Crockpot steak fajitas are about to become your new favorite weeknight dinner! This no-fuss healthy recipe uses simple pantry ingredients, is easy to assemble, cooks all day in the slow cooker, and results in tender and delicious beef fajitas!
It’s no secret we love fajitas in our house! You can bet, especially during the busy school year, fajitas always on our meal plan. Our favorite is steak fajitas!
I make these various ways! It depends on the cut of steak I have on hand.
If I’m using a higher-quality cut like top round, filet, or a strip steak, I’ll make sheet pan steak fajitas or these easy one-pan skillet steak fajitas.
If I’m using a tougher cut of meat like flank steak, I’ll break out the crockpot. Beef fajitas made in the crockpot? Yup! As the steak slow cooks, it soaks up all the flavors of the spices and salsa and slices into delicious tender cuts of steak perfect for fajitas.
Reasons you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredients are easy to assemble -There is no extra prepping with this recipe; all you have to do is dump and go.
- Hands-off recipe – After you turn on the crockpot, you don’t need to think about it again until it’s finished cooking.
- Family-favorite – Everyone will love this flavorful, easy recipe.
- Make-ahead and freezer-friendly recipe – All of the ingredients can be assembled into the insert the night before, then just turn it on in the morning. Or assemble all of the ingredients into a slow cooker freezer kit. I’ll give more tips below.
Ingredients
Flank steak – Flank steak is my preferred cut of meat when I make steak fajitas in the crockpot. Trim off any extra fat or silver skin before adding it to the crockpot.
You can also use skirt steak or flat iron steak. Don’t use a chuck roast because that cut of meat needs a longer cooking time and is best when making a shredded beef recipe like this Mexican shredded beef.
Taco seasoning – I recommend using my homemade Whole30 taco seasoning. It adds a lot of flavors while leaving out the artificial flavors and preservatives found in store-bought packets. You can also use fajita seasoning.
Salsa – Choose your favorite salsa when putting together this recipe. I’ve also thrown in a can of diced chilis or pickled jalapeno peppers for extra flavor. You can also use a can of diced tomatoes with chilis. Whatever you have in the pantry, add it in!
Chicken stock – keeps the steak from drying out and burning at the bottom of the slow cooker. You can use beef stock.
Peppers and onions – Use any variety you like. My favorite onion to use is white, and I always use a variety of bell peppers. You could also spice things up by throwing in some diced jalapeno peppers. Get creative!
Lime juice – a squirt of fresh lime juice at the end brightens up these beef fajitas.
Salt and pepper – My best crockpot tip is to always salt and pepper at the end. This expert tip helps all of the flavors come to life.
For the best steak fajitas, I recommend starting with high-quality beef. My favorite online source for grass-fed organic beef is Butcher Box. Hands down, Butcher Box has the most amazing tasting meat. If you want to learn more, then read my Butcher Box Review.
FAQS
Yes, you sure can. It’s perfectly safe to add raw steak into this beef slow cooker recipe.
Flank steak is the steak I use most often when preparing beef fajitas in the slow cooker. A substitute for flank steak could be skirt steak or hanger steak.
I prevent chewy beef fajitas by following a few steps.
First, I let the cooked steak rest for about 5 minutes before I cut it into slices. This resting period allows the juices to seal into the steak.
Then I cut against the grain when cutting into strips. This means you are cutting the steak in the opposite direction that the lines (muscle fibers) are running. I like to cut into thin strips to make it easier to eat.
Also, the steak gets moist and tender from cooking in the salsa and broth all day.
Cooking Tips
Place the vegetables on top of the steak and other ingredients – Always remember the component that needs the most heat to cook during the cooking time should be on the bottom of the slow cooker insert; in this slow cooker fajita recipe, that would be the flank steak. So, to help the vegetables cook without getting mushy, I recommend adding them last to the crockpot because they don’t need as much heat to cook.
Cut the steak in half if necessary – I use a 2lb flank steak in this recipe which is often too big to fit whole into the slow cooker insert. I cut it in half and then lay the pieces next to each other, slightly layering if needed. You don’t want to put the pieces on top of each other.
Remove the steak and vegetables using tongs or a slotted spoon – The vegetables and steak release liquids as they cook – this results in extra liquid after the recipe finishes. Instead of serving directly from the slow cooker, I recommend removing the steak and vegetables from the insert and placing them onto a serving plate.
Salt and pepper at the end – I add this tip to all of my slow cooker recipes because it’s so important. After you place the steak and veggies onto the serving plate, add the lime juice and then salt and pepper. This helps all of the flavors pop.
Healthy Substitutions
This crockpot recipe is already healthy, but here are some other suggestions.
Choose all organic ingredients. This keeps the recipe 100% clean and free of any additives, preservatives, or artificial ingredients.
Choose gluten-free. Make homemade taco seasoning, serve with corn tortillas or in a rice bowl, and make sure all the ingredients are gluten-free.
Swap out boneless skinless chicken breasts to lower the fat. The other recipe ingredients will stay the same but the cooking time will change to 4-6 hours on low.
Supplies
- 6 -quart programmable crockpot
- Cutting board
- Glass storage containers
How to Make Crockpot Steak Fajitas (step by step)
- Get all of your ingredients ready.
- Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
- Place the flank steak into the chicken broth. If it doesn’t fit whole then cut the steak in half and lay the pieces next to each other in the slow cooker. If you need to layer the pieces slightly that’s fine just don’t put the pieces on top of one another.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the steak and then pour the salsa on top.
- Last, add the onions and peppers to the top of the steak.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or cook on high for 3-4 hours. When the recipe is done the steak should be tender but not falling apart and the veggies should be cooked but not mushy.
- Using tongs remove the steak from the slow cooker and place it onto a serving plate. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- With the same tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables and place them next to the steak. Squirt the lime juice onto the steak and vegetables, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
How to serve with fajitas?
In a tortilla – White, corn, or gluten-free tortillas are all good options for crockpot steak fajitas. Spread some sour cream, mashed avocado on the tortilla, and then fill with steak, onions, and peppers. If you want, sprinkle some cheese on top.
In a burrito bowl – This gluten-free option is my favorite way to eat steak fajitas. I add ½ cup of brown rice to a bowl and then top with steak, onions, and peppers. To finish off the bowl I’ll add some avocado slices, sour cream, and a little cheese. Yum!
How to Meal Prep This Recipe
To Make-ahead
- You can assemble the ingredients into the insert the night before. Put the insert into the refrigerator; then, in the morning, place the insert back into the crockpot and continue with the recipe.
- You can also make this recipe entirely on the weekend to eat during the week.
- After the beef and vegetables are slightly cooled, place them into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can store these in separate containers or together into one.
- Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave and serve.
To Freeze
- I don’t recommend freezing the cooked vegetables because they will be mushy after they thaw. However, you can assemble this recipe into a crockpot freezer kit.
- Separate the recipe into two labeled freezer bags.
- Add the steak, broth, salsa, and taco seasoning to one and the raw vegetables into the other. Place the bags together in the freezer.
To thaw and cook
- Thaw the ingredients 1-2 days in the refrigerator before cooking. Then continue with the recipe. It’s okay if the beef is still a little frozen; just adjust the cooking time.
Crockpot Steak Fajitas
Equipment
- 6- quart programmable slow cooker
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chicken stock can use any stock or water
- 2 pounds flank steak trim of the extra fat and remove silver skin, if needed
- 2 tablespoon taco seasoning
- ¾ cup salsa use your favorite
- 1 large white onion skin removed and then cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper cored and seeds removed then cut sliced into strips
- 1 orange bell pepper cored and seeds removed then cut sliced into strips
- 1 yellow bell pepper cored and seeds removed then cut sliced into strips
- Juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour the chicken stock onto the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
- Place the flank steak into the chicken broth. If it doesn’t fit whole then cut the steak in half and lay the pieces next to each other in the slow cooker. If you need to layer the pieces slightly that’s fine just don’t put the pieces on top of one another.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the steak and then pour the salsa on top.
- Add the onions and peppers on top of the steak and salsa.
- Cover and cook for 6 – 8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
- Using tongs remove the steak from the slow cooker and place it onto a serving plate. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing. With the same tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables and place them next to the steak.
- Squirt the lime juice onto the steak and vegetables, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot with tortillas or over rice.
Notes
How to Meal Prep This Recipe
To Make-ahead
You can assemble the ingredients into the insert the night before. Put the insert into the refrigerator; then, in the morning, place the insert back into the crockpot and continue with the recipe. You can also make this recipe entirely on the weekend to eat during the week. After the beef and vegetables are slightly cooled, place them into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can store these in separate containers or together into one. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave and serve.To Freeze
I don’t recommend freezing the cooked vegetables because they will be mushy after they thaw. However, you can assemble this recipe into a crockpot freezer kit. Separate the recipe into two labeled freezer bags. Add the steak, broth, salsa, and taco seasoning to one and the raw vegetables into the other. Place the bags together in the freezer.To thaw and cook
Thaw the ingredients 1-2 days in the refrigerator before cooking. Then continue with the recipe. It’s okay if the beef is still a little frozen; just adjust the cooking time.Nutrition
Other Beef Crockpot Recipes
Have you tried these Crockpot Steak Fajitas? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #organizeyourselfskinny. I can’t wait to see it!
