I love getting fajitas at my favorite Mexican restaurants. The sizzling onions and peppers with juicy steak, all packed onto a warm tortilla with just a dollop of sour cream. Wow! It just doesn’t get any better. Of course, they can be quite expensive and we don’t always feel like going out to a restaurant. So for a fraction of the cost, we can have a huge helping of homemade steak fajitas using our air fryer. They’re simple to make, use common ingredients, and ready to enjoy in about 15 minutes.
What is the best steak to use for fajitas?
My favorite meat to use for steak fajitas is flank steak. It’s lean, but has just the right amount of fat to keep the meat tender and juicy, especially with a quick cooking method such as this. Skirt steak is also very popular for steak fajitas. Skirt steak is a fantastic option and is commonly use in fajita recipes all the time. You can even use top sirloin or filet mignon, but then we start getting pretty pricey. Flank steak is definitely my favorite to use for this recipe.
Slice and marinate the steak
To make our fajitas the very best, we want a steak that’s loaded with flavor, and that’s also tender and easy to chew. To get this, we slice the flank steak into thin strips and marinate. Always slice the steak against the grain, and do so in pieces that are no more than about ¼″ thick. If it’s a larger sized flank steak, you can cut the real long strips in half lengthwise. Then it’s important to marinate the steak. We mix together our dry ingredients: cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, salt, pepper and oregano in a large ziptop bag. The in a small cup, whisk together the vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce and lime juice. Pour the mixture into the bag with the dry ingredients and mix it into a nice paste. Now add the strips of steak, close the bag, and massage the marinade all into the steak. Make sure to get it well distributed all over the meat.
How long to marinate the steak?
For the full flavor and tenderizing benefit of the marinating, overnight or 24 hours is my best answer. It makes such a difference. The strips of flank steak are like a sponge and will soak up all the flavors which will result in an unbelievable flavorful experience. The lime juice also tenderizes the meat which is super important. I like to prep everything the day before, let that meat marinate for a full day, then when it comes time to cook, everything is ready to go and awesome when done. If you don’t prepare the day before, I suggest trying to let the meat marinate for at least a few hours.
Onion and peppers first
One medium onion and 2-3 medium bell peppers will be plenty for our air fryer steak fajitas. I like to use a mixture or red, green and yellow peppers. All the color and subtle flavor differences further add to the experience. Slice that onion thick! Onions reduce in size during the process and you will want have larger slices to add to the fajitas. We begin by preheating our air fryer at 380°(f) for about 5 minutes. Mix your sliced up veggies with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, then add to the air fryer and use the air fry setting at 380°(f) for 8 minutes. Give the veggies a good stir about halfway through cooking.
Add marinated steak
After the 8 minutes, add in the steak and really mix it in well. You want to make sure you get the steak pieces separated as much as possible, as well and get the veggies coated with the seasoning. Then use air fry setting at 380°(f) for another 5 minutes. Check for doneness. You can always continue for another 1-2 minutes, but be careful as those stips of steak can get overdone very quickly. 5 minutes seems to be the perfect amount for the steak.
Serve Immediately
Your steak fajitas are ready to serve as soon as they are done. I like to mix in a little of the juices that will be at the bottom of the air fryer basket or drip tray. Top the fajitas with some fresh chopped cilantro and any other of your favorite toppings – guacamole, shredded cheese, salsa, the list goes on. And of course, be sure to heat up your tortillas. Usually just a few seconds in the microwave and they will be nice and soft and warm – ready to be filled with your best damn air fryer fajitas!
Suggested Side Dishes
This is really a no-brainer here. The ideal side-dishes for fajitas are refried beans and Spanish rice. And guess what? RecipeTeacher has got you covered for both! We use an Instant Pot for both recipes and feature all fresh ingredients. especially for the refried beans, there’s no lard – just awesome fresh flavor! Best Damn Instant Pot Spanish Rice Best Damn Instant Por Refried Beans
Frequently asked questions
How to store leftover fajitas?
Answer: Wait… you have leftovers?! Ok, in that case, just toss them in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Can fajitas be frozen?
Answer: yes indeed! In fact, these make for a great meal on the reheat for a later day. Simple place the cooked items (not the tortillas), into individual portion freezer bags. Make sore to get all the air out of the bags, roll them tightly and freeze for up to 6 months.
What about using chicken instead?
Answer: We’re glad you asked. Here’s our simple recipe for air fryer chicken fajitas.
