Pioneer Woman Beef Fajitas

Pioneer Woman beef fajitas take 2 hours 15 minutes and a lime-marinated flank steak with sliced bell peppers to make a sizzling, smoky Tex-Mex dinner. This easy skillet fajita night fits weeknight dinners, game day and summer cookouts, since everyone builds their own warm tortilla.

Marinate the flank steak for at least 2 hours, because the lime juice and Worcestershire sauce are what make it tender and flavorful. Skip it and the steak turns out chewy and bland next to the spiced peppers.

Splitting the marinade in two means the peppers and onions soak up the same lime and cumin flavor as the steak. Searing the veggies first and then the meat in the same hot skillet also leaves charred bits behind that season the beef.

Pioneer Woman Beef Fajitas

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, MexicanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep timeminutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

282

kcal

Lime-marinated flank steak sears hot and fast until charred outside and medium rare inside, then gets sliced thin over soft, smoky peppers. Everything piles into warm flour tortillas with cool sour cream and melty cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 whole beef flank steak
  

• 1/2 c. olive oil
  

• 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  

• 1/3 c. fresh-squeezed lime juice
  

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  

• 1 tbsp. cumin
  

• 1 tbsp. chili powder
  

• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  

• 1 tsp. salt
  

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  

• 1 tbsp. sugar
  

• 2 medium onions, halved and sliced
  

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  

• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
  

• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  

• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
  

• Oil, for frying
  

• Flour tortillas, warmed
  

• Cheese (grated cheddar/Jack or crumbled queso fresco), for topping
  

• Salsa, for topping
  

• Sour cream, for topping
  

• Cilantro leaves, for topping
  

Directions

• Mix the marinade: Whisk 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1/3 cup lime juice, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon cumin and 1 tablespoon chili powder in a dish. Then add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1 tablespoon sugar, and pour half into a second dish.
• Marinate steak and veggies: Turn the flank steak in one dish to coat it, then toss the sliced onions and red, orange, green and yellow bell peppers in the other. Cover both with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Prep the fixings: Warm the flour tortillas and set out the cheese, salsa, sour cream and cilantro leaves. That way everything is ready to go the moment the meat comes off the heat.
• Cook the veggies: Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle in some oil. Add the veggies and cook for a few minutes, until they're tender but still slightly firm with nice black and brown spots, then move them to a plate.
• Sear the steak: Heat the same skillet, or a grill pan, over high heat and drizzle in a little more oil. Cook the steak for about 2 minutes per side until medium rare.
• Rest, slice and serve: Let the steak rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes. Then slice it right before serving and pile it into the warm tortillas with the veggies and all the toppings.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use skirt steak instead of flank steak?

Yes, skirt steak works well and cooks just as fast. Slice either cut thinly against the grain so every bite stays tender.

How long do leftover beef fajitas keep?

Store the sliced steak and veggies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a hot skillet so they keep some char, and keep the tortillas and toppings separate.

Can I marinate the steak the night before?

Yes, the steak can marinate in the fridge for up to 8 hours, which is a handy way to get ahead. Past that the lime juice starts to change the texture of the meat.

Can I make these on the grill instead of a skillet?

A grill pan works just as well as the skillet, and an outdoor grill over high heat does the job too. Either way, cook the steak about 2 minutes per side so it stays medium rare.

What's the most common mistake with beef fajitas?

Slicing the steak too soon is the big one, since the juices run out onto the board and the meat dries out. Rest it for the full 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.