Who doesn’t love that moment at your local Mexican restaurant when the serving comes out holding a sizzling plate of steak and veggies? It’s fajita time baby! We can’t always afford to splurge on steak, but we do usually have a pound of ground beef laying around. So for this recipe, we’re going to show you how to whip up some juicy ground beef fajitas. It’s super fast, easy, and great budget friendly meal. Let’s get after it!

Jump to Recipe

“Fajitas, voted best thing to ever come out of Texas, 60 years and running”

-food & Lying Magazine

---

Mexican Cowboys & the Sizzling History of Fajitas

---

Everyone’s favorite Tex-Mex dish, fajitas, are typically made with grilled or sautéed strips of meat, commonly beef, chicken, or shrimp, along with sautéed bell peppers and onions. So where did they come from and why do we love them so much?

The term “fajita” comes from the Spanish word “faja,” meaning “belt” or “sash,” referring to the skirt steak—a less desirable cut of beef commonly given to ranch workers during cattle drives. To make the tough meat more palatable, the Mexican cowboys would slice the skirt steak into thin strips, and marinated it with lime juice and spices.

Eventually, fajitas migrated from the ranch lands of northern Mexico into the surrounding homes and restaurants. In the 1960s, Ninfa Laurenzo, the owner of Ninfa’s, a popular Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston, Texas, started serving grilled skirt steak and onions in a sizzling hot cast iron skillet. The dramatic presentation only fueled the fajitas rise to stardom.

By the 1980s, fajitas had become a staple in Tex-Mex cuisine, featured prominently on restaurant menus across the United States. From there, the popularity of fajitas soared, and variations with chicken, shrimp, and other meats became common. So in the same vein of those early vaqueros, we’re gonna use what’s easily available to us to create delicious and hearty ground beef fajitas.

---

Ground Beef Fajitas Recipe

---

---

Ground Beef Fajitas ingredients

---

Here’s a list of ingredients that you’ll need to make this ground beef fajitas recipe.

• Ground Beef: I like to use 80/20 because I don’t have to add much oil to the skillet. The fat renders and cooks itself nicely. It’s definitely not the healthiest option though.

• Fajita Seasoning: Store bought is fine, Pappy’s Original Fajita Spice is a great option. Or you can make your own ground beef fajita seasoning mix. Combine ground cumin, coriander, cayenne, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cornstarch, and salt.

• Bell Peppers: I like to use red and green, orange is a fun color pop too!

• Onions: I like a red onion for my ground beef fajitas, but use whatever you have or prefer.

• Jalapeños: I like a lot of spice in my food, so I sauté some fresh jalapeños with my bell peppers and onions, as well as topping off my ground beef fajitas with pickled jalapeños.

• Cilantro: The perfect garnish for ground beef fajitas. Sprinkle a handful of some roughly chopped fresh cilantro.

• Sour Cream: We love sour cream, It’s the first thing on our warm tortillas.

• Tortillas: Flour or Corn, whatever you prefer. Flour tends to hold up better, and we think it tastes better too.

---

How to Make Ground Beef Fajitas

---

Follow these step by step instructions to make this ground beef fajitas recipe.

Step 1: Brown the Beef

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the ground beef and use a wooden spoon to break it up and spread it around the skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes until all sides of the beef has browned.

Step 2: Season the Beef

Strain the ground beef to get rid of the excess grease. Return the beef to the skillet and add a cup of water and the seasoning mix. Turn heat up to high and stir to incorporate mix throughout. Just before the mixture begins to bubble, turn the heat off, cover and set aside.

Step 3: Sauté the Veggies

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the sliced onions, bell peppers, and jalapeños. Sauté until translucent, 5-7 minutes.

Step 4: Warm Tortillas

There are a couple ways of doing this. You could pop them in the microwave in a damp towel for 10-15 seconds. You could wrap them in tin foil and heat them in the oven at 400F degrees for 2-3 minutes. Or you can simply heat them directly over an electric stove top set to medium high heat, 3-5 seconds on each side.

Step 5: Assemble & Enjoy

Now it’s time to build your ground beef fajita. This is the fun part, so I recommend setting everything out on the table in separate bowls and serving dishes so everyone can make their ground beef fajitas exactly how they like em.

---

Best Crema & Salsa

---

To salsa or not to salsa? Some folks don’t salsa their ground beef fajitas, but we don’t talk to them anymore. The real question should be: Which salsa should I be using? Great question, glad you asked!

Here are a couple of our favorite salsa recipes to use with ground beef fajitas.

Grapefruit Salsa Recipe – a Fresh & Tangy Tastebud Tickler

Mango Habanero Salsa with Roasted Tomatillos

Sour cream is good and all, but crema is really where it’s at. Take your ground beef fajitas to the next level with one of these delicious crema sauces.

Cilantro Lime Crema – Mexico’s Crème Fraîche with a Herby Kick!

Spicy Jalapeño & Avocado Lime Crema – a Creamy Delight!

---

Leftover Ground Beef Fajitas

---

Once the cooked fajita mixture has cooled, transfer the beef and sautéed vegetables into separate airtight containers. Sometimes we like to make tacos or nachos with the leftover ground beef, this step helps make that super simple. Both should keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

When you’re ready to enjoy your leftover ground beef fajitas, just reheat the ingredients in the microwave. The beef usually takes longer to reheat than the veg, so I do them separately. Then simply heat up some tortillas and add your favorite toppings. Boom, Ground beef fajitas, the gift that keeps on giving.

---

---

---