Promise yourself a satisfying dinner this week. You deserve it, and our beef fajitas recipe won’t let you down! It’s suitable for whenever you feel like you deserve a treat and when National Fajita Day (August 18) comes around.
If you love saucy beef wrapped in warm tortillas alongside peppers, avocados, and cheddar cheese, we have something special for you. We’re talking skirt steak submerged in a flavorful marinade so juicy it’ll leave the pan dripping.
We’ll show you how to achieve this in 35 minutes or less. It’s good for whenever you feel like you deserve a treat.
Are Beef Fajitas Healthy?
These beef fajitas make for a healthy meal wrapped in nutrients. There are the proteins from beef, good carbs from tortillas, fiber from the vegetables, and plenty of micronutrients — a pretty balanced meal.
Of course, the other part of healthy eating is controlling your intake of sodium and saturated fat, and we’ve got you covered there as well. We measured our ingredients strictly, so the nutritional profile of our beef fajitas recipe complies with our dietary guidelines. We suggest you do the same.
Main Ingredients
Let’s take a look at the main components for this fine dish:
1. The Best Steak
Skirt steak is the traditional option because it used to be cheaper than other cuts back in the day. You can either choose that or flank steak, which is a little tougher but still just as tasty.
When dealing with tough cuts, always slice them against the grain and marinate them properly.
2. Marinade
It may sound minor, but lime juice is a crucial ingredient for a beef fajita marinade. Its acid breaks down those chewy connective tissues making the meat softer and more enjoyable.
Any acidic fruit would do, but since this is a Mexican staple, we chose lime. Lime also has a signature zing that no other fruit quite matches (not even lemons).
When it comes to Mexican seasonings, cumin is the first in line. This spice alone will lend your food that distinctive Mexican aroma.
To the meat, we also added paprika, cayenne, and chili powder. These contribute to the kick of spice and the appetizing red hue Mexican food is so famous for.
To take the meat flavor one step further, we used a little bit of mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Your beef will taste extra umami and have a depth of flavor we can’t really explain in detail, but which you’ll definitely notice.
Last, and of course not least, some salt and pepper will make the meat flavorful.
3. Vegetables
Other recipes call for surprisingly small amounts of onions and bell peppers, but we felt like more was better. In fact, the meat-to-vegetable ratio of our recipe is almost 1:1.
We used all three kinds of bell peppers purely for the beautiful colors. They all come out equally tasty, so if you only have one color, it won’t hurt anything.
These are not the only vegetables that go with the beef. We’re making a salsa with lime juice, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, and garlic to serve on the side. We’ll outline that later.
4. The Toppings
We have sliced avocados, shredded cheddar, roughly chopped coriander, and some greek yogurt. These are all classics.
If you’re a big fan of jalapenos and lime juice, you can always add more of them. These ingredients make a difference in flavor but don’t affect the nutritional value much.
How to Store and Reheat the Leftover
You can place the meat and vegetable mix in a container and refrigerate it. It only needs to be sautéd briefly to reheat everything.
You can do the same with the tortillas and the toppings. The toppings don’t need to be reheated, but you will want to toast the tortillas in a pan until they’re warm.
With the exception of the tortillas, these items won’t last long, so they should be used up within 4-5 days.
What to Serve With
The salsa we mentioned earlier is called Pico de gallo, having the ideal freshness and tanginess to complement the beef rolls. It’s easy to make: you can chop the vegetables up and toss with lime juice, or blend everything together in a food processor.
Since we have many strong flavors going on, we rounded the meal off with a refreshing drink. We chose cucumber and lemon juice — one of our favorites.
Discover the Ultimate Beef Finger Food Recipes for Every Occasion
Craving a classic comfort food? Look no further than our sloppy joe recipe, made with juicy ground beef, tangy tomato sauce, and a hint of sweetness. Serve on a bun or over rice for a satisfying meal.
Impress your guests with these delicious cocktail meatballs from Healthy Recipes 101. Made with ground beef and a savory sauce, these bite-sized appetizers are perfect for any occasion.
In search of more beef finger food recipes that are equally delicious? Look no further than our roundup for a plethora of options.
Beef Fajitas Recipe
This quick beef fajitas recipe makes an easy, delicious meal, even for busy weeknights. It's a comfort food to enjoy whenever you feel the need.
- cook TIME 30 mins
- prep TIME 5 mins
- total TIME 35 mins
- COURSE Main Course
- CUISINE Mexican
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 494 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 15 oz flank steak (sliced)
- 8 6-inch corn tortillas
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 4 oz yellow bell pepper (sliced)
- 4 oz red bell pepper (sliced)
- 4 oz green bell pepper (sliced)
- 4 oz red onions (sliced)
- 6 oz avocado (sliced)
- 2 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 2 oz cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
- 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp traditional Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp coriander (roughly chopped)
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large bowl, toss 15 oz sliced flank steak with 1 tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp chili powder. Allow the meat to marinate for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Melt half of the 1 1/2 tbsp butter (eyeballing the measurement is good enough), and add 12 oz bell peppers of all colors along with 4 oz red onions. Cook for 3 minutes, then place into a bowl and set aside. Wait for the beef to finish marinating.
Melt the remaining butter and sauté 2 tbsp minced garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the marinated beef and stir to cook for about 3 minutes.
Add the cooked vegetables and sauté everything for another 3 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.
Heat another non-stick pan over low heat and toast 8 oz tortillas, about 1 minute per side or until they’re charred a little on the outside.
Assemble 8 rolls: place a hefty serving of meat and veggies in the middle of the tortillas and add the remaining toppings (avocado, cheddar cheese, coriander, Greek yogurt). Drizzle the meat juice on top and serve.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary ConsultantLuna Regina
Writer, AuthorLizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Nutrition Reviewer- Jim SchumacherFlavorful and sizzling beef fajitas recipe!
- maggiencTasty recipe. Will make again!