Sizzling Steak Fajitas are tender and flavorful. Serve this simple yet stunning beef recipe any night of the week!
When you want dinner to sound as delicious as it smells and tastes, get Sizzling Steak Fajitas on the menu!
This simple yet impressive dish rivals any restaurant’s, yet can be easily made at home any night of the week.
Serve with guacamole and flame kissed tortillas, and you’re set!
What Cut of Beef is Best for Fajitas?
Beef fajitas are typically made with skirt steak: a thin, tender cut of beef that comes from the underbelly of the cow. Skirt steak cooks quickly at high heat and absorbs marinades well, which makes it an excellent cut of beef for sizzling fajitas.
If you can’t find skirt steak at your grocery store or butcher, opt for flank steak instead. Whichever cut you go with, be sure to let it rest after cooking then slice very thinly at an angle against the grain.
What Does it Mean to Slice Against the Grain?
Slicing “against the grain” is a term you’ll almost always hear when following a recipe for beef that’s going to be sliced or cut.
Look for parallel lines within the cut of meat then thinly slice perpendicular or “against” the lines at an angle. This will give you tender pieces of meat that are easy to chew, vs chewy, tough-to-eat pieces.
Quick and Simple Steak Marinade
If you’ve ever tried my Best Ever Chicken Fajitas then you know that simple is best when it comes to flavoring meat for fajitas.
Forget the heavy seasonings and seasoning packets – all the beef needs is a soak in lime juice plus a few aromatics like smashed garlic and green onion, and pantry staples like cumin and smoked paprika. Marinate anywhere from 3-12 hours, though honestly an hour will still get you where you need to be.
Try Chicken Fajitas
How to Make Steak Fajitas
Step 1: Marinate the skirt steak
Start by trimming a skir steak of any tough pieces of fat or connective tissues – a little fat left on the steak will flavor the meat so we don’t need to be too finicky here.
Now, the inside skirt typically has a thinner side and a slightly thicker side, so slice the two sections apart to make them easier to cook, slice, and serve.
Add the trimmed steaks to a large Ziplock back with a marinade that includes fresh lime juice, smashed garlic cloves, gluten free Tamari, vegetable oil, brown sugar, green onions, cumin, and smoked paprika, if you have it. Massage to coat then pop into the refrigerator for 3-12 hours to marinate.
Step 2: Cook the steak
When it’s time to cook, remove the steak from the marinade then pat dry with paper towels and season each side generously with salt.
Heat a large cast iron grill pan or grill over HIGH heat then, when it begins to smoke, brush or mist the grill pan with vegetable oil (no need to do this step on an outdoor grill), add the steak, and grill for 3-4 minutes per side.
Recipe Tip
Be sure to have your hood fan on high – there will be smoke!
Remove the steak to a cutting board then let it rest for at least 10 minutes while you sear the fajitas vegetables, including peppers and onions.
Step 3: Sear the vegetables
Heat a large, cast iron skillet over high heat then, once it’s screamin’ hot, add a thin layer of vegetable oil and add sliced bell peppers and onions. Arrange the vegetables into an even layer, season with homemade seasoned salt and a pinch of cumin, then let them sit undisturbed until the bottoms have seared, 2-3 minutes. Stir then continue to saute until the vegetables are crisp-tender, another 3-4 minutes.
Remove the vegetables to a plate then cook the remaining peppers and onions in a touch more oil, seasoning with seasoned salt and cumin.
Step 5: Assemble the fajitas
Last step is to thinly slice the cooked skirt steak against the grain then serve with the seared vegetables plus guacamole, and warmed corn tortillas.
Sizzling, succulent, and such a treat – I hope you love these gorgeous steak fajitas – enjoy!
More Tex-Mex Favorites
- Beef Enchiladas
- Gluten Free Enchilada Sauce
- Easy Chicken Fajitas
- Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce
- Large Batch Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
- Cheesy Chicken Burrito Skillet
- Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper
- Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
For the Steak:
- 1 lb skirt steak, trimmed
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari, or soy sauce if not GF
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
- 2 green onions, cut in half
For the Vegetables:
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, or other high heat cooking oil
- 2 small bell peppers, any color, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- Homemade Seasoned Salt, see notes
- Cumin
For the Fajitas:
- Corn tortillas, Mission Corn "Street Style" Tortillas recommended
- Guacamole
- Salsa or Pico de Gallo
Directions
For the Steak:
- Combine all ingredients except steak in a large Ziplock bag then squish to combine. Slice steak in half to make it easier to cook then add to marinade and massage to coat. Squeeze the air out of the bag then seal and refrigerate for 3-12 hours. Massage and flip the bag a few times during the marinating process.
- Remove steak from marinade then pat dry with paper towels and generously salt each side. Heat a grill pan or grill over high heat then, if using a grill pan, brush or mist the bottom with vegetable oil or other high heat cooking oil like avocado oil (skip this step if using an actual grill). Add steak then grill for 3-4 minutes per side, depending on desired level of doneness, then remove to a cutting board and rest for at least 10 minutes.
For the Vegetables:
- Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron preferred) over high heat. When it begins to smoke, add 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil then add half the vegetables. Season with homemade seasoned salt plus a pinch of cumin then let vegetables sit undisturbed until seared on the bottom, 2-3 minutes. Stir then continue to saute until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Remove to a plate then sear remaining vegetables in remaining 1 Tablespoon oil, seasoning with seasoned salt and cumin.
Assembly:
- After steaks have rested, use a sharp knife to thinly slice against the grain and at an angle. Serve with fajita vegetables and toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I attended a Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. sponsored retreat, though all opinions are my own.
Hello!
Just wanted to let you know that my wife and I tried this recipe the other night. It so happens that my inlaws were there too. They like the recipe so much that they ask for the leftovers to go!
Anyways, thanks a lot for sharing this. Excited to send the next recipe here to my wife.
Have a great day!
Love that!! Dinner party success! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
These look incredible!! I may add mushrooms to my peppers too.
If the rating has 10 stars, I will give it all. Love it at the first sight already
Hope it’s a hit for you!
OMG I looooove Rasheed!! He was my favorite on Thursday BBQ Showdown!! How cool to have him share all that with you guys. Nothing else – just a Rasheed fan girl right here :)
Oh my gosh, he was so so great! I loved learning about his story and he truly is a killer cook. Awesome guy – super memorable experience!