Leftover steak fajitas are a delicious and easy way to use any extra steak or leftover roast beef. After cooking the onions and peppers, quickly heat up the steak that you saved and add the fajita seasoning. Your fajitas are ready to eat! This meal can be ready in 30 minutes.
We don’t have a lot of leftover steak because we have a teenage son, but when we do, we like to have some good recipes ready.
A lot of people like our Leftover Steak Pasta, but we wanted to make things a little more interesting, so we made these tasty Leftover Steak Fajitas.
Onions cook up until they are nice and caramelized, followed by bell peppers. Once the peppers are nice and soft, the leftover steak slices get added along with some fajita spices. [feast_advanced_jump_to].
As a busy mom and recipe creator, I’m always looking for ways to reinvent leftovers into new and delicious meals. And when it comes to leftover fajita beef, the possibilities are endless!
In this article, I’ll share over 30 mouthwatering recipes to transform extra fajita-flavored beef into handyweeknight dinners, tasty lunches, and even crowd-pleasing appetizers. With a little creativity, you can give new life to leftover beef and get extra mileage from your cooking.
Maximizing the Bold, Zesty flavors of Fajita Meat
Before jumping into recipes, let’s first talk about what makes fajita meat so versatile Traditional beef fajitas start with thin strips of skirt steak, marinated in a blend of spices and citrus juice
Common seasonings include
- Lime juice – Bright, tart citrus flavor
- Cilantro – Fresh herbal notes
- Chili powder – A touch of heat
- Cumin – Earthy and warm
- Garlic – Savory aromatic
- Onion and bell peppers – Sweetness and texture
This combination of zesty, robust flavors pairs well in everything from tacos and burritos to casseroles, eggs, pasta and more. The beef also often comes pre-cooked, making it a handy pre-flavored protein to build meals around.
Now, let’s explore some tasty ways to reinvent leftover fajita-seasoned beef!
Hearty Main Dish Recipes
For easy weeknight meals, try using the beef in one of these satisfying entrees:
Fajita Stir Fry
Toss beef with bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli and soy sauce. Serve over rice.
Cheesy Beef Enchiladas
Stuff tortillas with beef, black beans, corn and top with enchilada sauce and melted cheese.
Fajita Pasta Bake
Combine beef with tomato sauce and noodles. Finish with cheese and pickled jalapenos.
Southwest Stuffed Potatoes
Pile beef, salsa and cheese into baked potatoes for a hearty meal.
Fajita Frittata
Saute beef with onion and peppers. Add eggs and bake frittata-style.
Fajita Pot Pie
Simmer beef in gravy, then top pie crusts with the stew for cozy comfort food.
Savory Soups and Salads
For lighter weekday lunches or starters, use the beef in these flavorful soups and salads:
Beef and Corn Chowder
Simmer beef in a creamy corn and potato chowder. Garnish with cilantro.
Southwest Salad
Top mixed greens with beef, avocado, beans, corn, cheese and chipotle ranch dressing.
Beef and Rice Soup
Saute beef with onions, garlic and spices. Add broth, tomatoes and rice for a hearty soup.
Fajita Taco Salad
Load up a taco-seasoned lettuce base with all the fixings – beef, beans, salsa, guac and more!
Beef Tortilla Soup
Shredded beef and crunchy tortilla strips lend Southwestern flavor to vegetable soup.
Fun Appetizers and Snacks
When hosting gatherings, transform leftover beef into crowd-pleasing bites like:
Fajita Rolls
Spread cream cheese on tortillas, top with beef and veggies. Roll up and slice.
Beef Nachos
Pile beef, beans, salsa, and cheese over tortilla chips for an easy game day snack.
Southwest Spring Rolls
Wrap beef and veggies in rice paper with avocado cream sauce for dipping.
Fajita Flatbread Pizza
Top naan or pitas with beef, peppers, onion, salsa verde and cheese.
Cocktail Meatballs
Mix beef with cheddar, cumin and chili powder and shape into baked meatballs.
Breakfast Ideas
Wake up to the smoky flavors of fajita beef in morning favorites like:
Southwest Breakfast Burritos
Scramble eggs with beef, peppers, onions, and cheese. Stuff into a tortilla.
Beef and Egg Tacos
Warm tortillas, then fill with refried beef, fried eggs, and avocado.
Breakfast Enchiladas
Roll beef and scrambled eggs into tortillas and bake with enchilada sauce and cheese.
Beef Breakfast Bowl
Saute beef with peppers, onions, chili powder and crack eggs on top.
Fajita Omelet
Make an omelet with the beef, peppers, onions, salsa, and pepper jack cheese.
Simple Side Dishes
Round out meals by serving the leftover beef in these bold side dishes:
Cheesy Beef and Rice
Combine beef with cilantro lime rice and sprinkle with Cotija cheese.
Loaded Beef and Potatoes
Pile beef over baked potatoes with all the fixings.
Southwest Stuffed Peppers
Mix beef with rice, beans, corn and stuff into roasted bell peppers.
Cilantro Beef and Veggies
Quickly saute beef with zucchini, bell peppers, onion, garlic and cilantro.
Fajita Fries or Tots
Smother fries or tater tots with fajita beef, cheese, guac and salsa.
Inspired International Flavors
Add global flavors to the beef with cuisines like:
Fajita Bibimbap
Serve beef over rice with sautéed veggies and a fried egg for a Korean twist.
Fajita Bánh Mì
Stuff beef with pickled veggies into a crusty Vietnamese baguette.
Fajita Beef Barbacoa
Shred beef and serve in tacos with traditional barbacoa toppings like lime, onion and cilantro.
With so many options, you’ll never toss leftover fajita beef again! Just a splash of creativity turns boring leftovers into fun new meals.
Ingredients onions and bell peppers sliced for leftover steak fajitas.
There needs to be steak left over for this recipe, of course. We used sirloin steak, but you could use any cut. For instance, flank steak is often used for fajitas. Tip: Cutting the extra steak into ½-inch thick slices the night before makes preparing the fajitas easier.
Check out our Oven Roasted Sirloin Steak with Onion Sauce if you want a good steak dinner recipe.
We have also made this recipe with leftover roast beef, such as our top round roast recipe.
Chopped onion: Slice up an onion thinly for making fajitas.
Bell peppers: Two types of bell pepper together look nice, but you can use just one type if you’d rather. Most people use green bell peppers for fajitas, but I like red, orange, and yellow peppers better because they add a bit of sweetness to the dish.
Fajita spice blend: We made our own spice blend, as we tend to do. But you can purchase premade fajita spice blends, such as this one available via Amazon (affiliate link included).
Tortillas: The steak, peppers, and onions that make up a steak fajita could be served right on the plate, but most people eat them in tortillas. We used small fajita style tortillas, but other sizes are ok.
Toppings: There are a variety of toppings that work well with steak fajitas. Some good toppings to offer include:
- Sour cream
- Guacamole or sliced avocados
- Shredded cheese
- Salsa
- Lime wedges
- Coarsely chopped cilantro
Spicy Leftover Steak Fajitas Recipe • Best Way to Reheat Leftover Steak! – Episode 10
FAQ
How long is leftover fajita meat good for?
How do you reheat leftover steak for fajitas?
Can I freeze fajita meat?
How to make fajitas with leftover steak?
Start cooking the onions in a skillet with the olive oil on medium high heat. When the onions start to get brown as shown above, you are ready to add the peppers. Stir to combine the onions and peppers. Add the fajita seasoning after the peppers start to brown. Add the slices of leftover steak to the skillet after stirring in the spice blend.
What to eat with leftover steak fajitas?
onions and bell peppers sliced for leftover steak fajitas. Leftover steak is of course a very important for this recipe! We used sirloin steak, but you could use other cuts. For instance, flank steak is often used for fajitas.
How do you use leftover beef fajita meat?
The first idea to utilize your leftover beef fajita meat is to turn it into nachos. This is a great option if you are looking for something that is quick and easy to make. Simply layer some tortilla chips on a plate, top with the beef, cheese, and your favorite nacho toppings. Then pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to melt the cheese.