Looking for a weekday meal that everyone will love? Sizzling Beef Fajitas in the Oven is going to be a new family favorite. With just a little bit of prep, you can surprise your crew with the authentic taste of a Tex-Mex dinner at home!
Easy Beef Fajitas in the Oven
Beef fajitas and I have a love/hate relationship. It all goes back to one of my earliest jobs in high school. It was a waitressing job that didn’t last more than a minute and almost ended my waitressing days before they even started. One of the popular dishes on the menu at this particular mall restaurant was sizzling beef fajitas. And boy, did those beef fajitas sizzle and pop. So much so that I was constantly burning myself. And the skillets were so heavy. My 100 lb self decided to quit burning myself and work for Gap clothing store. Much safer!
But no need to worry. These oven beef fajitas are not only delicious, they also safely cook in the oven! I discovered the magic of sheet pan fajitas one bustling weeknight, when I tried an oven chicken fajita recipe. Soon after I started blogging, I met Kim Mayo at Good Life Wife. And she shared her amazing Easy Chicken Fajitas. And I was hooked. One pan of deliciousness that could feed a crowd and clean up easy! Yes, please! I was skeptical at first, how could something so simple turn out so well? But, let me tell you, cooking fajitas in the oven was a game-changer.
So I decided to see if I could tweak the recipe and make it with beef! Adjusting the oven temperature and choosing the right cut of beef helps make these beef fajitas in the oven a success. A simple but flavorful marinade creates a restaurant worthy taste. And the ease of tossing everything on a sheet pan and letting the oven do its magic meant I could enjoy a delicious meal without worrying about a pile of dishes afterward. And everyone’s beef fajitas come out of the oven, ready at one time!
Key Takeaways:
- One pan fajitas simplify the cooking process, making for easy preparation and minimal cleanup.
- Beef fajitas in the oven cater to various preferences with cuts like flank steak, round steak, and cube steak, ensuring everyone enjoys their meal.
- Sheet pan fajitas are not just about convenience; they bring delicious, sizzling fajitas to your table without fuss.
How to Make Beef Fajitas in the Oven
Easy oven beef fajitas do have some prep, but the steps are simple. And the results are fantastic!
First, making sure to cut against the grain, slice your steak into thin strips. A trick to easily cutting beef into strips, is to cut the beef when it is still slightly frozen.
Next cut up your vegetables. This recipe use two peppers and one onion for every 1 – 1 1/2 lbs of beef. You can certainly adjust to please your family. This ratio allows for plenty of veggies while still pleasing your meat lovers. And I like to use at least a red or yellow pepper to add some color to your fajitas. This way your meal will taste and look good!
Gather all your ingredients to make your homemade marinade. To keep track of what seasonings and oils you have already added to your marinade, I place all my ingredients to the left. As I add each ingredient, I move it to the right. I like to use clear plastic storage bags to mix the marinade and then add your beef and veggies.
Place your marinating beef and veggies in the fridge for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, turn on your oven to preheat to 400 degrees. Cover a baking pan with foil. I typically, use two sheets of foil, as some of the marinade juice will be in the pan. Spray foil. If you have doubled the recipe, you will want to use baking dishes.
Pour out the marinated beef and veggies onto prepared foil covered baking sheet. It is ok, if some of the juice goes into the pan, but you mainly want the veggies and beef. Place pan in preheated oven.
While beef and vegetables are cooking, pull out and cut up your fajitas condiments such as cheese, tomatoes, avocado, jalapenos, cilantro, and sour cream.
Be careful to not overcook your beef, otherwise it will become tough. Pull out your beef. Call your family for dinner and warm your tortillas in the microwave.
Let everyone make their oven beef fajitas just like they like them!
What Cut of Beef is Best for Fajitas
The essence of easy oven fajitas lies in their flexibility so don’t get too hung up on which beef cut to choose. Flank steak, cube steak, and round steak all work well for this recipe.
Flank steak, with its rich beefy flavor, is a solid choice for easy oven fajitas. Its lean yet tender nature makes it ideal for high-heat cooking in the oven. To ensure it stays succulent, I’ve found that slicing it thinly against the grain is key. Flank steak is my favorite, but since I usually only have a few flank steaks, I often reach for round steak or cube steak.
Then there’s round steak, a slightly tougher contender. Its affordability and availability have tempted me on many occasions. I discovered that marinating it beforehand transforms this cut, making it not just feasible but delicious for beef fajitas in the oven.
Cube steak, often overlooked, is another option that has surprised me. Known mainly for chicken fried steak, it can also create delectable one-pan fajitas. The key is not to overcook it, keeping the heat moderate and the time brief. This cut will reward you with a melt-in-your-mouth experience that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner with easy cleanup.
Whether you prefer the robust flavors of round steak or the tenderness of flank steak, the oven method accommodates all, ensuring your fajitas are not just cooked but cooked to perfection.
How to Make A Homemade Beef Fajitas Marinade
The secret to these delicious oven beef fajitas is the homemade marinade. So don’t skip this step. Most of the ingredients for the marinade, you’ll already have on hand in your kitchen. These simple ingredients works wonders on the beef, infusing it with zest, moisture, and a kick of spice that makes the fajitas simply irresistible.
Marinating the meat isn’t just a step I recommend—it’s a crucial part of the process for tender, flavorful fajitas. I’ve found that letting the beef soak in the marinade for at least 30 minutes before tossing it into the oven can transform the dish. This waiting period allows the acid from the lime juice to tenderize the beef, while the olive oil ensures it roasts to perfection without drying out.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can customize the marinade by adding chopped cilantro, or a pinch of cayenne pepper for an extra kick. And don’t forget to add your veggies to the marinade too!
How Do You Cook Tender Fajitas Meat
To help you oven bake your fajitas to perfection without over drying your beef here are a few secrets!
Firstly, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan is crucial. When the beef and veggies are crammed together, they steam instead of roasting, leaving you with soggy one pan fajitas, far from the sizzling dream you had in mind. Cooking at high heat is another key element. It sears the beef, locking in those flavorful juices and creating that mouth-watering char we all love. But just make sure to not overcook, as beef is ready at a 145 degrees, so it does not need to cook as long as chicken.
Then, there’s the art of slicing the beef. Always slice against the grain. This means cutting through the muscle fibers, making each bite tender and easy to chew. It wasn’t until I tried this with flank steak, round steak, and cube steak that I truly appreciated the difference it made.
Finally, patience pays off. Give your cooked beef a brief resting period before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring every bite is as succulent as the last. Trust me, waiting those extra few minutes while your easy clean-up sheet pan fajitas cool slightly on the counter is well worth the reward. Following these steps, you’ll have everyone raving about your oven beef fajitas, wondering when you turned into such a fajita aficionado.
Best Condiments with Beef Fajitas
Beef fajitas in the oven are already so flavorful, you hardly need to add anything. But if you want to add a little extra go right ahead!
Of course, I love adding some sour cream and avocado. Or you can add a little salsa. Homemade pico de gallo is my favorite in the summer. Also consider cutting up some lime wedges and cilantro to really up the flavor!
Then, there was cheese. Oh, the cheese! I tried various types — cheddar, Monterey Jack, and even queso fresco. Each added a distinct flavor and a lovely meltiness that is especially comforting.
Have fun experimenting. These beef fajitas in the oven, especially those easy-cleanup, one-pan wonders, create the perfect canvas for your culinary creativity.
Remember, there’s no right or wrong when it comes to dressing your fajitas. Whether you lean towards the creamy richness of guacamole and sour cream or the bold punches of salsa and cheese, your choice of condiments can turn beef fajitas into an immensely satisfying meal.
Grab the handy dandy printable recipes below! And please make sure to leave a comment as they are very much appreciated!
Easy Beef Fajitas in the Oven
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1-2 lbs Flank, cube or round steak sliced against the grain.
- 2 peppers ( green, red, or yellow) sliced in thin slices
- 1 onion sliced in thin slices
- soft tortilla shells
- sour cream, cheese, salsa, avocado, jalapenos, cilantro optional condiments
Marinade
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbls cumin
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 dash hot sauce
- 1/2 lime juiced
Instructions
- In a medium bowl or gallon storage bag, mix marinade ingredients.
- Cut the peppers and onions in long thin slices.
- Cut the steak, against the grain, into thin strips.
- Add all the beef and onions and peppers into the marinade. If you are doubling the recipe, you can add all the veggies in one bag and the beef in another bag. Place in refrigerator.
- Marinade for at least 30 minutes, but not more than an hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cover a baking sheet with foil, using two sheets. Spray with non-stick spray.
- Pour out the beef, peppers, and onions onto the foil covered baking sheet.
- Place in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Test for doneness. Be careful to not overcook beef or it will become tough.
- Serve with warm tortillas, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, and salsa.
