Name: Grilled Steak Fajitas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon garlic (minced); 2 lime (zest and juice); 1 tablespoon chili powder; ½ tablespoon garlic powder; ½ tablespoon cumin; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon coriander (ground); ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon cayanne pepper ((optional)); 2 pounds flank steak; salt & pepper (to taste); 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin); 2 large bell peppers, red or green (sliced); 1 medium onion (sliced); salt and pepper (to taste)

^{No matter what meat or combo you love in fajitas – I got you! For all you beef eaters out there – this is a lean and super flavorful recipe that will have you making the perfect fajita from home.}

Pick your poison – I don’t know that there is a fajita version that doesn’t work. If I’m going to be super honest in this post, steak has never been my favorite. I can’t tell you why other than the fact that I just prefer chicken, seafood and vegetables more. I know that’s more of a health conscious response. I also believe that when I have had steak in this form, its never the right cut or cook. Too chewy, dry or even under flavored is usually what I get. Well – let me assure you. This recipe changes EVERYTHING!

Secrets out, I had to try this recipe a few times because steak on the grill is not my specialty. I don’t buy it often and when I do order it I expect a melt-in-your-mouth medium rare. When choosing the flank steak I knew this was going to be one of my biggest challenges (hense the several attempts). The last time I took a shot at this fajita recipe I actually preferred the steak over the chicken…who would’ve thought?!

Now, I am not condoning red-meat transitions over chicken and seafood, but, I know the love for steak fajitas is strong. Plus with some vitamin deficiencies and iron imbalances I have craved steak. Being a treat for some, I had to make it right! Trust me on this!

I want to notate – this post is very similar to my Grilled Chicken Fajita recipe. I used the same marinade and cooked these together every time I made them. The rub is made for 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of chicken or steak.

So what are we looking for in the best fajita:

A perfect cook – a nice char but still keeping the meat juicy and easy to bite.
The seasoning – you don’t think about this being that important but imagine having a fajita that was bland. This rub packs so much flavor with a lot of the spices you already have on hand.
The sides – The sides are easy and I highly recommend making them yourself but if you can’t, this meat and vegetable mixture pulls a lot of the weight! You can substitute some remade accompaniments.
Leftovers – I make a lot of these JUST so I can enjoy them for a few days.

Please check out my other recipes that support the feast of Fajitas Four Ways:

Chipotle Pepper Refried Beans

Tableside Guacamole & Baked Tortilla Chips

Pico de Gallo

Jalapeno Ranch Dressing

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Grilled Steak Fajitas

Print Recipe

No matter what meat or combo you love in fajitas, I got you! For all you beef eaters out there – this is a lean and super flavorful recipe that will have you making the perfect fajita from home.

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:15 mins

Resting Time:15 mins

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic minced
2 lime zest and juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
½ tablespoon garlic powder
½ tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coriander ground
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayanne pepper (optional)
2 pounds flank steak
salt & pepper to taste

Peppers & Onions

1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
2 large bell peppers, red or green sliced
1 medium onion sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For Steak

Salt and pepper the steak at least 10-15 minutes before adding the marinade. In a medium bowl combine, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, pepper, olive oil, lime and zest, and garlic. Mix together to create a paste.
Rub steak with marinade on all sides and then place in a gallon sized plastic zipper bag. Add any additional marinade that is left. Best to marinade for at least 2 hours if not overnight in the refrigerator. Before grilling, remove from refrigerator for 15- 20 minutes.
Brush down your grill with oil and preheat 1/2 the grill to high heat or create an area with direct flame as well as an area with medium-low heat. Allow grill to heat up for 3-4 minutes. Add steak over the high heat area for 1-2 minutes on one side and then flip over and grill for an additional 1-2 minutes on the other side. Remove from the high heat area and place on the low heat area for 3-5 minutes. While it is on the low heat area, insert a meat thermometer in the thickest area (but not all the way through the meat). For a medium-rare steak, the internal temperature while on the grill should be around 130° and then remove it from the heat. It will continue to cook up until 130°-135°.
Remove from grill when it hits the 130° temperature. Set on a cutting board and cover with foil for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. It should be at 130-135° internal temperature before completely cooling.

For Pepper-Onions:

Heat a large frying pan with olive oil on medium high heat. Let heat up for 45-60 seconds. Add minced garlic and heat up for 1 minutes. Add in peppers and onions. Saute for 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent and you can see a slight char on the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper
Remove from heat and add to platter with other fajita ingredients.

Notes

Ingredients & Technique:

This recipe does lend itself to cooking all ingredients in one place. I chose to cook the peppers and onions inside in a cast iron. I did not have enough room on the grill as I was cooking soooo much everytime I made this recipe. I have placed foil on the grill before with a non stick cooking spray and carefully sautéed the peppers and onions…probably better to get a grill pan. It’s ok to mix up the cooking techniques – I assure you – and it was easier for the presentation!

Allow the steak to rest at room temperature after marinating. This will also help with even cooking.

SALT & PEPPER the steak even before rubbing with the marinade and let sit before rubbing the marinade on the chicken. I made this error the first time and I could tell. Silly how small adjustments make it way better. For steak, it doesn’t hurt for an extra rub of oil as well to help keep it moist.

How long does it last and where?

This can last for about 5-6 days in the fridge.

Can you freeze it?

This recipe goes straight to the grill so I would not suggest it after cooking.

Substitutions?

I made this recipe with four different bases so there are very few substitutions that need to be made. See all Side of Veggies fajita recipes to see the different variations.

If you want to alter the seasoning blend you can – I have tried this recipe several times and this is the best! (Omit cayenne if you don’t like much heat.)

Tips and Tricks

Marinate for 30 minutes to 8 hours. The longer the meat sits in the rub, the more flavorful it becomes.

Follow the instructions very closely with this recipe. Overcooking steak is an epic fail. Undercooking steak can be dangerous. I used my meat thermometer every time to insure that I was eating a safely cooked piece. It’s also smart to find a piece of flank steak that has as close to an even thickness all around as possible. If you can’t find one (which you should be able to) then just be aware that the thinner parts of the steak need to cook further away from the flame.

The other part of this is how you set up your grill. I cook with a gas grill and set one of my three burners to low heat. Know where your grill’s hot spot are before cooking. This is a fast cooking process so best to learn more about your grill before taking a shot at this.

What to serve with it?

Fajita Vegetables
Tortillas
Cauliflower Rice
Refried Beans
Salsa/Pico de Gallo
Texas Caviar
Guacamole
On a salad! with Greek Yogurt Ranch!
Eggs in the morning with steak is a great low carb high protein twist to this meal