Skirt Steak Fajitas with Restaurant Style Salsa & Guacamole

04 May Skirt Steak Fajitas with Restaurant Style Salsa & Guacamole

I get it.  It can be tough choosing a meal at your favorite Mexican restaurant if you’re trying to eat healthy.  The good news? If you LOVE Mexican food (like me) and want it every week (me again), these all natural, gluten free fajitas are for you!  They’re really flavorful and packed with nutritious vitamins and protein to help you build muscle and boost your metabolism.

I went with skirt steak (which is more flavorful and has a touch more fat than flank steak – though you can certainly use flank) from the butcher at my local Whole Foods and marinated it overnight for maximum flavor.  I used a heavy frying pan and seared the steaks until they were medium rare but if you’d prefer, grill the marinated skirt steaks for an awesome smoky grilled flavor. They’re a bit chewier when seared in a pan but still mouth-wateringly delicious.

Make sure to let your steak rest for a full 10 minutes after cooking and then slice it as thin as you possibly can with a super sharp knife across (or against- however you want to look at it) the grain of the meat.  I even take it a step further and cut the thin slices into small pieces so it’s really easy to eat (though the picture shows thin slices.)

I also skipped the sour cream and cheese and used heart healthy guacamole instead. And the homemade salsa? It’s out of this world, like the really good salsa at your favorite Mexican restaurant.  Plus you’ll have plenty of leftovers for the week to spice up your proteins, veggies and salads.  To make more than 4 servings, simply buy 2 lbs of skirt steak and add an extra ½ lime, ½ orange and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the marinade.  If you love this recipe, let me know in the comments- it makes my day hearing from you guys!

Skirt Steak Fajitas with Restaurant Style Salsa & Guacamole

Makes about 4 servings – approximately 2 fajitas per person (see head note above if you’d like to make more servings)

INGREDIENTS:

• All of the juice from one small orange
• All of the juice from one lime
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 ½ lbs. skirt steak
• Sea salt
• More extra virgin olive oil for the pan, as needed
• 3 green bell peppers, sliced into strips
• 2 white onions, sliced into strips
• Val’s Favorite Guacamole or use your favorite guacamole recipe
• Restaurant Style Salsa – you can make this ahead of time, or use your favorite salsa
• 8 (or more) all natural gluten free corn tortillas, preferably organic
• Cheddar cheese if you’d like, though I skip it because steak and guacamole naturally have enough fat

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whisk together the fresh orange juice, fresh lime juice, extra virgin olive oil and garlic to make a marinade.  If you plan on cooking the skirt steak in a pan, cut the steak into 4 pieces.  I used a 1 ½ lb. skirt steak and cut the thinner ends into 2 pieces and the middle thicker parts into 2 pieces (all 4 pieces were approximately equal in length and the end pieces weren’t as thick as the middle.)  If you plan on grilling the steak, you can cut it into 2 manageable size pieces.
2. Pour a little marinade in the bottom of a small casserole dish.  Add steak and smother with remaining marinade, making sure that the steaks have been completely coated.   Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight (I like to marinate mine overnight for the most flavor.)
3. Let the steak hang out on the counter in the marinade for about an hour to bring it to room temperature before cooking it (it will sear better if it’s room temp vs. cold.)
4. Heat a heavy bottom large frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and brush the oil to coat the pan.  Season one side of the steak with plenty of sea salt.
5. Once the oil is hot, place 2 of the same size pieces of steak, seasoned side down, into the pan.  I cooked the end pieces first in the pan since I knew they would cook faster than the thicker, middle pieces.   Cook thinner pieces for approximately 3 1/2 or 4 minutes per side or until medium rare, making sure to season the other side with salt and making sure to let the steak do its thing once it hits the pan (don’t mess with it!)  The thicker pieces may take another minute or so per side.  It’s a good idea to cook the steak in batches to prevent over-crowding the pan.
6. If grilling the steak, heat the grill to medium high.  Once hot, grill both pieces of skirt steak until medium rare.
7. Let the steaks rest for about 10 minutes.
8. While the steaks rest, sauté the onions and peppers in the same frying pan you used to cook the steak  (if there is too much fat in the pan, drain some of it) until slightly charred and softened.   The seasonings and fat from the pan will infuse tons of flavor into the peppers and onions. Season with sea salt and set aside.
9. Once the steak has rested, slice it super thin with a very sharp knife “against” or across the grain.  I like to then cut the thin slices into small pieces.
10. Layer tortillas with steak and peppers and onions, guacamole and salsa.  Enjoy!

SO, WHAT’S THE NUTRITION BALANCE?

This recipe is made of protein, fat and carbs and is a balanced meal!