How long to cook fajitas on the grill is a general question that cannot be answered with a single answer. Depending on the type of meat or vegetables you use, the size and thickness of the strips, and the amount of cooking time required, But as a general guideline, aim to grill fajitas for around 10 minutes, flipping them once or twice while cooking. You might need to cook a thicker cut of meat, like a steak, on the grill for a few extra minutes. Make sure to swiftly remove your perfectly cooked fajitas from the grill and place them on a warm serving platter. This will lessen the risk of them drying out or overcooking. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!.
What’s in Marinated Steak Fajitas
The best fajitas start with grilled steak; simply add bell peppers, onions, and all of your favorite toppings. It’s an easy dinner for any night of the week!.
- Skirt steak is ideal for fajitas because marinating it before grilling makes it incredibly tender.
- Brown sugar, paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, thyme, and other herbs and spices are combined in this blend of fajita seasoning to create the ideal flavor.
- Soy Sauce: This is the base of our steak marinade. You don’t have to use the low-sodium variety; I do.
- Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice gives the marinade acidity and a zesty, bright flavor.
- Fresh orange juice increases the acidity, which helps the steak’s tough fibers dissolve and become soft and tender. Feel free to swap it for pineapple juice.
- Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar gives the fajita marinade a rich, subtle sweetness.
- Garlic: Minced garlic adds savoriness.
- Jalapenos: Diced jalapenos add some heat to the marinade, but the resulting meat and vegetables won’t be overly spicy. Remove the seeds if you don’t want more spice.
- Cumin: The addition of ground cumin gives everything a touch of earthiness that balances it out.
- Bell peppers and onions make the best vegetables for steak fajitas. You can use a mix of colors for your peppers. I recommend white or yellow onions. Cut everything into equally-sized strips.
- Tortillas: Corn and other types of tortillas can also be used, but flour tortillas are best.
- Toppings: Feel free to add any of your favorite condiments, such as guacamole, sour cream, queso, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, salsas, lime juice, etc.
Tip: To warm tortillas, place them in small stacks in the oven for a few minutes after wrapping them in aluminum foil. Although it’s simpler to do it in the oven, you can also warm them up individually in a skillet on the stove.
What can I add to this grilled fajitas recipe besides peppers?
The majority of these simple fajitas are made up of marinated, grilled steak, bell peppers, and onions. However, if you’d like, you can add additional vegetables and fillings. Add additional peppers to the dish to increase the heat, such as jalapenos or poblanos (use sparingly).
To make things more filling, add zucchini and other summer squashes, carrots, or cabbage. For a hearty (and healthy) fajita filling, portobello mushrooms can be cut into strips; this is a good option for vegetarians.
The best and most popular cut of steak to use for fajitas is skirt steak. You can also use flank steak or hangar steak.
I recommend marinating the steak for 2-10 hours before grilling. A lengthy marinating period will increase the meat’s tenderness and flavor, but keeping it in for longer than 10 hours may result in a mushy texture.
The internal temperature of the steak should be between 125 and 130 F (it will rise slightly while it rests). You will receive a rare to medium-rare steak that is incredibly tender and flavorful by doing this.
Yes, you can use a grill pan or cast iron skillet on the stovetop if you don’t want to use a gas or charcoal grill. Instructions are included in the recipe card below!.
Cut the steak into long strips by cutting it diagonally and against the grain (through the muscle fibers) after it has rested. Cut the bell peppers, onions, and garlic into 1/2-inch strips.
How to Store and Make Ahead
Grilled fajita steak and vegetables should be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Here are some things you can do to prepare these in advance:
- The fajita marinade ingredients should be combined, and it can be kept for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Clean, cut the vegetables into 1/2-inch strips, and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Grill the steak, and store up to 3 days.
- The steak can be marinated for up to 10 hours, so if you put it in the refrigerator in the morning, it will be ready to grill when you get home from work!
How to Freeze and Reheat
Frozen steak fajita filling can be kept for up to three months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat. For just one to two minutes, reheat the steak and vegetables in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven (350°F, in a baking dish covered with foil).
What to Serve with Grilled Steak Fajitas
Serve warm tortillas, sizzling steak fajitas, salsa verde, taco sauce, avocado corn salsa, street corn, creme fraiche, and shredded cheese on a platter so that guests can assemble their own as they go.
Alternatively, try making fajita nachos with leftovers or fajita bowls with everything (steak, veggies, toppings) combined with rice.
Best Steak Fajitas Recipe
- ▢ ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ▢ ½ cup fresh lime juice 5-7 limes
- ▢ Juice from 1 large orange
- ▢ ½ cup canola oil
- ▢ 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- ▢ 2 medium cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 2 medium jalapeno peppers seeded and diced
- ▢ 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning click for recipe!
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ Kosher salt to taste
- 2 pounds of trimmed skirt steak, cut into 5-inch pieces against the grain.
- 3 medium red and yellow bell peppers
- 1 large green bell pepper that has been stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
- 1 large yellow or white onion, cut into 1-inch-wide strips from stem to stein.
- ▢ 12 (8-incflour or corn tortillas warmed
- Mexican rice, beans, sour cream, cheese, salsa, chopped fresh cilantro, and lime wedges are among the dishes that are served.
For the Meat & Vegetables:
- Mix the soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, canola oil, brown sugar, minced garlic, cumin, black pepper, and fajita seasoning in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and Kosher salt. 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon orange juice, 12 cup canola oil, and 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar.
- In a large bowl or a gallon-size zip-top bag, pour 12 cup marinade; set aside.
- Put the cut steaks in a gallon-sized zip-top bag and cover with the marinade. Squeeze out excess air from the bag and seal. Once the meat is completely coated, massage in the marinade. Place the meat in the refrigerator (either in the bag or a pan big enough for it to lay flat). Refrigerate 2-10 hours, flipping the bag over often. 2 pounds trimmed skirt steak.
- Take the meat out of the refrigerator 15–30 minutes before cooking it. Use paper towels to remove excess marinade before cooking the meat.
- Add the cut vegetables to the reserved 1/2 cup marinade and toss to coat while the meat marinates. Refrigerate until ready to use, stirring occasionally. a large green bell pepper, three medium-sized peppers, and a large yellow or white onion.
To Cook the Vegetables:
- Set the baking rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 475°F 30 minutes before you are ready to cook.
- Spray nonstick cooking spray on aluminum foil to line a sizable baking sheet with a rim.
- If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Remove the meat and vegetables from the fridge.
- To remove the excess marinade from the meat, use paper towels.
- While moving the vegetables to the prepared baking sheet with tongs, shake off any extra marinade.
- When the meat is done and taken off the grill (or stovetop), place the vegetables in the oven.
- Cook the vegetables for four minutes, then toss to distribute the heat and cook for an additional four to five minutes, or until fork-tender and slightly charred.
To Grill the Meat:
- If using a charcoal grill, load the charcoal in one chimney and light it. Pour the coals over one side of the charcoal grate once the top coals are mostly covered with gray ash. Close the grill and let preheat 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grill after the grill preheats.
- Place the meat over the grill’s hot side while leaving the lid open.
- Cook the steak for 6 to 8 minutes total, flipping it frequently, until it is beautifully charred on both sides. An instant-read meat thermometer should read between 125 and 130°F in the center of the meat.
…on a Gas Grill:
- Cover and heat for 10 minutes on the highest heat setting on half the burners. After 10 minutes, clean and oil the grate.
- Place the meat on the hot side of the grill, cover it, and cook, turning occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes total, or until the steak has a beautiful char on both sides. An instant-read thermometer should read between 125 and 130°F in the meat’s center.
- Use a 10-12 inch well-seasoned cast iron skillet. An ordinary cast iron skillet will do if you don’t have a cast iron grill pan.
- Heat the skillet over medium-high heat with a teaspoon of canola oil until the pan is sizzling hot. Place the steak in the pan with caution and cook for a total of 6 to 8 minutes, or until you achieve a beautiful char on both sides. When the beef releases from the pan or after 3 minutes, turn the meat over, and cook the other side for about 3 minutes. The internal temperature should read 125-130°F on an instant-read thermometer.
After grilling the steak:
- The steaks should be transferred to a cutting board and rested for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Slice the meat against the grain.
- Drizzle with any leftover meat juices and lime juice.
- Serve the meat and vegetables on a large serving platter with warmed tortillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, Mexican rice, beans, sour cream, cheese, salsa, fresh cilantro chopped, and lime wedges. 12 (8-incflour or corn tortillas, Guacamole.
- Enjoy!
Last but not least, upload a photo of your creation or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram to show me what you made!
More Fajita Recipes We Love
Quick and Easy Fajitas
FAQ
What temperature do you cook beef fajitas to?
Preheat one side of grill to 450°F for zonal cooking. Over direct heat, sear flank steak for two minutes on each side. It should be cooked for a further few minutes over indirect heat, to an internal temperature of 135 to 140 °F. Let rest for about 5 minutes.
How do you know when fajita meat is done?
Cook the fajita meat, stirring and turning it constantly, for seven to ten minutes, or until it is no longer pink. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. The USDA recommends cooking beef, pork, and chicken to an internal temperature of 165 F.
Are fajitas better on grill or skillet?
The quick answer is all will work. It’s fantastic if you want to grill your steak because the weather is lovely. Your grill pan, cast-iron skillet, or regular skillet will all work just fine if it’s hot or rainy outside or if you need to get dinner on the table quickly.
How do you cook fajita meat so it’s not tough?
Tricks to Tender Fajita MeatCut the Beef Against the Grain. Slicing meat against the grain helps tenderize it. The direction of the grain in the steak can be determined by carefully examining it. Marinade with an Acid. Citrus juice and vinegar, for example, help to tenderize meat by dissolving its fibers.