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.

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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.

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

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

2. 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.

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 Shrimp 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.