Fajita Vegetables
Skip the seasoning packet – these homemade Fajita Veggies use whole ingredients and smart technique for sizzling flavor. Pantry spices, garlic and lime juice make this one-skillet Chipotle copycat shine.
Fajita Veggies Are A Nostalgic Classic
“Delicious! Next time I’m going to add some beans and avocado. The trick of not stirring the vegetables was great.”
-Don
If you also came of age in the 1980’s and 90’s, maybe you can relate: fajitas were (and still are!) THE BEST! Both the excitement of them coming to a restaurant table on a sizzling platter, and how delicious they were when we made them at home.
As was typical for the time, we used a packet of “Fajita Seasoning Mix” to flavor our meal back then. It tasted great, but upon closer inspection recently, we’ve realized the packet contained sketchy ingredients like “corn syrup solids” and “caramel color.”
You know what? We’ll pass. The good news is that if you have a well-stocked spice drawer, you don’t need the packet. These homemade fajita veggies have all the flavor you need with no weird additives that you don’t. They make a great copycat for Chipotle’s fajita vegetables, too.
Looking to go beyond the vegetables and add some fajita protein to your meal, or serve a fajita bar for a platter? We’ve got you covered:
Why You Will Love This Fajita Vegetable Recipe
- You can control what’s in them, and we’re using real, whole ingredients here.
- They come together in just about 20 minutes, all in one pan.
- Use them to add vegetables to a variety of different meals, including taco bowls, burgers, pizzas and more.

Fajita Vegetables Ingredients
- bell peppers – you’ll need 4 to make the recipe below. We like to have a variety of colors of bell pepper. If we can find green, red, orange and yellow at the grocery store, we’ll buy one of each. But 1 or 2 colors is also perfectly fine!
- onion – red, yellow or white are all great. Really, use whatever you have in your fridge. We had a red onion this time around.
- garlic – this is not in all fajita veggie recipes, but it adds a lot of savory flavor.
- spices – we’re replicating a fajita spice packet with chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, salt and pepper.
- lime juice – we don’t need those “lime juice solids” found in seasoning packets – fresh lime juice is so much better.
- oil – for sauteeing the vegetables. Olive oil has too low of a smoke point and gets a burnt flavor before the veggies get nice browning, so vegetable oil or canola oil is our preference here.
Fajita Vegetables Variations
While we usually like to keep it simple with just fajita peppers and onions, there’s lots of vegetables you can add here. Some options are:
- mushrooms – these can add a “meaty” texture to a vegetarian fajita recipe. Sliced portobello mushrooms work well.
- zucchini or squash – especially great in the summer when these veggies are in season.
- jalapeños – for a spicy version of fajitas!
How To Make Fajita Veggies

- PREP. Cut the bell peppers and onions into thin strips, mince the garlic, and halve the lime.

- COOK. Heat some oil in a large cast iron skillet. Add the bell peppers and onion and cook until the veggies are tender and browned in some spots, but not mushy. Stir in the herbs and spices and cook briefly, then finish by stirring in the lime juice.
Fajita Veggies Recipe Home Chef Tips
- Use a cast iron skillet for this fajita vegetable recipe if at all possible. The hot, even heat the skillet maintains really allows the vegetables to char in some spots, which is where a lot of that classic fajita flavor comes from.
- Don’t stir too often. You want to stir occasionally so that you expose all of the vegetables to the same amount of heat, but if you stir TOO often, you’ll prevent anything from really browning, and you’ll basically just steam everything. Aim for 3 to 4 minutes between stirs.

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How To Serve Fajita Peppers & Onions
Fajitas are traditionally served in a warm tortillas with toppings and garnishes like salsa, sour cream, cheese and guacamole. But, there are so many other ways to use these fajita vegetables. Some ideas include:
- Tuck them into Lamb Tacos or use them to make nachos or a quesadilla.
- Add them to the top of Sonoran Hot Dogs.
- Chop them up and add them to a Chicken Pizza.
- Stir them into Taco Mac And Cheese.
- Make a Chipotle copycat Chicken Burrito Bowl or use them for salads.
- Use them as the veggie component for Breakfast Muffins.

Storing And Reheating Fajita Veggies
If you have leftover fajita veggies, transfer them to an airtight container and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
To reheat fajita vegetables, you have quite a few options:
- STOVETOP: Heat a teaspoon of vegetable oil or olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add veggies and cook, stirring frequently, until heated through.
- MICROWAVE: Place fajita veggies in a microwave-safe dish, and cook on high, stirring every minute, until veggies are heated through.
- OVEN: Spread veggies in an even layer on rimmed baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through.
Can Fajita Vegetables Be Frozen?
Yes, this fajita veggies recipe can be frozen for longer-term storage, although their texture may not be quite as good as when they were originally made.
To freeze, allow the leftovers to cool completely and then transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Freeze up to 3 months.
To reheat, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat using one of the methods outlined above.

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Fajita Veggies Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 bell peppers red, green, yellow, orange or a combination, sliced
- 1 large onion red, yellow or white, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat in large cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet. Add bell peppers and onion and cook 12 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender but not mushy and well browned in some spots, stirring occasionally (but not too frequently).
- Stir in garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin and salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Stir in lime juice. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Serve immediately.
Delicious! But next time I’m going to add some beans and avocado. The trick of not stirring the vegetables was great.
I’m glad you liked it, Don. Avocado is always a good choice!
One day I’ll just have to make fajitas. Don’t know why I’ve resisted it for so long, because I do enjoy eating them. The only restaurant I’ve ever had them in, that I know of, is in San Antonio, TX, and they use only bell peppers and onions. I’m pretty sure I’d find the same thing here on the border with Mexico. In my opinion, your choice of veggies means you are making “real” fajitas. 🙂