Instant Pot Fajitas is an easy recipe, just like the classic Mexican dish but made easy in the IP. Skirt steak, bell peppers, and onions all cook in the Instant Pot until they are tender and delicious – pile them in flour tortillas with your favorite fajita toppings for a great dinner.
If you need another reason to love your Instant Pot, these steak fajitas are it. You don’t have to turn on the stove – everything cooks in the IP for an easy dinner.
We love fajitas at our house, and this Instant Pot recipe is my favorite way to make them. The steak comes out tender and delicious, and everything cooks in one pot for easy clean-up.
This is a great meal for Taco Tuesday or any night you’re craving Mexican food. All you need are some cold margaritas and some tortilla chips to go with it!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Skirt steak
- Ground cumin
- Garlic powder
- Chipotle pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
- Water
- Sliced bell pepper – we like red, but you can use any color pepper you like.
- Thinly sliced yellow onion
How to Make Fajitas in the Instant Pot
Season the skirt steak with the seasonings and then turn on the sauté feature on the Instant Pot. Add the oil, and then cook the steak until it’s browned and cooked through. Take the steak out of the IP and set it aside.
Add the water and, as it bubbles, scrape up the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Turn off the sauté setting and place the steak back in the pot.
Secure the lid, close the steam vent, and set the IP to cook at high pressure for 18 minutes.
Once the timer goes off, allow the steam to vent naturally for 12 minutes and then open the steam vent. Take the steak out but leave the liquid in the pot.
Add the sliced peppers and onions to the pot, secure the lid, and close the steam vent. Cook them at high pressure for six minutes and then do a quick release so the steam can escape.
Place the cooked steak and vegetables on a serving plate, and they’re ready to wrap up in flour tortillas!
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How to Serve Them
I think my favorite part of fajitas is all the toppings! Here are a few we like to have:
- Diced avocado, mashed avocado, or guacamole
- Shredded cheese – try cheddar, pepper jack, or a blend of Mexican cheese
- Salsa
- Lemon for squeezing over the top
Recipe Tips
Can’t find strip steak? Flank steak is a good substitute to use in this recipe.
You can use your favorite fajita seasoning instead of individual spices for the seasoning.
Be very careful when you open the steam vent – I like to cover it with a kitchen towel to protect my hand from the hot steam.
Instant pot steak fajitas are excellent for meal prep. You can make them ahead and keep the meat and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days.
Can you use chicken instead of steak for this recipe?
How long to cook Instant Pot fajitas will depend on the kind of meat you use. Chicken doesn’t need as long a cook time as steak, so you would need to reduce the cooking time to approximately 10 minutes or so. The internal temperature should be 165°F once they are done.
Craving fajitas now? I hope you give this Instant Pot fajitas recipe a try soon! It’s easy, and the flavors are great. Enjoy!
Side Dishes Perfect to Serve with Fajitas
Instant Pot Fajitas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skirt steak
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chipotle pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup water
- 1 large red bell pepper sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced thin
- 8 fajita sized tortillas
- 1 or 2 avocados smashed
- 1 to 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup salsa
- Lemon
Instructions
- In a large bowl steak with cumin, garlic powder, chipotle pepper, salt and pepper. Set Instant pot to sauté which is medium heat. Heat oil and then add steak (it may take 2 or 3 batches) and brown until no longer pink and set aside.
- Add water and scrape any stuck bits on the bottom of the pot. Then hit the cancel button.
- Add steak back into the pot, lock the lid and make sure the pressure release valve is closed. Cook on high for 18 minutes.
- When the cook time ends, Let pressure release naturally for 12 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure. Remove steak with but leave fluid in the bottom of the pot.
- Add Onion and Red Pepper, lock lid and close pressure release valve. Cook for 6 minutes. Quick release valve.
- Serve with warmed tortillas, avocado, cheese, salsa and lemon.
Recipe Nutrition
These Instant Pot Fajitas will take your taco Tuesday to the next level – they are quick to make, very customizable and the steak comes out tender and delicious, every time.