Steak Fajita Bowls with Chimichurri Sauce is an easy gluten free 30 minute meal that gives you that just off the grill flavor right on your stove top. It’s on the table before you can say “where’s the charcoal?”
Serve fajitas for dinner and the family will fall over each other trying to be first to the table.
Tender chunks of sirloin cook up in the time it takes you to find your tongs, along with multi-color sweet peppers, and purple onions that just need to be kissed with a high heat to make them glossy and delicious. It’s all served up with a bright green chimichurri sauce over hot steaming jasmine rice. The aroma from the cast iron skillet is a call that cannot be ignored.
When it comes to grilling I’m a purist, and I love the flavor that comes from searing food over screaming hot heat, whether it’s outside over charcoal, under the broiler, or in a stovetop grill pan. In this dish the zesty chimichurri sauce takes over from there and contributes tons of tangy herbaceous flavor. But full disclosure, the first time I made this my husband felt that the steak needed something more, so if you’re the type that likes more flavor infused into your meat, I’ve included a dry fajita spice rub in the instructions. Feel free to leave it out if you’re a purist like me.
For these steak fajita bowls I recommend picking up as many different colored peppers are you can find. They stay crisp and bright after the high heat saute, and really give this dish that fiesta vibe.
Did you know these interesting bell pepper facts?
- Multi-colored supermarket bell peppers are the same variety, they’re just at different stages of ripeness, going from green to yellow, then orange, and finally, fully ripe red!
- Different colored peppers do have different flavors…the green are the least sweet, and have a slightly bitter flavor, while the reds are the sweetest as the sugars develop during the ripening process.
- Red bell peppers are the healthiest, with tons of vitamin C and beta carotene.
- Green peppers are cheaper in the supermarket because they are picked earlier, therefore they’re quicker (and cheaper!) to produce.
- You might also come across purple or ‘chocolate’ peppers, which are heirloom varieties.
Also try ~
- Easy Sausage and Peppers Recipe ~ on of my all time favorite comfort meals!
- Steak Fajita Skewers with Cilantro Pesto ~ another fun twist on fajitas.
- Stuffed Bell Peppers with Picadillo ~ a south of the border recipe with tons of flavor.
- Quick Pickled Jalapeños ~ pickling tames their heat and brings out the flavor.
- Super Easy Hot Pepper Jelly ~ a reader favorite.
kitchen tool spotlight: CAST IRON
Whether you’re grilling fajitas inside or out, you’re gonna want to use cast iron. Why? Because it conducts the high heat beautifully, it won’t stick, and it lasts forever. Many chefs prefer cooking steaks and burgers on a traditional cast iron plancha because it gives a wonderful sear without losing all the juices down the grates. You can’t make a ‘smash burger’ without one!
Make these steak fajita bowls your own ~
- Make it with chicken or shrimp.
- Make it traditional ~ serve this over warmed flour tortillas.
- Make it on the outdoor grill ~ you’ll need a grill pan or plancha. so your ingredients don’t fall through the grates.
- Make it with another base like quinoa, couscous, or even black beans.
- Make it low carb ~ serve it over greens, the chimichurri makes a great dressing.
- Make it with hatch chiles in season. Treat them just as you would sweet bell peppers.
- Make it less spicy ~ leave out the hot peppers.
- Make it vegan ~ grill up some firm tofu instead of steak.
- Make it over the top ~ garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream and guacamole
Steak Fajita Bowls with Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup chimichurri sauce, find recipe here
easy fajita spice rub
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Toss the spice mix together and rub it into the sliced steak. You can use the meat immediately, or marinate for an hour in the refrigerator…put in a zip lock baggie, or wrap in plastic.
- Heat a grill pan, griddle, or cast iron skillet on high until very hot. Stir fry the steak for a couple of minutes until it gets some nice charring. Do this in 2 batches if your pan is small. Remove to a plate.
- Add enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan and add the onions. Stir fry until they just start to soften, about 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove to the same plate with the meat.
- Add the peppers to the pan and stir fry just until they start to soften, stirring almost constantly.
- Add the meat and onions back to the pan and heat everything through. I like them as is, but if you want a little sauce, hit the hot pan with a splash of water and stir well.
- Divide the rice between 4 bowls and top with some of the chimichurri sauce. Spoon the fajitas onto the rice and drizzle with more sauce. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
This was yummy and easy! I made it with chicken and it was delicious. I would use a whole onion next time.
Do you have nutritional information for your recipes?
I did a crazy twist on your recipe tonight and it came out great!! We are vegan but I know how to apply a good recipe to alternatives to I subbed soy curls for steak and wrapped this goodness in soft flour tortillas tonite for delicious vegan fajitas!! Topped with fine chopped raw purple cabbage and broccoli sprouts, a big squeeze of fresh lime juice and some avocado slices. YUM!!
Thanks for the inspiration!! BE WELL <3
How many doors this serve?
It will serve 4.
do you make the chimichurri sauce, if not where did you purchase it and what brand. Thank you
Hey Jan, I link to my chimichurri recipe right in the recipe, above…here it is:https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/minimal-monday-chimichurri-sauce/
I love this! It’s so beautiful – I always buy the bag with the multicolored tiny peppers in order to get all of the colors! I’ve never seen the “chocolate” pepper, but I’ll be on the lookout for it at the Farmers’ Market! I can almost hear the sizzle and smell the aroma of this gorgeous dish! Thanks for the recipe!
The purple and chocolate peppers are interesting, they’re super crunchy and thin skinned. They don’t hold their colors as well when they’re heated, so I try to use them raw, or barely stir fried.
You beat me to it Sue! Just made a bowl like this! Yours looks delicious. So easy and always a hit with my family!
Can’t wait to see yours 🙂
Those steaming chunks of sirloin have me drooling! I could eat this any day of the week, or several days! Lovely bowl, beautiful colors and that chimichurri looks divine 🙂
What a pretty bowl and hard to beat the great combination of steak and chimichurri!
Those sweet peppers are so colourful and amazing…haven’t seen purple one here…the steak fajita bowl looks absolutely mouthwatering, Sue.