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A cast iron skillet with sliced steak fajitas, red and green bell peppers, onions, and fresh cilantro, surrounded by tomatoes, limes, and avocado.
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Steak Fajitas Recipe

These steak fajitas hit different. The marinade turns cheap flank steak into something that actually melts in your mouth, while that cast iron sear creates edges so perfectly caramelized they practically crackle. Thirty minutes from start to finish, but the flavors are so deep your no one will be filling up on chips and salsa. At a fraction of takeout prices, these deliver the kind of satisfaction that makes ordering out feel like a waste of money.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Resting Time5 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 272kcal
Author: Brittany Lauren

Equipment

  • Large resealable bag or shallow dish
  • Cast iron skillet, griddle, or grill pan
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Grill + grill basket (for outdoor method)
  • Sharp chef’s knife

Ingredients

For the Fajita Marinade

  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • ½ tsp kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp Chili powder Ancho chili powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ cup avocado oil or your favorite neutral oil
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1.5 - 2 lbs Flank steak

For the Steak Fajitas

  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and sliced into ¼” strips
  • 1 green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and sliced into ¼” strips
  • 1 white onion sliced into ¼” slices

To Serve:

  • Corn tortillas toasted
  • Freshly minced cilantro
  • lime sliced into wedges
  • Sour Cream
  • Pico de gallo
  • Guacamole

Instructions

Marinate the steak

  • Whisk the cumin, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and black pepper together in a bowl.
  • In another small bowl, whisk the oil, Worcestershire, lime juice, and minced garlic together. Add 1 ½ tbsp of the spice mix, reserving the remaining for later, and whisk to combine.
    A glass bowl with oil and spices being mixed with a metal whisk on a dark countertop.
  • Add the flank steak to a large resealable bag and pour over the marinade.
  • Seal, squeezing as much air out as you can, massaging the steak to make sure it’s evenly coated. Let it marinate in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours.
    A sealed plastic bag containing pieces of flank steak marinating in a seasoned liquid, placed on a dark surface.

Cook the Fajitas

  • Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry.
  • Toss the sliced peppers and onions in a bowl with a drizzle of oil and sprinkle with the remaining spice blend. Toss to coat.
    A glass bowl filled with sliced red and green bell peppers and onions, placed on a dark textured surface.
  • Heat a large cast-iron skillet, griddle, or grill pan over medium-high heat.
  • Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan, swirl to coat the pan, and let it preheat until it’s just shimmering.
  • Add the steak and sear it for 3 to 4 minutes, maneuvering it after 2 minutes (when a good crust has started to form, if needed) to make sure to get an even sear from edge to edge.
  • Flip and sear for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until the steak has reached an internal temperature of 130°F, as measured with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
    Two pieces of cooked flank steak are shown in a black cast iron skillet on a dark textured surface.
  • Remove the steak from the skillet and it rest, tented with foil on a large rimmed cutting board.
  • Meanwhile, in the same pan, add the sliced peppers and onions to the skillet and sautee until just softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
    Sliced red and green bell peppers and onions sautéing in a black cast iron skillet on a dark textured surface.
  • Then quickly toast the tortillas in a clean dry pan, or over the flame of a gas range.

Rest and Serve

  • When the steak has rested for 7 to 10 minutes, arrange it so you can see the long grain running through the meat.
  • Using a sharp knife, slice the flank steak into ¼” thin pieces, no thicker than a pencil, against the grain.
  • Toss the steak back into the skillet with the veggies, add the corn tortillas to the platter, and serve immediately with your favorite toppings and sides.
    A cast iron skillet filled with cooked steak fajitas - beef strips, red and green bell peppers, and onions on a dark textured surface.

Notes

For the Grill:

  1. Prep the meat: Marinate the meat as instructed in the recipe card.
  2. Prep the grill: Preheat your grill for a two-zone fire with medium-high heat, around 400°F. Clean and oil your grill grates.
    1. Grill the Fajitas: Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry.
      Toss the sliced peppers and onions in a bowl with a drizzle of oil and sprinkle with the remaining spice blend. Toss to coat.
      When the grill has preheated, arrange the flank steak on the hot side of the grill and sear for 2 to 3 minutes. Rotate the steak 90 degrees with long grilling tongs and cook 1 minute longer.
      Flip the steak and continue to cook, watching for flare-ups, for 3 to 4 minutes longer to around 130°F, or your desired internal temperature.
      Remove the steak and set it on a rimmed cutting board, tented with foil to rest.
      Meanwhile, place the veggies in a grill basket and let them cook until slightly charred and softened, shaking or stirring to avoid burning, 5 to 7 minutes.
      Quickly toast the tortillas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 402mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 608IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg