Flank Steak Fajitas Recipe
My skillet fajitas are made with simple marinated flank steak and seasoned peppers and onions.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank or skirt steak
- 6 inch flour or corn tortillas
- 2 red bell peppers cored and sliced
- 2 green bell peppers cored and sliced
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 lime cut into small wedges
- Mexican blend cheese for topping
- Fresh cilantro for topping
- Sour cream for topping
- Hot sauce for topping
Flank steak marinade
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey or dark brown sugar
- 1 lime juice squeezed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Ground black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons Adobe sauce from canned chipotle peppers optional
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a large measuring cup. Whisk and set aside.
- Find the natural graining running through the flank steak and slice against the grain into 1/4-1/2 inch strips. This is critical for tenderness. Place the steak in a large plastic Ziploc bag or sealed container and pour the marinade over the steak. Marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Keep refrigerated and remove 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Combine peppers, onions, oil, paprika, and cumin in a large bowl. Toss to mix.
- Heat a dash of oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Add peppers and onions and season all over with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and slightly charred on the edges, about 10-15 minutes. Toss every few minutes to mix and prevent burning.
- Remove peppers and onions from the skillet and place on a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and add flank steak to the skillet, leaving behind as much of the marinade as possible. Discard and do not reuse. Cook steak, tossing frequently until cooked through and slightly pink in the center. The steak will fully cook in about 5-7 minutes.
- Move the steak to one side of the skillet and return the peppers and onions to the skillet. Serve immediately with sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce, and warm/toasted tortillas. See the note below on toasting tortillas!
Notes
My favorite way to eat tacos or fajitas is with toasted corn tortillas. If you have a gas range, place the tortillas directly on the grates and fire up the burner. Cook on medium-low heat for about 15 seconds per side, flipping with a metal spatula. The edges of the tortilla will start to char and crisp and the center will be soft, warm, and pliable with irresistible flavor.
For best results, marinate the steak overnight so it has time to soak up the flavors and tenderize the beef. For this recipe, I opted to pre-slice the steak into strips before marinating. This ensures every fiber of meat is in direct contact with the sauce.
One critical tip when preparing steak fajitas is to properly (and thinly) slice the flank steak for maximum tenderness. Flank and skirt steak tend to be tougher cuts due to the dense muscle fibers. You will notice the steak has a very defined grain running through it. It may be more noticeable after you cook it.
Nutrition
Serving: 3fajitas | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.4g | Protein: 35.9g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 157mg | Fiber: 6.8g | Sugar: 4.9g