This steak fajita recipe is a huge hit with my whole family. It starts with my fajita seasoning that we turn into a delicious marinade. By marinating the meat the night before with the vegetables, we ensure that the meat is tender and the vegetables are packed with flavor. My favorite part about this recipe is that once the marinade is done and the vegetables are cut, there is so little time to this recipe. That means that you can do most of the heavy lifting the night before and have a quick meal ready right after you get home from work.
Best Steak for Fajitas
You can get either flank steak or skirt steak to make this recipe. Both are great cuts of meat for marinating and grilling. Worth noting, flank steak and skirt steak are not the same things. They both come from a similar area of the cow, but they are different cuts. Either, however, can be used in this recipe.
Olive Oil: I like to use olive oil for marinades because of its delicate and delicious flavor. When you cook the meat, we will use vegetable oil to tolerate the heat.Lime Juice: Every good marinade needs an acid in it. This helps break down the meat a little so that the flavor of the marinade can get into the steak.Chili Powder: This is made from ground chili peppers. Although, it actually brings very little heat to the recipe and primarily brings a great flavor.Salt: I like to use kosher salt in my marinades, but if you only have table salt, you should cut the amount in half.Paprika: I typically keep regular paprika on hand, but I have so many readers who swear by smoked paprika. Both will work well in this recipe. Oregano: This might not be the first spice you think of when you think of fajitas, but I love the flavor it brings to the party.Garlic Powder: This is a must in this recipe. I like using the powder in this because we don’t risk burning the garlic in the high heat when we cook the meat.Onion Powder: Though we are serving our fajitas with red onions, the onion powder is perfect for the flavor profile here.
You may have heard people mention, boastfully, how many days they’ve spent marinating a piece of meat. Contrary to popular belief, there really is no meat that should be marinated for more than 24 hours. When meat is marinated too long, it starts to break down the fibers in the meat and you end up with mushy meat. Regardless of which you use in this recipe, you absolutely need to marinate it. This is a cut of meat that is tough when it is not marinated. Additionally, for optimal tenderness, slice the meat thin and against the grain. To determine the grain of the meat, look at the lines in it. You want to slice perpendicular to those lines. My kids like their fajitas with a little cheese on top. My husband prefers his with some sour cream. I like mine with a little fresh cilantro.
Crock Pot Pinto Beans: Made with simple and easy-to-find ingredients, this is a fantastic side dish (or filling for burritos!).Spanish Rice: Similar to what you would get from restaurants in the U.S., this rice dish comes together fast and is delicious.Cucumber Avocado Salad: This is a great way to add more vegetables to your dinner and the flavors pair perfectly with these fajitas.
If you make this Steak Fajita recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know.
