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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.
Should we slice the steak before grilling it
Hi! You should slice the steak after grilling.
I have not tried the recipe yet, but I would like you explain the measurement 0.28 cup.( I like that you show the recipe for different number to serving.) Is this the number of ounces?
Hi Marilyn! That number is in the original units from the recipe, so cups. It just changes it to a decimal for accuracy, but 0.28 ends up being about 1/3 cup.
How much meat do you use?
Hi! Isabel uses about 2 pounds of flank steak for her recipe for steak fajitas.
Amazing Fajita marinade. I made this last night, and my husband and I fight over who could take the leftovers for lunch today! Definitely one I will be using again. Actually making another batch of marinade to keep in the freezer, for a quick dinner base.
thank you and hope to more success in order to help us by the great knowledge
Recipe looks simple and amazing. Two questions. Do you slice up the beef before or after you marinate it? And question two: I need to substitute the lime with lemon. I am severely allergic to lime. I assume it’s the same marination time even though lemon and lime are actually much different from each other than people would expect. They are as different as peaches and plumbs.
Hi! The beef should be sliced after you marinate and cook it. The marination time would also stay the same if you use lemon. Hope you enjoy!
This were delicious, definitely going to make again! The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because it came out a bit sweet. Next time we will use a bit less orange and more lime. We grilled our meat and it was awesome!
Great recipe. Let the meat soak in the marinade for 2 hrs. I cooked our steak on the grill and the flavors were great. One thing I added was some fresh cut ginger slices to the marinade. I thought the ginger would add to the flavors ,and I was right!
Yucky. I tried this and it tasted like meaty orange juice.
I do not recommend
Try swapping the orange juice for red wine. Not as sweet and a bit more of a complex flavor.
Excellent version of this marinade..