Beef Fajita Skillet (Printable)
Sizzling one-pan beef fajitas with tender strips, peppers, and onions seasoned to perfection.
# Ingredient List:
→ Beef
01 - 1 lb flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp chili powder
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
10 - Juice of 1 lime
→ Vegetables
11 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
12 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
13 - 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
14 - 1 large onion, thinly sliced
→ Optional for Serving
15 - Warm corn or flour tortillas
16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Lime wedges
18 - Sour cream
19 - Shredded cheese
20 - Salsa
# Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine sliced beef with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Toss thoroughly and allow to marinate for 10 minutes while preparing vegetables.
02 - Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add beef strips in a single layer and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until browned and just cooked through. Remove beef from pan and set aside.
03 - Add additional oil to the skillet if needed. Introduce sliced onion and bell peppers, sautéing for 5 to 6 minutes until tender with slight charring.
04 - Return beef along with any accumulated juices to the skillet. Toss with vegetables and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until heated evenly.
05 - Immediately serve with warm tortillas and preferred garnishes such as cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, shredded cheese, or salsa.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- One skillet means one thing to clean, and somehow the food tastes even better when you've cut corners on dishes.
- The beef stays tender and the peppers get these perfect charred edges that taste like they took hours but didn't.
- It feels restaurant-quality, but you'll actually want to make it on a random Tuesday night because it's so simple.
02 -
- Don't skip slicing the beef thin—thick pieces won't have the same tender, quick-cooking magic that makes this dish so appealing.
- The char on the vegetables is non-negotiable; it transforms them from just cooked to genuinely delicious, so give them space and heat to develop those golden spots.
03 -
- Cast-iron pans are ideal for this because they hold heat better and give you more control, but any large skillet will work—just make sure it's heavy-bottomed so nothing burns.
- Marinating the beef for exactly ten minutes is the sweet spot; longer and the lime juice starts breaking down the muscle fibers too much, which makes it mealy instead of tender.