips

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How do you tenderize meat for fajitas?

When using a tougher cut of meat, tenderizing it before cooking ensures it stays tender and easy to chew. There are several ways to tenderize meat, but this recipe opts for one of the easiest ways: using vinegar and orange juice to create an acidic marinade that effectively breaks down the tough muscle fibers.

How else can you cook steak for beef steak fajitas?

Try grilled sirloin steak for fajitas. You can grill it as one large steak or use a basket to cook the sliced meat so it doesn’t fall through the grates. To cook the steak inside, broil the meat or make it like a cast-iron steak. If using your broiler, make sure the steak is four to six inches from the heat so the outside gets nicely browned, and slice it after it’s cooked for more evenly done pieces.

What can you serve with steak fajitas?

Set out bowls of homemade guacamole and tortilla chips to enjoy before or with the fajitas. Spanish rice and refried beans are hard to beat as side dishes, but try a jicama citrus salad for something fresher and different.