Add these easy grilled fajita vegetables to your burrito bowls, taco salads, vegetarian fajitas, shrimp fajitas, or any other Mexican recipes on your Taco Tuesday menu! They're the delicious side dish you need in your life.
This sautéed peppers and onions recipe is an excellent side dish to serve alongside Sweet and Spicy Mexican Shrimp or any of your favorite fajita recipes.
The great thing about this easy side dish is that it takes just a handful of simple ingredients and a few grilling techniques to create a dish worthy of your favorite Mexican restaurant!
Now let's look at how to cook bell peppers and onions for fajitas.
Here's what you need to make delicious fajita veggies:
Red onion - while red onions are my go-to onion for fajita veggies, yellow onions or white onions would be great substitutes.
Sweet bell peppers - I use one green bell pepper, one red bell pepper and one yellow bell pepper for the mix. But these sauteed peppers would be delicious with any combination of sweet peppers that suits your fancy. I've used thin strips of mini bell peppers and even added sliced jalapenos to my sauteed bell peppers mixture to add an extra kick of spice.
Neutral oil - the high-heat cooking method used to make these sautéed bell peppers really requires a neutral oil that won't scorch at high heat. I prefer avocado oil or sunflower oil, but canola oil or vegetable oil will also work. Avoid olive oil, unless you plan to cook the sautéed onions and peppers on a lower heat.
Kosher salt and black pepper - the only fajita seasoning you'll need is salt and pepper. The slightly charred exterior (a good cast iron skillet does most of the work!) and crisp-tender insides of the bell peppers and onions are perfectly flavored with just a touch of salt and pepper. If you're looking for more spices to add to the mix, feel free to include a pinch of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ancho powder, cayenne pepper or dried oregano. I recommend serving the peppers with fresh lime wedges for a squeeze of lime juice, and fresh cilantro leaves.
Full ingredient measurements and directions included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions on how to cook bell peppers and onions for fajitas:
Begin be cleaning the bell peppers, cutting them open and removing the seeds and ribs. Slice the peppers into thin strips - about ½ inch wide.
Next, peel the red onion and cut in half. Then cut the onion into about ¼-1/2 inch slices.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. To the hot pan add your neutral oil, sliced red, yellow and green peppers, and onion. Toss quickly in the oil. Leave the peppers and onions undisturbed in the pan to brown slightly - about 3 minutes.
Once browning, toss the peppers and onions and add the salt and pepper. Leave undisturbed until slightly browned but the vegetables should still be crisp-tender and hold their shape.
Serve your fajita veggies with lime wedges, cilantro and Sweet and Spicy Mexican Shrimp.
FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:
Always begin by washing the peppers well to remove any dirt and debris. Then cut the pepper in half through the stem (top to bottom). Use your hands to remove the stem and core, then the seeds and white ribs. You can remove the top part of the pepper that folds in, which makes it easier to cut into even strips. (I save this part of the pepper in a freezer bag to use in salsas, soups or stir-fries.) With the skin side of your pepper on the cutting board, use a sharp knife to cut each pepper half into thin, even strips.
Those frozen veggies are a wonder of science...but they do contain very high levels of water, making it next to impossible to get a good sear on the peppers before they overcooked. For best results, I highly recommend using fresh vegetables.
Baked Fish Tacos on corn tortillas with a side of fajita peppers and onions would be perfection. Of course, they're perfect for shrimp fajitas using Sweet & Spicy Mexican Shrimp. Or serve them as a main dish for a skillet full of vegetable fajitas, along with all your favorite toppings, including Taco Truck Green Sauce, Creamy Jalapeno Ranch, shredded cheese, sour cream and fresh limes.
To store, transfer leftover peppers and onions to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. For freezing, recommend portioning the veggies into individual sized containers and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, pop in the microwave for about 60 seconds, or until heated through.
Check out some of our other delicious recipes:
Grilled Fajita Peppers and Onions (Easy & Healthy!)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
3 bell peppers (red, yellow and green)
1 large red onion
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Begin be cleaning the bell peppers, cutting them open and removing the seeds and ribs. Slice the peppers into thin strips - about ½ inch wide. Peel the red onion and cut in half. Then slice the onion in about ½ inch slices.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add neutral oil, sliced red, yellow and green peppers, and onion. Toss quickly in the oil, then leave the peppers and onions undisturbed in the pan to brown slightly - about 3-4 minutes.
Once browning, toss the peppers and onions and add the salt and pepper. Leave undisturbed again until lightly browned but the vegetables should still be crisp-tender and hold their shape.
Remove from the skillet and serve with lime wedges, cilantro, Sweet and Spicy Mexican Shrimp and a stack of warm flour tortillas.
Notes
Leftover fajita peppers and onions can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mexican, American
Keywords: Fajita Peppers, Fajita Onions, Fajita Vegetables, Mexican Food
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