Beef Fajitas with Peppers (Printable version)

Marinated beef strips cooked with vibrant peppers and onions, served hot with warm tortillas and fresh accents.

# Ingredient List:

→ Marinade

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Beef

09 - 1.1 pounds flank or skirt steak, thinly sliced against the grain

→ Vegetables

10 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
11 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
12 - 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
13 - 1 large onion, thinly sliced

→ For Serving

14 - 8 small flour tortillas or corn tortillas
15 - Salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream (optional)
16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
17 - Lime wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Whisk olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
02 - Add sliced beef to the marinade, toss to coat evenly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours for enhanced flavor.
03 - Preheat a large skillet or grill pan over high heat; add a drizzle of oil if necessary.
04 - Sauté marinated beef strips for 2 to 3 minutes until browned yet tender; transfer to a plate and set aside.
05 - In the same pan, sauté sliced peppers and onion for 5 to 6 minutes until tender with slight charring.
06 - Return beef to the pan; toss with vegetables for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.
07 - Heat tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave until warm and pliable.
08 - Assemble beef and vegetable mixture in tortillas and accompany with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, and lime wedges as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The beef stays impossibly tender because you slice it thin and cook it fast, which I learned after a few rubbery attempts.
  • Everything happens in one pan, so cleanup is as easy as the cooking.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under 40 minutes, including prep time.
02 -
  • Slicing the beef against the grain isn't just a suggestion—it's what separates tender fajitas from chewy ones, and I learned this the hard way on my first attempt.
  • Don't skip the high heat or crowd the pan with too much beef at once; those brown, caramelized edges are where the flavor lives.
03 -
  • Slice your beef so thin that it's almost translucent—thinner than you think is right—and it'll cook in seconds while staying impossibly tender.
  • Save the pan drippings and veggie charring; that fond is pure flavor waiting to be scraped up and tossed with your filling.

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