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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.
I made this tonight and it was a huge hit!! Thank you for sharing!
can you freeze marinade with meat?
Yes, you can! Just place the marinade in a freezer-safe bag with the meat, and then freeze. Then take out the bag the night before you’re ready to cook it and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Hi, This sounds great. When you specify oregano as a recipe ingredient do you mean Mexican oregano or regular oregano? Or can one use either?
Hi Mary! You can use either.
Is it possible to marinate the steak overnight or is that too much time?
Hi Julie! Marinating the steak overnight would be fine. Just be sure to place it in the refrigerator and remove it after 8 hours. Good luck!
I may be vegetarian, but I still have a horde of four or more carnivores to keep happy. My husband was hungry for fajitas and I told him that the beef and chicken would need a good marinade. They LOVED this marinade!! My very particular bonus daughter (a true foodie) proclaimed this to be a great marinade that tasted “so fresh”! This is now going to be my go to beef and chicken fajitas marinade! Thank you!!!
This was excellent, thank you! It came out great – a new fave.
You’ve got the most delicious recipes. Thank you for sharing. Like always I follow your recipes exactly and it was perfect!
I did’t have OJ, so I subbed pineapple juice – YUMMMM! I used petite sirloin tip, sliced it before marinading, then sauteed in cast iron w/ onions & peppers. So. Good.
Can you freeze this marinade to make later?
Hi! Yes, you can freeze this marinade.
YUMMMMM!!
My family loved this. Thank you so much!