Easy Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas

By
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who develops approachable recipes for home cooks. Her recipes range from Grandma’s favorites to the latest food trends.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/17/22
Tested by
Joan Velush
Joan Velush
Tested by Joan Velush
Joan Velush is a personal chef, caterer, cooking instructor, and former bartender. Her work has included catering services for a variety of events, preparing weekly meals for a number of clients, and offering private cooking classes for children, teens, and adults. More recently she has worked as a recipe tester, an assistant food stylist, and recipe developer in the test kitchens of Fine Cooking Magazine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Easy Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas

The Spruce / Ali Redmond
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 11 mins
Marinate: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 31 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
965 Calories
38g Fat
99g Carbs
53g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 965
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 38g 49%
Saturated Fat 12g 62%
Cholesterol 90mg 30%
Sodium 1653mg 72%
Total Carbohydrate 99g 36%
Dietary Fiber 7g 24%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 53g
Vitamin C 33mg 163%
Calcium 112mg 9%
Iron 10mg 58%
Potassium 888mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This Tex-Mex classic is a delicious alternative for feeding large families in a casual and nutritious way. Warm tortillas, juicy steak, sweet peppers and onions make this beloved dish an easy alternative for a weeknight dinner. Besides, each guest can customize their fajitas to taste by adding hot sauce, fresh herbs, pickled onions, crumbled queso fresco, avocado slices, or any other topping you can think of that suits the meat flavor profile—think pico de gallo, jalapeños, grilled mushrooms, or a touch of sour cream.

Get ahead of the "dinner game" by making the marinade in the afternoon, leaving the steak to soak up the flavors until dinnertime—a minimum of 2 hours and maximum of 4 hours of time is recommended. Use rump, flank, or the favorite, skirt steak, to make these fajitas.

The word fajita in Spanish means “little strips” and comes from the word “faja”—“belt,” “strip,” or “girdle,” referring to the strips of meat, usually skirt, originally used for this dish. This recipe works just as well with chicken, pork, turkey, tofu, tempeh, or just vegetables if you want to keep it meat free. For a gluten-free alternative, use corn, cassava, almond, or chickpea flour tortillas.

“With a few fresh ingredients and a little marinating time this recipe gives you a simple and satisfying dinner that’s easily customized to suit the tastes of a family or a group of friends. Great for a party or a large gathering!” —Joan Velush

Easy Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds skirt steak

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

  • 3 medium multi-colored bell peppers, thinly sliced lengthwise

  • 1 large sweet onion, or red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

For Serving:

  • 12 (7- to 8-inch) flour tortillas, or corn tortillas, warmed

Steps to Make It

Marinate the Meat

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Easy Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  2. Trim the skirt steak. If necessary, cut into large crosswise pieces that will fit comfortably on a grill or in a ridged grill pan. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt on both sides of the steak pieces. Set aside.

    Trim the skirt steak and cut it into large pieces


    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  3. In a small dish, mash the minced garlic with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt to create a paste.

    Mash the minced garlic with salt

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  4. In a large, heavy-duty freezer bag, combine the garlic paste, lime juice, oil, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, and chili powder. Seal and shake to combine.

    Garlic paste, lime juice, cumin, and olive oil in a plastic bag

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  5. Place the steak, peppers, onion, and cilantro in the bag. Squeeze out the air, and turn to coat the meat and vegetables.

    Place the skirt steak, bell peppers, onion, and chopped cilantro into the bag with the marinade

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  6. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or a maximum of 4, allowing the marinade to penetrate the mixture.

    Leave meat and vegetables to marinade in the bag

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

Cook the Vegetables and Grill the Steak

  1. Prepare a high (500 F to 600 F) gas or charcoal grill fire. Remove the skirt steak from the marinade and place it on a platter, shaking off the liquid and reserving the marinade with the vegetables.

    Marinaded vegetables in a bowl and meat on a plate

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  2. Heat a large heavy-duty skillet over high heat to the smoking point. Drain the vegetables and cilantro. Pat them dry with paper towels. Sauté the vegetables until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat. Toss with salt to taste. Set aside.

    Peppers cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  3. Grill the skirt steak until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side.

    Grill the skirt steak over high heat until medium-rare

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

Assemble and Serve

  1. Slice meat into thin strips against the grain.

    Slice meat into strips against the grain

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  2. Serve immediately with the warm tortillas, the seared vegetables, and any other toppings of your choice.

    Easy Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas on a plate

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

How to Serve Fajitas

  • When serving fajitas, diners traditionally place strips of meat with grilled vegetables, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream into the tortilla and fold it up taco or burrito-style. When serving, you can assemble in the kitchen or place all items on the table separately so each person can build their own to taste.


Can I make the fajitas on the stove?

If you do not have a gas or charcoal grill, you may use a cast-iron or heavy grill pan on the stovetop. After cooking your vegetables, keep the skillet very hot, add the meat, and sear it 2 to 3 minutes per side, until medium-rare.

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