These sheet pan skirt steak fajitas do most of their work the night before. The skirt steak sits in a brown sugar and lime marinade in the fridge, then goes into a hot oven on one pan while the peppers and onions roast on another. About 20 minutes later, you slice the steak, browned on the outside and pink in the middle.
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Pile everything into warm tortillas (homemade if you have time for my homemade flour tortillas) and spoon on a quick avocado cream that comes together while the pans are in the oven.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The prep happens ahead. Marinate the steak the night before or that morning, then let it cook in the oven.
- No stovetop splatter. Two foil-lined pans do all the cooking, so cleanup is quick.
- Everything finishes together. The steak comes out 12 minutes before it needs to rest, while the veggies roast 8 minutes longer.
- Everyone builds their own. Set out the tortillas, avocado cream, and toppings, and let people make their own plates.
Ingredients
- Skirt steak: It usually comes folded in the package, so unfold it before you cut. It’s thin and well marbled, so it cooks fast in a hot oven and stays tender when you slice it against the grain.
- Lime zest: The marinade uses zest, not juice. You get plenty of lime flavor without extra acid sitting on the meat for hours.
- Brown sugar: Helps the steak brown and caramelize in the oven.
- Ripe avocados: For the avocado cream. They should give a little when you press them.
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt: If you’re using table salt, use about half as much.
See the recipe card below for full measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Flank steak: The most common swap for skirt steak. Flank is thicker, so start checking it a few minutes early and slice it thin against the grain.
- More veggies: Add a poblano pepper for mild heat, swap some peppers for mushrooms, or add halved cherry tomatoes for the last 5 minutes.
- Marinade swaps: Use honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar, or orange zest instead of lime. For more heat, add extra chili powder or a diced jalapeño. In a pinch, use store-bought fajita seasoning.
- Other sauces: Try a quick lime crema (sour cream and lime juice), chipotle cream, or jalapeño ranch instead of the avocado cream.
- Skip the tortillas: Serve the steak and veggies over cauliflower rice or in lettuce wraps.
- Guacamole instead of avocado cream: My simple guacamole recipe works as a topping if you’d rather skip the sour cream.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step-by-step instructions
Unfold the skirt steak and cut it into 3 roughly equal pieces, cutting with the grain.
Whisk the oil, garlic, brown sugar, lime zest, soy sauce, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a measuring cup.
Put the steak in a gallon zip-top bag, pour in the marinade, squeeze out the air, and seal. Massage the marinade into the meat for 2–3 minutes. Lay the bag flat in a baking dish and refrigerate 3–24 hours.
Heat the oven to 425°F with one rack in the middle and one just below it. Lift the steak out of the marinade and lay the pieces flat on a foil-lined baking sheet, leaving space between them.
Spread the peppers and onion on a second foil-lined sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put the steak on the middle rack and the veggies on the rack below. Bake for 12 minutes, then move the steak to a cutting board to rest.
Roast the veggies 8 minutes more (20 minutes total). While they finish, mash the avocados with the sour cream, lime juice, garlic powder, and salt.
Slice the steak into thin strips against the grain and serve with the veggies, warm tortillas, and avocado cream.
What’s the best steak for fajitas?
Skirt steak is my pick, and it’s the classic fajita cut. It’s thin enough to cook through in 12 minutes at 425°F, and the marbling keeps it juicy, not dry. Look for it near the flank steak in the meat case.
How long to bake sheet pan steak fajitas?
At 425°F, the steak takes 12 minutes on the middle rack and comes out browned outside and pink in the middle. The peppers and onions need 20 minutes total on the rack below. With a cut this thin, I go by color instead of a thermometer. If you’d rather use one, aim for around 130°F for medium-rare, and the USDA recommends 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
How to cut skirt steak for fajitas
Look at the steak, and you’ll see the muscle fibers running in long parallel lines. That’s the grain. Before cooking, cut along those lines so the pieces fit on the pan. After it rests, turn the knife 90 degrees and slice across the lines into strips about ¼ inch thick. Cutting across the grain shortens the fibers, which is what makes skirt steak tender instead of chewy.
Steak fajita marinade
The marinade is oil, garlic, brown sugar, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Give it at least 3 hours. Overnight is even better, but stop at 24 hours, because past that the outside of the steak can turn mushy.
Sarah’s Tips
- Let the steak rest 5–10 minutes before slicing so the juices stay in the meat.
- Give the veggies room. Crowded peppers steam instead of roast. Cutting everything into ½-inch strips helps it cook evenly.
- Slice the veggies when you start the marinade and keep them in an airtight container. Dinner night is then just pans and oven.
- Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven for the last 5 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Storage
Fridge: Store the steak and veggies in airtight containers for up to 3 days, separate from the avocado cream.
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warm.
Store the avocado cream in the fridge for up to 2 days. Spoon it into an airtight container, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, then put the lid on. If the top darkens a little, scrape it off or stir it in. That’s just air, not spoilage.
Recipe
Sheet Pan Skirt Steak Fajitas
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Steak Fajita Marinade
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime zest, from 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce optional
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 package skirt steak (approximately 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 3 pieces
For the Fajitas:
- 1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
- 1 large green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
- 1 large yellow bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
- 1 large red or yellow onion halved and sliced into ¼-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Avocado Cream
- 2 ripe avocados
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Additional Toppings
- Sour cream, shredded cheese, and salsa, for serving, if desired
Instructions
For the steak fajita marinade:
- Whisk together vegetable oil, minced garlic, brown sugar, lime zest, soy sauce, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside.
- Place steak pieces in a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag and add marinade. Seal the bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Massage the bag until the meat is fully coated in marinade. Lay flat in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
For the Fajitas:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F with one rack in the middle and one just below it. Line 2 baking sheets with foil.
- Spread steak on one baking sheet and the veggies on the other.
- Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place both baking sheets in the oven. Put the steak in the middle part of the oven and vegetables on rack below.
- Bake 12 minutes, until the steak is browned outside and pink in the middle. Move the steak to a cutting board to rest. Roast the veggies 8 minutes more (20 minutes total).
- Slice the steak into thin strips against the grain.
- Serve immediately with hot tortillas, avocado cream, pico de gallo, and other condiments, as desired.
Avocado Cream
- While the steak and vegetables are cooking, make your avocado cream.
- Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl.
- Add salt, lime juice, garlic powder, and sour cream and mash with a potato masher or fork until well combined.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside
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