Fajita Veggies

Want to make Fajita Veggies even better than Chipotle? Get my tips for perfectly seasoned and cooked vegetables.

There are two secrets to perfect fajita vegetables: (1) Stop cooking while they still look a little crunchy, and (2) Season them well.

Bell peppers and onions seem to go from raw to wilted without a lot of stages in between, so to keep the peppers and onions soft enough to roll into a tortilla but still have some bite to them, I’ve stopped the cooking process while the vegetables look underdone. The heat trapped inside the vegetables, which is called carryover cooking, will continue to soften the vegetables to a perfect, crisp-tender in a short amount of time.

What Ingredients Do I Need?

The spices are important! Whether store-bought or making your own homemade fajita seasoning, the cumin, chili powder, oregano, garlic, and onion in the seasoning helps to give the veggies a smoky, Southwest flavor. 

Any type of bell pepper will work well in this recipe, so if you love red and yellow, but not orange or green, you can mix and match peppers, using only your favorites. I like to have at least two colors of peppers for the visual appeal though. 

We’ll also be using a large onion – white, yellow, or red onion all work, so use your preferred. Cut the vegetables into ¼-inch strips. Anything thinner and they’ll cook too quickly and become wilted. You could also add in other quick cooking veggies if you’d like, such as mushrooms or zucchini.

Adding a protein like chicken or shrimp to the vegetables is simple. Cook the protein first, in the same pan, with a little oil and salt, and then transfer to a plate. Cook the fajita veggies according to the directions below, then add the protein back to the pan during step four in the directions, and toss so the protein becomes coated in the fajita seasoning.

How To Make Fajita Veggies

You’ll need the biggest skillet you have; a 12-inch or 14-inch is perfect. To make the fajita veggies, add the olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high until you start to see the oil ripple in the pan. Add the peppers, onions, and salt, and toss to combine.

Let the vegetables cook for five minutes without moving them at all, which will allow them to become lightly charred right in the pan, just like you get in a restaurant. If using a stainless steel pan, this will also make the inside-bottom of the pan dark, almost burnt looking. This is normal since the vegetables are being cooked on high heat and being lightly charred. It will not make the vegetables bitter. 

Add the fajita seasoning and stir the vegetables. Cook for another two to three minutes without moving them again. Add the broth or water, which will create that little bit of steam the vegetables need to finish cooking, and give everything a final stir. After two or three minutes more, the veggies will be perfectly cooked and ready for a squeeze of lime juice before serving.

After the vegetables are cooked and ready to be served, immediately transfer them to a serving plate or storage container and then add water to the pan to loosen the dark crust on the bottom for easy clean-up later.

Serving Fajitas

Serve up your fajita veggies on tortillas and add toppings such as sour cream, salsa, and guacamole or sliced avocado. Or make a burrito bowl by serving them over rice with your favorite toppings.

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