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This Steak Fajita Marinade is made with olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic and flavorful herbs and spices that result in tender and juicy fajitas!
If you’re in the mood for some fajitas tonight, you’re going to want to make this steak fajita marinade recipe!
It comes together in only 10 minutes, and once you toss it with the steak, all you have to do is sit back, relax and let the marinade do all the work. The end result is a rewarding tender, juicy and super flavorful steak that will make fajita night a hit!
Here’s what you need to get started.
Steak Fajita Marinade Ingredients
- Fat: Olive oil
- Citrus: Orange juice, lime juice
- Herbs and spices: Garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, smoked paprika
- A little something extra special: cilantro
How Long to Marinate Steak Fajitas
I recommend marinating the steak (either flank or skirt steak) for anywhere from 2 to 8 hours. Anything longer than that and the texture of the meat begins to change, so make sure not to go over that time.
If you’re short on time, don’t fret. You can marinate the meat for a minimum of 30 minutes and still get some good flavor out of it.
To make the marinade, add all the ingredients to a large bowl or a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and mix together. Then add the meat, toss it with the marinade to coat and cover or reseal the bowl or bag. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 2 to 8 hours. That’s it!
Once you’re ready to cook the steak, remove it from the marinade and wipe off as much of the mixture as you can. Pat the steak dry with some paper towels and then lightly season both sides with some black pepper and kosher salt.
More Marinades
Looking for more marinades? Here are some of our favorites:
- The Best Chicken Marinade (only 2 ingredients!)
- Skirt Steak Marinade
- Lime Chicken Marinade
- Mexican Chicken Marinade
Serving Suggestions
I think steak fajitas and homemade flour tortillas are a match made in heaven to make flank steak tacos. You could also serve it on top of some Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice with a generous scoop of guacamole.
More Mexican Recipes
Steak Fajita Marinade
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 pounds skirt or flank steak
Instructions
- In a large resealable plastic bag (or a large mixing bowl), add all the ingredients except the steak and toss to combine.
- Add the steak and toss with marinade to coat.
- Seal the bag or cover and marinate in the fridge for 2 to 8 hours.
- Remove the meat from the marinade, transfer to a clean large surface and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season both sides of the steak with kosher salt and black pepper. Grill or cook to your desired internal temperature.
Notes
- Click here to learn how to cook steak fajitas as well as my favorite fajita veggies!
- This marinade is best when used with 1 or 2 pounds of protein. If you’re making more than 2 pounds, double the marinade.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you for this recipe! During isolation my boyfriend works and I have to stay at home so I am trying all new cooking things and this is so simple and sounds delicious! looking forward to cooking it and eating it
Thanks again!
Lauren
I dont have oj, does that matter?
I’ve never tested it without it. I think you can make it without orange juice, but the flavor won’t be quite the same. That being said, I think the flavor would still be good! If you give it a try, let me know.
The acid in the orange juice helps to tenderize the meat. If you use actual skirt steak, it is fairly tough. You can use lemon or lime juice instead.
Good afternoon, Loved this recipe with steak has anyone tried it with chicken? Please and Thank you
I made it with chicken. It was good, but definitely more flavorful with steak.
Made this with my family the other night and we all loved it. Making it again tonight haha!
Soooooo good!!! Thank you for sharing!
We have a cilantro allergy so tried it with parsley and atill was great.
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I used round steak, because that’s what I had in hand. It worked fine after marinating for about 3 hours. The steak was so flavorful, I enjoyed it plain,as well as in fajitas.
You’re so welcome, Joan! I’m so happy you liked it.
Thank you! This was so delicious! Since I only have a cast-iron skillet to cook it in, I pre-sliced my meat then marinaded it then cooked it in the skillet with bell peppers and onions, and it still worked just fine that way too. Also, I used the chopped up stems of cilantro for the marinade and used the cilantro leaves to go on the finished fajitas; I figured it would be a resourceful way of using stems that I would normally throw away. Anyways, this will definitely be my go-to recipe for fajitas from now on!
Thanks, Regina! Good to know that pre-slicing the meat before marinating also works!
Would it be best to thinly slice first. Can I put peppers and onions in with the meat. Can I cook this in the crockpot?
Another reader left a comment mentioning that they sliced the meat first and then marinated it and it worked out well! I haven’t personally done that so I can’t say for sure, but I think it’s worth a shot. I’ve also haven’t marinated the peppers and onions with the meat, but you can try. Just make sure you cook them thoroughly so they aren’t contaminated with any raw juices.
Sadly, I’ve never cooked this in a crockpot so I’m not sure how it would be. I would maybe cook the meat first for 3 or 4 hours on high or 6 to 7 hours on low and then shred it. Then add in the veggies and cook for another 30 to 60 minutes.
You can slice it first. It cooks rapidly like stir fry then. You can cook the veggie with the meat, but they don’t cook for the same time and the meat will likely over cook. This is not a Crock-Pot dish. You could cook it in a Crock-Pot to make a stew, but the texture will be way off for fajitas.
Yes! This right here. I wholeheartedly approve. It left my steak so tender and the taste was ridiculously amazing. I did cheat and add a splash of Worcestershire Sauce. Not sure if it helped or didn’t do anything at all but that was the only alteration I made. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so happy you loved it, Vero! Thank you!
I’m wondering how this might work with chicken fajitas? Mi suegra le encantó la receta con arrachera. I have yet to confess that it wasn’t my recipe…
Hi! Here is a link to Isabel’s Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas that uses a similar marinade: https://www.isabeleats.com/sheet-pan-chicken-fajitas/