This recipe for steak fajitas in slow cooker keeps hands-on work manageable for a homemade dinner. Enjoy a warm, filling meal without spending the evening at the stove, with toppings to suit your taste.
Serve the steak in tortillas with your favorite accompaniments for a casual supper at home. The flexible serving options make it easy to keep dinner simple or add a few extras when you have time to spare.
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I like having fajitas on the dinner plan without needing to stand over a hot skillet when it's time to eat. These slow cooker steak fajitas take about 10 minutes to prepare and make enough for two, so I'm not working through a large batch of leftovers. Adding the peppers near the end gives them a better texture alongside the tender steak. Like my slow cooker pepper steak, this recipe makes beef and vegetables an easy starting point for supper.
I use a salsa I enjoy on its own because its flavor comes through in the finished filling. Also, letting excess liquid drain away before serving helps keep the tortillas from getting soggy. A few toppings on the table let us each finish our fajitas the way we like without much extra preparation. Other tortilla-friendly dinners with little hands-on work are my slow cooker pork chili verde and Crock Pot chicken tacos which I keep in rotation.
Ingredients
- Flank steak or sirloin
- Taco seasoning
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Red bell pepper
- Green bell pepper
- Onion
- Garlic
- Lime juice
- Salsa
- Small flour tortillas
- Sour cream (optional)
- Shredded cheese (optional)
- Fresh cilantro (optional)
- Lime wedges (optional)
Scroll down to the recipe card for quantities used.
Instructions
Place the thinly sliced steak in the slow cooker.
Sprinkle with taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper, then stir to coat.
Add the onion, garlic, salsa, and lime juice. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or LOW for 4-6 hours, until the steak is tender.
Add the sliced red and green bell peppers during the final 30 minutes of cooking.
Cover and continue cooking until the peppers are tender but still slightly crisp. Stir and drain any excess liquid.
Spoon the steak and pepper mixture into warm flour tortillas. Serve with your choice of toppings.
Tips
Top tip: Use a small slow cooker. A 2-quart model is a practical fit for this two-serving batch; a large cooker can dry out small amounts of food.
- Slice the steak evenly. Similar thickness helps the strips cook at the same rate. Chilling the beef briefly in the freezer can make slicing easier.
- Choose your salsa carefully. Its flavor and heat carry through the filling, so use one you enjoy. A thick salsa helps limit excess liquid.
- Check lean steak early. Thinly sliced flank steak or sirloin may finish before the full cooking time. Start checking at the lower end of the range to avoid dry meat.
- Skip extra broth or water. The salsa, onion, and beef release moisture as they cook.
- Keep the lid closed between checks. Frequent opening releases heat and can extend cooking time.
- Use a slotted spoon for serving. It helps leave excess liquid behind so the tortillas hold together better.
Variations
- Swap the steak cut. Flank steak and sirloin work interchangeably here. Skirt steak is another option, though cooking time may vary.
- Change the peppers. Yellow or orange bell peppers can replace the red or green peppers in equal amounts.
- Use a different onion. Red, yellow, or white onion all work and give slightly different flavors.
- Try salsa verde. Substitute it for the tomato salsa for a tangier filling.
- Use homemade seasoning. Replace the taco seasoning with your favorite fajita seasoning blend.
- Add some heat. Include sliced jalapeño, a pinch of cayenne, or chipotle powder.
- Include mushrooms. Replace some of the peppers with sliced mushrooms for another vegetable option.
- Try chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless thighs offer a change from beef. Cooking time will differ, so check that they reach 165°F.
- Switch the tortillas. Corn tortillas work in place of flour tortillas, or serve the filling over rice.
- Add beans. Stir in drained, rinsed canned black or pinto beans near the end of cooking for a heartier meal.
Storage
Store leftover beef fajita mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, keeping tortillas and toppings separate. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. For longer storage, freeze the filling for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator; the peppers may soften after freezing.
Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water or broth if needed to prevent drying. You can also microwave individual portions in a covered, microwave-safe dish in short intervals, stirring between each. Heat until the mixture reaches 165°F throughout, then serve with freshly warmed tortillas.
FAQs
Yes. This recipe uses raw, thinly sliced steak, so there's no need to brown it first. That keeps preparation to about 10 minutes.
The steak's cut, thickness, and cooking time affect tenderness. Slice across the grain before cooking, and check at the shorter end of the time range. Lean steak can become dry with prolonged cooking, so extra time isn't always the answer.
Yes, but they'll become very soft during the longer cooking time. For peppers with a little bite, add them during the final 30 minutes as directed.
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas
Ingredients
- ½ lb flank steak or sirloin thinly sliced across the grain
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ red bell pepper sliced
- ½ green bell pepper sliced
- ½ medium onion sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- ½ cup salsa
- 4 small flour tortillas to serve
Optional toppings
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Place the sliced steak in the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper, then stir to coat.
- Add the onion, garlic, salsa, and lime juice. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 6 hours, until the steak is tender.
- Add the sliced red and green peppers in the last 30 minutes of cooking so they stay slightly crisp.
- Drain any excess liquid. Serve straight from the slow cooker into warm flour tortillas with your choice of toppings.
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