Sheet Pan Steak And Shrimp Fajitas

Steak and Shrimp Fajitas are perfect for busy nights. Toss the marinated steak and shrimp on a sheet pan along with some peppers and onions, and in 20 minutes, dinner is served. Dinner is as easy to clean up as it is to make!

I am a busy mom like many of you, and sometimes … a lot of the time, I just don’t want to make dinner. I want a dinner fairy to pop up when I am done with work and make me something amazing every night. My kids are older now, but those nights when we needed to rush out for dance or hockey right after work were crazy.

This easy fajita recipe was and is a savior and it can be prepped on Sundays for a Monday or Tuesday dinner easily. Sure, you have to cut up the veggies and whisk together the flank steak marinade for the fajitas, but it only takes 10 minutes! The next day, all there is to do is marinate the shrimp while the oven warms up, and then bake!

All in one pan, so clean up is a snap! Just roll that giant piece of foil up, toss it in the garbage, give the sheet pan a quick wash and cleanup is done!

Star Ingredients

• Flank Steak – Otherwise known as skirt steak. You could also use sirloin or strip loin steak. This steak is a bit tougher than striploin or T-bone, so marinating is key for tenderizing.
• Shrimp – I like to get the already peeled shrimp to save time. Fresh are best, but you can thaw frozen shrimp in minutes by running them under warm water. I usually do this while I am peeling them.
• Bell Peppers and Onions – I prefer sweet bell peppers like yellow, orange and red. Green peppers tend to be a little less sweet and have an earthy, peppery flavour, and poblano peppers will add a little heat.
• Lime Juice – Adds acidity and flavour, but also works as a tenderizer for both the beef and the steak.
• Vegetable Oil – Used to coat the ingredients to seal in the flavour of the marinade and also prevent the ingredients from sticking or drying out. You can use any mild-flavored oil. Canola, avocado or a mild olive oil are good substitutions.
• Tortilla Shells – To wrap your shrimp and steak fajitas in. Or you can eat your fajitas naked without the tortilla or even toss the fajita mixture on top of a bowl of greens to make a salad.

Step-By-Step Made Simple

1. First, cut it all up. I highly encourage you to do this the night before. It will only take 10 minutes to cut it up and a few minutes to make the marinade. Wash and dry the bell peppers, then cut them and the onion into thin strips. Toss them in a sealed container and refrigerate them for the next day.

2. Slice the flank steak into strips. When cutting up the meat, always cut against the grain. Cutting this way makes the meat easier to chew, so it feels more tender. Cut the steak into 1/4 – 1/2 inch strips.

3. In a small bowl, add the vegetable oil, lime juice, minced garlic and spices and then whisk together. Reserve a 1/4 cup and store covered in the fridge.
4. Place the sliced steak into a resealable bag or glass dish. Add half of the marinade to the bag and tightly seal. Massage the marinade into the meat gently to ensure all the steak is evenly coated. Place the meat in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. Reserve the remaining marinade in a separate container and place it in the fridge.

5. Add the peeled shrimp to a plastic bag or a large bowl and add all but a 1/4 cup of the marinade. Gently mix the shrimp and marinade together to coat. Allow to marinate in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
6. Cover and place the reserved 1/4 cup of marinade in the fridge as well.
7. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  In a large bowl, add the sliced vegetables and then pour in the remaining 1/4 cup of marinade.  Mix well to coat the veggies.

7. Add the vegetables and marinated steak and shrimp onto a foil-lined sheet pan. I like to add steak to one end of the pan, shrimp on the other end and the veggies in the center.
8. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked. They should be completely pink on both sides and not translucent-looking. The steak will be browned but not overcooked, and the veggies will be softened but not mushy. Serve the steak fajitas in soft tortillas with the toppings of your choice!

Why Does The Flank Steak Need to Marinate Longer?

Flank steak is a leaner, tougher cut of steak, so marinating it overnight or for 2 hours is recommended. This gives the lime juice and spices time to tenderize the meat and impart flavor.

The acid in the lime juice will break down the texture of shrimp too quickly, so letting it marinate for too long will cause the shrimp to become mushy.

Serving Suggestions

These steak and shrimp fajitas are not only a quick dinner, but they make a great lunch as well.

• Serve them the traditional way, wrapped in soft tortilla shells or for crunch, you can opt for the hard shells.
• Add the shrimp and steak fajita toppings to a bowl of crunchy lettuce and your favorite toppings and you have a steak fajita salad similar to a burrito bowl or my Catalina taco salad.
• Lettuce, cheese and salsa are fajita topping staples, but I like to add some Mexican Lima Crema and sometimes use a sweet salsa like my Peach and Cucumber Salsa instead of the classic red.

Topping Ideas

• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Guacamole
• Chopped avocado
• Chopped tomatoes
• Shredded lettuce
• Hot sauce
• Beans – black or refried

Leftovers? No Problem!

Store any eaten fajitas in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. I like to reheat them by adding my fajita mix to the open tortilla and sprinkling with the cheese. This way, the tortilla gets soft and steamy, and the cheese melts. Then I add my extra toppings. You can do it however you like, but don’t add any lettuce if reheating; add it after, so it doesn’t wilt.

This recipe does not freeze well.

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