Steak Fajita Marinade - Dinner at the Zoo

This steak fajita marinade is a blend of olive oil, lime juice and plenty of spices, all mixed together to make the ultimate flavoring blend. It adds so much flavor to steak and vegetables to make easy and delicious fajitas.

Mexican food is always a favorite in my house, and I constantly find myself making recipes such as chicken enchilada casserole, chipotle barbacoa, chicken taquitos and steak fajitas.

Steak fajita marinade coated meat and peppers in a cast iron pan.

I happen to love fajitas; they’re easy to make, packed with flavor, and the whole family can customize them to their own tastes. This steak fajita marinade is my go-to for perfect fajitas each and every time.

Steak Fajita Marinade Ingredients

Bowls of ingredients including oil, lime juice, garlic and spices.

To make this recipe, you will need olive oil, water, lime juice, sugar, salt, cumin, garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, chili powder, soy sauce and pepper.

How Do You Make Steak Fajitas?

Place all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl or resealable bag. Stir well to combine, then add steak and veggies to the bowl or bag. Cover the bowl or seal the bag, and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 8 hours. Remove the steak and vegetables from the bag and grill or pan sear as desired. Let the steak rest, then cut it into thin slices and serve with the veggies.

Step by step process shots showing how to make steak fajita marinade.

Tips For The Perfect Dish

This recipe works best with whole steaks. I do not recommend slicing the steak before it goes into the marinade.
You can use whatever fajita vegetables you like in the marinade. I typically do a combination of onion, red and yellow bell peppers and poblano peppers.
I recommend marinating the meat for 6-8 hours for the best results.
Be sure to let the steak rest after it’s cooked, then cut it against the grain into thin slices.
This recipe makes enough marinade to coat one pound of steak and 2 cups of sliced vegetables.
Serve plenty of toppings on the side such as black beans, charro beans, sour cream, salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, or diced avocado, Mexican rice, diced tomatoes or fresh cilantro. Don’t forget the corn tortillas or flour tortillas!

Quick Tip

Do not leave your meat in the marinade for more than 8 hours. The acid from the lime juice can start to alter the texture of the meat after that time period.

Steak, peppers and onions coated in marinade.

Recipe FAQs

How do you tenderize steak for fajitas?

The best way to tenderize steak for fajitas is to coat it in a marinade that contains citrus. The acid from the citrus juice will help to break down the meat a bit and make it more tender.

What steak makes the best fajitas?

I prefer to use quick cooking, flavorful cuts of beef for fajitas such as skirt steak, flank steak and sirloin.

Do you cook steak before cutting it for fajitas?

You should cook whole steaks for fajitas, then cut it into slices once it’s reached your desired temperature.

Flank steak and veggies cooked in a grill pan.

Flavor Variations

This recipe is delicious as-is, but you can certainly customize the flavors to your tastes.

Fresh Herbs: Feel free to add a handful of herbs such as chopped cilantro leaves or sliced green onions.
Hot & Spicy: If you prefer a spicy marinade, add a few dashes of hot sauce or minced canned chipotle peppers to taste.
Citrus: While lime juice is a classic pairing with Mexican food, you can add some lemon or orange juice to the mix for a different flavor. Even pineapple juice is a great option!
Protein: This marinade also works with other types of protein such as shrimp, chicken breast or pork tenderloin.

Once you try this steak fajita marinade, you’ll find yourself making it on a regular basis for a dinner that the whole family will love.

More Great Mexican Recipes

Love This Recipe?

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This steak fajita marinade is a blend of olive oil, lime juice and plenty of spices, all mixed together to make the ultimate flavoring blend. It adds so much flavor to steak and vegetables to make easy and delicious fajitas.

Place all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl or resealable bag, then stir to thoroughly combine.
Add 1 pound of steak and 2 cups of sliced vegetables to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover the bowl or seal the bag.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours.
Cook steak and vegetables as desired. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes, then cut into thin slices and serve.

This recipe works best with whole steaks. I do not recommend slicing the steak before it goes into the marinade.

You can use whatever fajita vegetables you like in the marinade. I typically do a combination of onion, red and yellow bell peppers and poblano peppers.

I recommend marinating the meat for 6-8 hours for the best results.

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