This Steak Fajitas recipe is an easy one-pot meal that cooks in under 30 minutes. It features zesty marinated steak strips sautéed with bell peppers and onions. Serve it on its own for a low-carb option or warm tortillas to make tacos.
Make these fajitas in a skillet, Instant Pot, or Crock Pot — instructions for all methods are included in the notes.
How to Make Steak Fajitas in a Skillet:
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the seasoning blend ingredients and mix well.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the steak strips and toss to coat evenly. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Step 3: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon canola or avocado oil. When the pan is very hot, add the bell peppers, onions, and the remaining seasoning. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Step 4: Remove the vegetables from the pan, place them in a bowl, cover, and set aside. Wipe any excess liquid from the skillet with a paper towel.
Step 5: Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add another tablespoon of oil. When very hot, add half of the marinated steak strips and cook 4–5 minutes, or until cooked through.
Step 6: Transfer the cooked steak to the bowl with the vegetables. Cook the remaining steak strips, then return all the beef and veggies to the pan.
Step 7: Toss to combine, remove from heat, garnish with chopped cilantro, and squeeze juice from half a lime over the fajitas. Ready to serve.
Ways to Serve:
These steak fajitas are versatile. Enjoy them alone for a low-carb meal, or serve with rice, beans, and warmed tortillas. Popular toppings and sides include:
- Homemade guacamole
- Red or green hot sauce
- Mexican crema or a yogurt substitute
- Shredded cheese
Other serving ideas:
- Sizzling fajita presentation
- Rice bowls
- Salads
- Quesadillas
- Burritos
- Nachos
- Omelettes
Recipe Notes:
Cuts of Beef to Use:
You can use various cuts for fajitas, including skirt steak, flank steak, or sirloin. Choose what’s available or on sale. The photos in this post show petite sirloin, but thinly sliced chuck can also work — it may need a bit more time when stir-frying.
Alternative Cooking Methods:
This recipe adapts well to the Instant Pot or Crock Pot. Those methods produce more liquid, so serve with a slotted spoon and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Both are low-effort, “dump-and-go” options and use little to no oil. If you prefer, you can sear the beef before pressure- or slow-cooking, but the flavor is excellent without searing.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Follow steps 1–2 from the stovetop instructions.
- Place the marinated beef in the Instant Pot insert, top with onions, the remaining seasoning, and ½ cup beef or chicken broth.
- Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on High pressure for 10 minutes.
- Allow a 10-minute natural release, then carefully vent any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid, stir in the bell peppers, close the lid, and let sit for 5 minutes to steam and soften the peppers. For softer vegetables, set Manual to 0 minutes and perform a quick release when finished.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste, garnish with cilantro, and squeeze fresh lime juice over the fajitas.
- Because there will be extra liquid, use a slotted spoon to serve and drain as needed.
Crock Pot Instructions:
- Follow steps 1–2 from the stovetop instructions.
- Place the marinated beef in the Crock Pot, top with onions and the remaining seasoning.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours or LOW for 6–8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender. Stir in the bell peppers during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste, garnish with cilantro, and squeeze lime juice over the fajitas.
- There will be extra cooking liquid; serve using a slotted spoon to drain before plating.
Enjoy!
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Steak Fajitas {Easy, One Pot Meal}
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef steak, cut into thin strips (petite sirloin pictured)
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons canola or avocado oil (or other high smoke point oil)
Seasoning Blend
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons of the seasoning blend
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Juice of half a lime
Instructions
- Make the seasoning blend in a small bowl.
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl, add steak strips, and toss to coat. Cover and marinate 30 minutes to 4 hours.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil.
- When very hot, cook peppers and onions with the remaining seasoning for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove vegetables, cover, and wipe the skillet clean. Add another tablespoon of oil.
- Cook half the marinated steak 4–5 minutes until done, transfer to the veggie bowl, then cook the remaining steak.
- Return all steak and vegetables to the skillet, toss to combine, remove from heat, garnish with cilantro, and squeeze lime over the top.
- Serve with warm tortillas and optional sides such as rice, beans, guacamole, crema, shredded cheese, and hot sauce.
Notes
Cuts of Beef: Use skirt, flank, or sirloin. Choose what’s on sale—petite sirloin works well. Thinly sliced chuck can be used but may need slightly longer when stir-frying.
Alternative Methods: Instant Pot and Crock Pot work well but produce extra liquid. Use a slotted spoon to serve and adjust seasoning after cooking. Both methods are low-effort and use little to no oil.
Nutrition Facts
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