Tender beef fajita skewers with chimichurri sauce are so easy on the grill or in the oven ~ serve them with rice or tortillas.
Fajitas are a Tex-Mex classic, but these steak fajita skewers take them in a fresh, colorful direction. Tender bites of seasoned steak, peppers, and onions get a quick blast of heat, then a drizzle of bright cilantro pesto. Serve them on the skewer for fun, or slide everything over rice, couscous, or warm tortillas ~ fajitas, but a little more playful.
The beef for fajita skewers
- I used beef tenderloin for fajita skewers.
- You want a tender cut because it cooks quickly. You can also use sirloin steak.
- I cut it into 1 – 1 1/2″ cubes.
- I make a quick 3-spice dry rub for the cubes of meat. Leave it for 30 minutes up to overnight.
- cumin
- smoked paprika
- chili powder
The veggies + chimichurri
The vibrance of the veggies plus the super acidity of the chimichurri balances out the rich beef tenderloin. This is good!
I use red onion and colorful bell peppers (one each red, yellow, orange and green.) If you want to upgrade your fajita skewers you could use poblano or jalapeño in addition to the bell peppers.
Chimichurri is a fresh, herb-based Argentine sauce made with garlic, olive oil, and vinegar—bright, garlicky, and slightly tangy, perfect for grilled meats.
Cooking fajita skewers ~ 2 ways
The oven sear (year round, no grill!)
- Place oven rack in the 2nd from highest to the broiler.
- Arrange skewers on a sheet pan (not crowded) and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Broil about 5 minutes, then flip and broil another 5 or until the veggies are lightly charred and the meat is medium rare.
Grilling method
- Preheat grill to medium-high (425–450°F)
- Oil the grates lightly.
- Grill skewers 8–10 minutes total, turning once.
- Cook until beef is just done and veggies are glossy with charred edges.
Serving ideas
These fajita skewers become a complete bowl dinner when served over rice, rice and beans, or couscous. Serve with fresh lime and cilantro leaves, and drizzle with the chimichurri sauce. It’s fun to present them on the skewer, give each person one beef and one veggie.
Can you serve them with tortillas?
Sure, but if you want to serve them that way, be sure to cut your meat into small bite sized pieces.
Add The View from Great Island as a Trusted Google Source
Steak Fajita Skewers with Cilantro Sauce
Equipment
- 8 long metal skewers
Instructions
- Cut the steak into bite sized cubes, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Toss with the dry rub spice mix. If you want to do this up to a day ahead, load the meat into a heavy duty zip lock bag and refrigerate. When ready to cook, thread the beef onto 4 skewers.
- Cut the peppers and onion into bite sized pieces as well and thread onto 4 skewers.
- Lay out the skewers on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil Sprinkle with salt. Place the pan on the 2nd to highest position under the broiler and broil on high for about 5 minutes each side. The veggies should be golssy and slightly charred. The meat should be medium rare. Note: I cook the veggies first, then the meat.
chimichurri
- With your food processor running, drop in the garlic and shallot and process until they are finely minced.
- Fill the bowl of the processor with the rest of the ingredients and pulse/process until it becomes a brilliant green sauce, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary to get everything incorporated. Take a taste to adjust any of the flavors. If it tastes a bit bitter, add a tiny amount of sugar. Keep refrigerated.
- Serve your fajitas on or off the skewer, with rice, couscous, or tortillas. Drizzle with lots of chimichurri
More Tex Mex-inspired recipes
Sweet Corn and Hatch Chile Salsa
Sweet Corn and Hatch Chile Salsa is the best summer salsa ~ it goes great with grilled meats, fish, chicken or chips!
Green Enchilada Sauce (salsa verde)
An easy green enchilada sauce made with fresh roasted chiles right in your blender!
Red Enchilada Sauce
Invite the authentic flavors of Mexico into your kitchen with my easy-to-follow recipe for homemade enchilada sauce.
Breakfast Burritos
Breakfast burritos are a protein-rich grab and go breakfast that everybody loves!
Mexican Fajita Steak Salad
Mexican Fajita Steak Salad ~ the combination of a cool crisp romaine salad with juicy steak and hot seared peppers and onions is hard to beat.
Queso Dip ~ easy foolproof recipe
My queso dip recipe is a deliciously silky cheese dip perfect for Game Day snacking!
Tunapeño Poppers
Tunapeño poppers are irresistible little peppers stuffed with tuna and baked up with lots of bubbly cheese.
Cowboy Caviar Recipe
Cowboy Caviar ~ whether you call it Texas caviar, black bean salsa, black-eyed pea salad, or Southwestern bean dip, this all-American cross between a salsa and a salad is just plain GOOD!
Steak Taco Crunch Wraps
Steak taco crunch wraps are a weeknight favorite! Better than Taco Bell with juicy steak, lime crema, pico de gallo and lots of cheese!
These look delicious. Can’t wait to try. Might make my husband cook these for me tonight since he is cooking on the grill.
Robin
yum these skewers look delicious! love the idea of a cilantro pesto… thanks for the great ideas and inspiration!
I just love fajitas – and I bet you think I saw that about all your recipes! I really do love them and this sounds perfect for me. The cilantro pesto is so pretty! Love the peppers and onions and steak – and I just bought some new skewers! Great one!
This is a brilliant idea Sue with the broiler. We have a grill but sometime’s the weather’s bad or Scott isn’t around (I’m terrible with the grill). I love the beautiful colors too of the peppers and cilantro salsa. I could probably drink that, it sounds fabulous!
Thanks Chris!
Absolutely fabulous! Love the freshness of it all.
I think that’s why I love grilling skewers so much, because everything is cut small and you don’t have to cook the heck out of it, so it stays pretty!
These is a great meal Sue, love the pesto, I’ve been on a little pesto kick around here and have been putting it on everything, even sandwiches. I bet this cilantro version is delicious!
Wow, these look awesome and so summery. I wish I had a grill!! 🙁
I love kabobs, in fact I have an entire Pinterest board devoted to them! What a delicious meal, your sauce reminds me of a chimichurri sauce, which is also delicious on steak, chicken and fish, like your yummy sauce. I can’t wait to try your sauce, I’ll bet it was great with the veggies too!
Have a great day!
These are amazing, beautiful!
Thanks Matt!
Wow all kinds of yum. Cilantro pesto is genious! I must try this this weekend.
I’m trying to think of different ways to use that pesto, it’s probably too much for pasta, but I KNOW there must be other uses for it, it’s too good!