This Easy Marinated Steak Fajitas recipe starts with a great fajita marinade and ends with great-tasting melt-in-your-mouth tender steak strips and vegetables.
A Tex-Mex classic, these better-than-restaurant-quality steak fajitas are easy to make at home.
🐄Ingredients
Steak
Onion, Green and Red Bell Pepper
Marinade—lime juice, olive oil. fresh garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, liquid smoke, kosher salt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and onion powder
Serving—tortillas, sour cream, cheese, salsa, guacamole, and other toppings
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Featured Comment from Doug:
"This makes for a nice, easy-to-prepare meal which is also easily adapted to suit both vegetarians and omnivores."
Use the steak you choose; sirloin, flank, or skirt steak will all work. And the vegetables are also marinated for deep flavor.
This recipe uses an easy fajita marinade made from pantry ingredients—an easy 10-minute prep ahead with the marinade, then only 20 minutes to cook. Impress your family and friends with your new specialty of the house.
👨🍳How to Make Marinated Steak Fajitas
- Trim and cut into strips the steak— sirloin, flank, or skirt steak. Prep the onion and peppers.
- Mix marinade ingredients and marinade meat and vegetables.
- Saute the veggies and remove them from the pan. Then, cook the meat to 140° and add the veggies back to the meat to reheat.
- Serve with heated tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, and anything else you like.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
How long to marinade fajitas
While you will get some good taste with even a few minutes, a minimum of 1 hour is suggested, and up to 24 hours is good.
You can marinate too long. More than 24 hours can start to break down the meat fibers, and over 48 hours will affect the meat texture.
Other Fajitas Recipes
Check out some other easy fajitas recipes: Grilled Flank Steak Fajitas, Easy Pork Fajitas, Grilled Chicken Fajitas, or Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas.
✔️Tips to get it right every time
- It is best to marinade overnight, but 1 hour will do.
- Marinade no longer than 24 hours.
- A cast-iron skillet is preferred since it retains heat well and cooks without hotspots. Also, it is excellent for serving since the heat is retained. But any large skillet will work.
- Be sure to cut the beef across the grain.
🍴Serving
Serve in the skillet; it will keep it hot and give the sizzle. Warm some tortillas in the oven or the microwave covered.
Common toppings are avocados, guacamole, pico, sour cream, and salsa. Or anything else you want.
For side dishes, try chips and Pineapple Salsa, Mexican Rice, black or refried beans, pico de gallo, or Chunky Guacamole.
Storage of leftovers
Store in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing. Reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave.
❓FAQs
You can use the recommended cast-iron skillet as above or a large griddle, preferably with sides. If the griddle is large enough, you can cook the meat and vegetables simultaneously since the cooking time is about the same.
Wrap up to 8 flour or corn tortillas in aluminum foil and place in a 300° oven for 10-15 minutes.
In a microwave, wrap up to 4 tortillas at a time with a slightly damp paper or cloth towel. Microwave for 30 seconds.
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Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Trim and cut 1 pound of sirloin steak into strips about ¼ inch thick.
Slice a large onion and one or two peppers. Cut into smaller pieces if you wish.
Mix marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add about ¾ of the marinade to a 1-gallon ziplock bag for the meat. Add the remainder to a second bag for the vegetables.
Add the beef and vegetables to their bags, mix well, and seal after removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for at least an hour and longer if possible. Overnight would have been fine.
When ready to cook, put 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables. When onions are nicely browned (about 8-9 minutes), remove from pan, set aside, and cover.
Add a little oil to the pan, increase the heat to high, add the drained beef, and cook until browned — about 8-10 minutes.
Move the meat to one side and add the vegetables to the pan. Cook and stir the vegetables for a minute or two until reheated. Then mix the meat and vegetables.
Serve with heated tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, and anything else you like.
📖 Recipe
Easy Marinated Steak Fajitas
Ingredients
- 1 lb sirloin steak
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 1 onion - large
Marinade
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 - 2 cloves garlic - crushed
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Serving
- 4-6 flour tortillas
- sour cream
- cheese
- salsa
- Guacamole
Instructions
- Trim and cut 1 pound of sirloin steak into strips about ¼ inch thick.
- Slice a large onion and one or two peppers. Cut into smaller pieces if you wish.
- Mix marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add about ¾ of the marinade to a 1-gallon ziplock bag for the meat. Add the remainder to a second bag for the vegetables.
- Add the beef and vegetables to their bags, mix well, and seal after removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for a least an hour and longer if possible. Overnight would have been fine.
- When ready to cook, put 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables. When onions are nicely browned (about 8-9 minutes), remove from pan, set aside, and cover.
- Add a little oil to the pan, increase the heat to high, add the drained beef, and cook until browned — about 8-10 minutes.
- Move the meat to one side and add the vegetables back to the pan. Cook and stir for a minute or two until vegetables are reheated—then mix meat and vegetables.
- Serve with heated tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, and anything else you like.
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Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Always cut your beef against the grain.
- Use a BIG skillet. Cast iron is preferred.
- Use the beef you want, but sirloin steak is a good choice. Flank or skirt steak also works.
- The marinade ingredients can be adjusted to your taste. But this is a great marinade.
- Marinade overnight to use the next day. A great prep-ahead meal. Try to marinade for at least 1 hour and no longer than 24 hours.
- You can just flavor it with the marinade and cook immediately. But the marinade will tenderize some, and the flavor penetrates, so a 1-hour minimum is suggested.
- Good in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave.
- Nutrition includes beef and veggies but no serving options.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally published April 6, 2012. Updated with expanded discussion and options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents.
gail says
I'm trying most of of your recipes. Where a recipe calls for lime juice can I use the one in bottle?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Yes
Doug DeFrees says
This makes for a nice, easy-to-prepare meal which is also easily adapted to suit both vegetarians and omnivores. Remember, though, to marinate the meat in advance. I like Chris's idea of grilling the meat.
https://sundaydinnerfortwo.blogspot.com/2012/06/read-recipe-all-way-through-in-advance.html
Chris says
I absolutely LOVE steak fajitas! I marinate my steak whole only because I am grilling it. If I do it on a cast iron, I'll give your technique a try, it would definite cut the time needed for marinating.
raquel says
I like your idea of a restaurant favorite cooked at home, there will be plenty of servings that can be made. Everybody can enjoy it whenever they want.