My Ultimate Steak Fajitas are so flavorful your taste buds will be singing with the mariachi band. The secret, my incredibly delicious steak fajita seasoning and marinade. Classic Tex-Mex restaurant flavors that you can easily recreate.
We've all been sitting in a Mexican restaurant when a server walks by with a plate of sizzling fajitas. That sound, the delicious aroma wafting everywhere — it's enough to cause a sensory overload. And now, you too can make flavorful steak fajitas, full of tasty charred peppers and onions at home.
The definition of ultimate is, "the best achievable or imaginable of its kind" and I have to say, it fits this fajita recipe perfectly. After just one bite I think you will agree with me these fajitas topped with sour cream, avocado slices, and salsa, are the very definition of ultimate.
I've heard fajitas called, fa-jee-tas, and I used to say fra-hee-tas myself, but the correct American pronunciation is actually "fuh·hee·tuh." Fajitas originated in Mexico, and in Spanish, fajita means "little strips."
Skirt steak is probably the most popular steak to use for fajitas. However, in recent years, skirt steak has gotten expensive. I like to use sirloin steak instead, but round and flank steak, and most any other cuts of steak work well too. The secret to tender and juicy steak strips is in the marinade, and even more importantly, how the meat is sliced. Slicing the steak very thinly at a 45-degree angle perpendicular to the grain produces the most tender meat.
Most fajita marinades are made with lime juice, but I prefer lemon juice. However, if you are a lime juice aficionado, go for it; your fajitas will still be delicious! Other fajita seasonings include smokey ground cumin, garlic, and onion powder, hot sauce, olive oil and, of course, salt and pepper. Sometimes simple is best and my steak fajita marinade allows the flavors to shine.
Grill, grill pan, or skillet for fajitas?
The quick answer is all will work. If the weather is beautiful and you would like to cook your steak on the grill, that's awesome. If the weather is hot or rainy, or you want to get dinner on the table in a hurry, your grill pan, cast-iron skillet, or regular skillet all will work just fine. I used my grill pan for this recipe, and it worked perfectly.
Ultimate Sizzling Steak Fajitas
Marinade Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Fajita Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs sirloin steak
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 avocado, seeded and sliced
8 flour tortillas, 8-inch
Toppings: sour cream, salsa or pico de gallo, guacamole, shredded Mexican cheese
Marinade Directions:
Add two tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, garlic and onion powder, Kosher salt, hot sauce, and pepper to a small bowl and mix well.
Pour over steak, cover and let marinate at least one hour or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
When ready to grill steak, wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place in a 350-degree F. oven for 10 minutes.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat — brush olive oil over the grill pan to prevent the steak and vegetables from sticking.
Add the steak to the grill pan and cook until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F. for medium-rare. Depending on how thick your steak is, this will take 5-10 minutes. Remove the steak, cover with foil, and allow the steak to rest for a few minutes.
Add the bell pepper strips and onions to the grill pan and allow them to cook. Stir until they are crisp-tender which should take about 1-3 minutes.
To make the fajitas, place a few strips of steak, bell peppers, onions, and avocado slices in a warm tortilla. Top with your choice of sour cream, salsa, and shredded cheese. Enjoy!
Sharon's tips
You can also use a gallon-size plastic storage bag to mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the steaks — saves on clean up.
I used sirloin steak in this recipe, but you can also use skirt steak, flank steak, round steak, or any other type of steak you have on hand or like. You can also substitute chicken or shrimp for the steak.
Feel free to substitute lime juice for the lemon juice in the marinade.
If cooking the steak on a grill outside, preheat the grill to medium-high, or about 400 degrees. Brush the grates with cooking oil and cook the steak as directed. Use a vegetable or wire basket to grill the vegetables.
To cook the steak in a regular or cast-iron skillet, brush with oil as directed with the grill pan and follow the directions for cooking the steak and vegetables on the grill pan.
Sharon Rigsby is the blogger behind Grits and Pinecones, a cooking and hospitality blog Check out all of her recipes by visiting www.gritsandpinecones.com.
