One-Pan Steak Fajitas cooked in the oven on a single pan with both the vegetables and meat cooking together makes this an easy weeknight meal for the family or a fun make-your-own party for guests! Seasoned to perfection and the easiest preparation imaginable, you’ve got a real winner of a recipe here!
Fajitas are one of my favorite things to order when we go out for Mexican food. I love the smoky char on the meat and vegetables and how they combine together in every bite. It takes me back to our visits to Santa Fe where the food is outstanding and the vistas unbelievable.
In this recipe, most of the work is hands-off. You let the oven do the work for you! It will give you a subtle char fairly close to cooking these on the grill. And only one pan to clean up! And bonus, you can make them all year long, even when the weather is bad and you don’t want to bring out the grill.
Traditionally fajitas are made with one of the tougher cuts of beef, the flank steak. You can also use skirt steak or your favorite cuts if you prefer. The thinner steaks work best with this cooking technique.
Can you see the lines running vertically on this flank steak? That is the “grain” recipes talk about.
To combat the toughness of flank steak, you cook it to medium, which helps melt away the connective tissues. That and cutting it against the grain will give you the most tender bites.
Cutting against the grain helps give you much more tender meat in otherwise tough cuts. If you look at a flank steak (see above), there are lines that run parallel down the length of the steak. That is the grain. Cut with the grain, along the lines and you get tougher bites. But cut across the grain, perpendicular to the lines, and you get a much more tender bite. In this recipe you first cut with the grain to divide the steak into thirds, cook it, and then cut against the grain for serving.
You can use any number of toppings that you love, from guacamole to sour cream to customize your fajitas in their tortilla wrappings. That is half the fun of making them!
I personally love serving these with pico de gallo (peek-oh-day-guy-oh) salsa, which lends a freshness to every bite. Add avocado or guacamole for creaminess, jalapenos for more heat, whatever you like is great with these fajitas.
If you are gluten-free, watch out for the corn tortillas you use. Many contain wheat as an ingredient that helps keep them soft and flexible. But it makes them unsafe for anyone eating a gluten-free diet. Be sure the package is labeled gluten-free and read the ingredient list to be sure!
If you want, you can make these with chicken, just be sure you get the chicken to at least 160°F (71°C) for white meat or 170°F (77°C) for dark meat. Boneless thighs would be perfect for these fajitas because they tend to stay moist even if you go over the recommended temperature.
And if you wanted a vegetarian version, increase the volume of vegetables, adding meaty mushrooms in place of the steak. Filling and healthy, they are perfect for your vegetarian friends.
I hope you haul out your baking sheet and sharp knives and make these one-pan steak fajitas soon. Your friends and family will be thrilled and beg you to make them a part of your regular meal planning!
See you back here next week for another chocolate recipe on Chocolate Monday, the sweetest way to begin your week!!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for One-Pan Steak Fajitas:
- Bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms, garlic, oil, chili powder, brown sugar, flank steak, corn tortillas, lime juice, cilantro, green onions
PRO Tip: **
Cutting against the grain helps give you much more tender meat in otherwise tough cuts. If you look at a flank steak, there are lines that run parallel down the length of the steak. That is the grain. Cut with the grain, along the lines and the meat is tougher. But cut across the grain, perpendicular to the lines, and you get a much more tender bite. In this recipe you first cut with the grain to divide the steak into thirds, cook it, and then cut against the grain for serving.
PRO Tip:
Cooking the flank steak to medium (about 135°F) makes it less chewy and therefore easier to eat.
How to make One-Pan Steak Fajitas:
- Toss the bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, garlic, oil, salt and pepper together on a rimmed baking sheet pan. Spread out into an even layer and roast at 425°F (218°C) for about 15 minutes until lightly browned at the edges. Meanwhile, cut the steak in thirds lengthwise with the grain.**
- Combine the chili powder, sugar, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper and season both sides of the steak pieces. Wrap tortillas in foil. On the same sheet pan, move the vegetables to one end and place the steaks on the opposite end. Roast until the meat hits 135°F (57°C) and vegetables are browned in spots.
- Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Warm the tortilla packet in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a serving platter and toss with lime juice. Turn the oven off.
- Slice steaks thinly crosswise against the grain** and place on the platter with the vegetables. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve the steak and vegetables with the warm tortillas and have pico de gallo salsa, guacamole, sour cream, hot sauce, and lime wedges, etc. for topping individual servings.
PRO Tip:
Use a good instant read thermometer to know when the steak is at the right temperature. I love the products from Thermoworks. Their Thermapen is the Rolls Royce of thermometers and I can’t imagine cooking without it. But their ThermoPop is almost as good and much less expensive – a good alternative. Get the 8-inch probe, if you can because it is much easier for large roasts and more flexible to use.
PRO Tip:
Instant read thermometers are good for many tasks beyond just temping meats. Use them when making candy, baking breads, seeing if cheesecake is done, and much more.
PRO Tip:
If you want to make a vegetarian version of these fajitas, use more total vegetables and include mushrooms. Toss them with all the seasonings (cut back on the salt) plus the dry rub meant for the meat. Roast in the hot oven until the vegetables have some browned spots on them. Use a spatula and toss the vegetables to evenly coat everything with the seasonings and oil. Return to the oven and roast until the onions are crisp tender.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Chef’s knife and paring knife
- Cutting board
- Citrus reamer
- Baking sheet pans
- Instant read thermometer
- Carving knife
Gluten-Free Tips:
Beware of spices you are using, especially blends like chili powder. Watch the labels carefully for possible gluten ingredients. I like to get my spices and herbs from two companies, Penzeys and McCormick. Both are very transparent about the ingredients in their products. I also like the wide variety they sell – you can find nearly anything you need from them! McCormick can be found in most grocery stores and Penzeys, while they do have some stores, is mostly online sales.
* My preferred brand of kosher salt is from Diamond Crystal. If you use Morton’s, another brand, or table salt, you will not need as much because they are saltier.
** Cutting meat with or against the grain helps give you much more tender meat in otherwise tough cuts. If you look at a flank steak, there are lines that run parallel down the length of the steak. That is the grain. Cut with the grain, along the lines and you get tougher bites. But cut across the grain, perpendicular to the lines, you get a much more tender bite. In this recipe you first cut with the grain to divide the steak into thirds, cook it, and then cut against the grain for serving.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. Use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
One-Pan Steak Fajitas (GF)
One-Pan Steak Fajitas cooked in the oven on a single pan with both the vegetables and meat cooking together makes this an easy weeknight meal for the family or a fun make-your-own party for guests! Seasoned to perfection and the easiest preparation imaginable, you’ve got a real winner of a recipe here!
Ingredients
- 4 red (or other colors) bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inchwide strips
- 1 large red onion, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
- 2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced, optional (see PRO Tip above)
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
- Kosher salt* and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1-1/2 tbsp chili powder (or smoked paprika and a little chipotle powder)
- 2 tsp packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 (1-1/2 lb; 680g) flank steak, trimmed of excess fat and silverskin if needed
- About 8 to 16 (6-inch 15cm) gluten-free corn tortillas
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- Sliced green onions, for garnishing, optional
Instructions
1. Adjust an oven rack to a lower-middle position and heat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Toss the bell peppers, onions, mushrooms (if using), garlic, oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper together on a rimmed baking sheet and spread into even layer. Roast until the vegetables are lightly browned around the edges, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, sugar, cumin, oregano, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper in a bowl. Cut the steak lengthwise with the grain ** into 3 equal pieces. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, then sprinkle on both sides with the spice mixture; leave on the cutting board. Separately wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil; set aside.
3. Remove the sheet pan from oven. Push the vegetables to one half of the pan. Place the 3 steak pieces on the other half of the baking sheet, leaving space between the steaks. Roast until vegetables are spotty brown and meat registers 135°F (57°C)) for medium, about 8 minutes. Cooking the flank steak to medium makes it less chewy and easier to eat.
4. Remove the sheet pan from the oven, (leave the oven on) transfer the steaks to a cutting board, and let rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute in the meat. At the same time, place the tortilla packet in the oven until warm, about 5 minutes. Toss the vegetables with the lime juice and transfer to one end of a serving platter. Turn the oven off.
5. Slice steaks thinly crossways against the grain ** and transfer to the platter with the vegetables. Sprinkle with cilantro, if using. Serve the steak and vegetables with warm tortillas to make your own fajitas. Serve with pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, hot sauce, and lime wedges and let everyone choose their own toppings.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
* My preferred brand of kosher salt is from Diamond Crystal. If you use Morton’s or another brand you will likely not need as much because they are saltier.
** Cutting meat against the grain helps give you much more tender meat in otherwise tough cuts. If you look at a flank steak, there are lines that run parallel down the length of the steak. That is the grain. Cut with the grain, along the lines and you get tougher meat. But cut across the grain, perpendicular to the lines, you get a much more tender bite. In this recipe you first cut with the grain to divide the steak into thirds, cook it, and then cut against the grain for serving.
Watch the labels on your spices and herbs, especially blends like today's chili powder for possible gluten ingredients.. I like Penzeys and McCormick brands because they have all the ingredients listed on every product.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. Use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Adapted from a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 96Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 16mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 6g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to follow me on social media so you never miss a post:
Create a New Tradition Today!
Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site.
Leave a Reply