Fajita Vegetables Recipe without a packet!

These Fajita Veggies have the restaurant flavor you love, made at home with real spices, herbs and lime, and nothing else (no seasoning packet needed)!

Fajita Veggies are a nostalgic classic.

If you also came of age in the 1980’s and 90’s, maybe you can relate: fajitas were (are!) THE BEST!

When I was a kid, and we went to a restaurant that served chicken or shrimp fajitas, I was definitely ordering them.

The excitement of them coming to the table in a sizzling skillet couldn’t be beat! Even now, a homemade fajita bar is one of my favorite ways to throw a party.

My family also made fajitas at home quite a bit when I was growing up. And, as was typical for the time, we used a packet of “Fajita Seasoning Mix” to flavor our meal.

It tasted great, but upon closer inspection recently, I’ve realized the packet contained sketchy ingredients like “corn syrup solids” and “caramel color.”

You know what? I’ll pass. The good news is that now that I’m a confident cook with a well-stocked spice drawer, I don’t need the packet. These homemade fajita veggies have all the flavor you need with no weird additives that you don’t.

What are fajita veggies?

Fajita veggies are a popular component of Tex Mex cuisine. They are typically a combination of various vegetables that are grilled or sauteed together with seasonings.

My preference for fajita veggies is simply bell peppers and onions.

I’ve seen quite a few recipes where people also include mushrooms. Maybe that is a regional preference, but in the Midwest, we don’t usually include mushrooms.

However, I do like to have a variety of colors of bell pepper. If I can find green, red, orange and yellow at the grocery store, I’ll buy one of each.

But, just like with my Instant Pot sweet and sour chicken, a combination of red and green would be perfectly fine.

As far as onion, I’ll use red, yellow or white – doesn’t matter much to me, it’s just whatever is in my fridge.

What vegetables go with Fajitas?

While I’ve stuck with basic bell peppers and onions in the recipe card below, there are lots of options!

• Bell peppers – red, yellow, orange and green are all good, in any combination.
• Onions – red, yellow or white onions all work well.
• Mushrooms – some people love mushrooms in their fajitas, so this comes down to personal preference.
• Zucchini or Squash – especially great in the summer when these veggies are in season.
• Jalapeños – for a spicy version of fajitas!

Make Fajitas Veggies with ingredients you already have!

Here’s where we get to take most of the flavors from that seasoning packet but make it at home in a much healthier way.

If you have a well-stocked spice cabinet, you’re good to go. The herbs and spices are cumin, chili powder and dried oregano.

We’re skipping the corn syrup additives or any sweetener at all, because we don’t need added sugar in this fajita veggies recipe (trust me, you won’t miss it).

Instead of “lime juice solids,” we’re going to use fresh lime juice. And then there’s salt and pepper, because there’s always salt and pepper. 

How to season Fajita Veggies

To season fajita veggies, you can use a combination of dried herbs and spices, as well as fresh garlic, to enhance their flavor. You can try this simple combination:

• fresh garlic
• chili powder
• dried oregano
• ground cumin
• kosher salt
• ground black pepper

After you’ve cooked the fajita vegetables until they are tender, sprinkle the veggies with the seasonings and toss them well to make sure everything is evenly coated. Cook for 1 minute to bring out the flavors from the spices.

How to make fajita veggies

1. HEAT. Heat some oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
2. COOK. Add the bell peppers and onion and cook about 12 to 15 minutes or until the veggie are tender and browned in some spots, but not mushy.
3. ADD. Stir in the herbs and spices and cook another minute.
4. STIR. Add the lime juice and stir everything up, then cook one more minute.

Other ways to use Fajita Vegetables

Besides the vegetarian fajitas recipe I mention above, there are so many ways to use Fajita Vegetables. Some ideas include:

• Tuck them into lamb tacos or use them to make nachos.
• Add them to the top of Sonoran hot dogs.
• Chop them up and add them to a chicken pizza.
• Stir them into taco macaroni.
• Make taco bowls or chicken burrito bowls with fajita veggies, Spanish rice, and lots of of toppings.
• Use them as the veggie component for breakfast muffins.

Storing and Reheating Fajitas Veggies

To store leftover fajita veggies, allow them to cool and then place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 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 Veggies 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 them 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.

Fajita Veggie FAQs