This steak fajita marinade is made with olive oil, flavorful fajita seasoning, garlic and lime juice. The results are tender, mouthwatering juicy pieces of steak perfect for dinner!
This Mexican recipe works great for steak fajitas, or steak tacos or try it on grilled chicken.
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Easy Steak Marinade
This steak fajita marinade recipe uses just a few ingredients and within a few hours, works its magic and provides you with an unforgettable taste experience. It’s quick and easy, you don’t even need to cut your flank or skirt steak if you don’t want to, just toss it in the bowl in one piece and cut it later.
The citrus breaks down the meat which tenderizes it, and having it marinate for at least an hour gives this steak fajita marinade time to permeate its incredible, bold flavors. Making a fun and tasty dinner doesn’t need to be complicated.
Ingredients in Steak Fajita Marinade
For tender juicy steak results with only a little effort of mixing together this easy steak fajita marinade recipe, it’s a very small investment of time with a major return in the best tasting steak fajitas.
- Olive oil: This coats the meat in a good fat that provides moisture and helps lock in the flavor.
- Lime juice: This acidic fruit not only provides flavor but helps break down muscle tissue in the meat leading to tender results.
- Minced garlic: Adds additional flavor.
- Fajita seasoning: I used my fajita seasoning that contains chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder but a store bought one could be used instead. Add some cayenne pepper if you like a little heat!
Best Steak for Fajitas
When biting into a fajita, or any piece of steak, the last thing you want is stringy, hard-to-chew meat. Both skirt steak and grilled flank steak are great choices, as they both are fibrous.
Flank steak is a bit leaner and has fibers running down the length of the steak, whereas skirt steak muscle fibers run perpendicular. As long as you cut against the grain, and marinate for longer than an hour and don’t overcook – you’ll end up with very tender meat!
How Long to Marinate Steak Fajitas
You want to marinate at least an hour or two but more if possible. Up to 8 hours or even overnight in the fridge is ideal. The longer the flavors have to penetrate, the more immense the taste.
I would not go longer than that though as the texture of meat might begin to break down due to the citric acid.
Variations
- Citrus swap. Omit the lime juice and use orange juice or lemon juice instead. You could also use a combination!
- Liquid smoke. Just a drop of liquid smoke goes a long way. Add a bit if you like a smoky BBQ flavor.
- For a sweet note. Pour in a bit of pineapple juice. Canned, frozen, or fresh all work great.
- Fresh herbs: Add some fresh chopped cilantro for another layer of flavor.
- Different protein. This marinade recipe is great for steak and chicken, but will also give an abundance of flavor to shrimp and pork. Think about all of the different types of fajitas you could enjoy with this one simple marinade!
- Make a sauce. Once the marinade has made contact with raw meat it is no longer safe to consume. This doesn’t mean you need to throw it out, however. Boil it on the stovetop until it thickens, season as desired, and serve as an extra sauce.
- Use just a rub: If you forgot to leave time to marinate, try this steak rub for an amazing steak!
FAQs
There are two parts! For the best tender steak first cut your meat against the grain then marinate it with an acid. The lime juice is the acid in this steak fajita marinade and helps break down any tough muscle fibers in the meat.
A marinade always contains liquid and some sort of acid, in this case, citrus. This helps break down the fibers in the meat making it extremely tender and flavoring it at the same time!
There are two sides to this answer! Cutting your steak before marinating while it does allow the marinade to fully penetrate the meat for flavor at the same time because your meat is now thinner it will shrink a bit more while grilling and may not get as good of sear if you were to leave it whole.
Really the decision is up to you!
Serving Suggestions
This marinade makes the best steak fajita recipe that can then be wrapped up with homemade flour tortillas and cast iron skillet fajita veggies. You could even make a fajita salad!
Another favorite way to enjoy this steak fajita marinade is to make flank steak tacos and then serve them with all your taco favorites like pico de gallo, refried beans and guacamole.
Check out these other delicious marinade recipes! Skirt steak marinade, teriyaki steak marinade and chicken marinade!
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Steak Fajita Marinade
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon fajita seasoning
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 pound skirt or flank steak
Instructions
- Place 1 pound steak in bowl. You can leave it whole or slice into strips (against the grain).
- Combine the olive oil, lime juice, fajita seasoning and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Pour marinate over the steak and toss to combine. Cover the bowl and place the steak in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 60 minutes. Best when marinated for 4 hours+.
- Grill or cook to desired internal temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Condiments
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
This marinade was amazing! We loved it!
I love a good marinade recipe, and this one looks fabulous!