We’ve been big fans of fajitas since they became popular back in the 1980s. But, not until recently did we discover how amazing the vegetarian version is.
If you love fajitas as much as we do, you are likely skeptical of the non-meat variety. Once you try these fajitas, you’ll never doubt them again. Serve them with pico de gallo, roasted tomato salsa, and even guacamole, and you might just declare they are some of the best fajitas you’ve ever prepared, served, and eaten. They are that good!
How To Make Veggie Fajitas
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The Ingredients You Will Need
The great thing about this recipe is you can easily adapt it to your own likes. If desired, add even more veggies, like squash, zucchini, carrots, radishes, and more! We do feel the portobello mushrooms add a depth of flavor and texture. Here’s what we recommend:
Oil – Olive oil and vegetable oil are both great options.
Mushrooms – We love large portobello caps, but any variety will work.
Bell peppers – For a beautiful appearance (and depth of flavor), we go with red, yellow, and orange. But green works great, too!
Onion – Red, yellow, or white, cut into long strips.
Garlic – Minced.
Soy sauce – Worcestershire sauce can be substituted, however, you’ll need to add a little salt to the seasonings.
Seasonings – Chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, onion powder.
Tortillas – Flour or corn. Lightly charred over a gas flame, if possible.
Garnishes – Pico de gallo, sour cream, chopped cilantro, cheese (Cotija is recommended).
EXPERT TIP: Be gentle with the mushrooms as you are sautéing them, trying not to let them break apart. Gently sauté them until they become very soft and lightly browned.
Tips for Make the Best-Ever Veggie Fajitas
High Heat Cooking – Use a cast-iron skillet or a grill pan and preheat it over medium-high heat. Cooking the veggies at a high temperature will help achieve a nice char and caramelization, adding depth to the flavor. Stir-fry the veggies in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding, which can lead to steaming instead of searing.
Layer Your Ingredients – Start by cooking the portobello mushrooms first, as they take a bit longer to soften. Once they’re done, remove them from the pan and then sauté the bell peppers and red onions. This method ensures that each vegetable is cooked perfectly without becoming mushy. Stir in the soy sauce before the seasonings. Allow the seasonings to blossom by letting the veggies cook for several more minutes.
Serve with Fresh Toppings – Enhance your fajitas with fresh toppings like avocado or guacamole, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and a dollop of sour cream or yogurt. These fresh elements will add brightness and balance to the dish, making your fajitas even more delicious.
Heat the Tortillas – Preferably over a gas flame, if possible. This not only heats the tortillas but adds a nice depth of smoky flavor to the fajitas that is delicious.
EXPERT TIP: Sauté the bell peppers and onions until they are very tender. The onions will become darker and begin to caramelize. The peppers should just start to brown in spots. This typically takes about 15 minutes.
How To Serve and What to Serve With
We love to serve our fajitas on our large fajita skillet. Be sure to heat the skillet over high heat and then place the sautéed veggies on the hot skillet just before serving. This will give you the classic sizzle that you get in Tex-Mex restaurants. Be sure to let guests know the skillet is very hot.
If you don’t have a fajita skillet, no problem, simply serve them directly from the hot skillet.
Go with any, or all, of the following classic fajita fixin’s:
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Pice de gallo
- Salsa
- Refried beans
- Grated cheese
- Hot sauce
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Jalapeños, pickled or fresh
- Lime wedges
EXPERT TIP: Stir in the seasonings for the last couple minutes of sautéing the vegetables. Stir gently and allow the seasonings to “blossom” before serving.
Other Classic Fajita Recipes To Try
We’ve never met a fajita that we didn’t like. If you love fajitas as much as we do, you’ll want to try all of the following. They are authentic and so good!
These are all amazing, without a doubt. But, folks, you will not believe how delicious these vegetarian fajitas are, too!
Folks, we are about as big a fan of fajitas as anyone there ever was. Of course, we love fajitas with perfectly grilled protein, but you will not believe how delicious these are, too.
They are certainly lower in calories than the other varieties, but they do not sacrifice flavor.
The portobello mushrooms have a “beefy” flavor and texture. Go with corn tortillas and leave out the sour cream and cheese to keep them vegan.
Every bite is the classic fajita taste and texture!
Ready to make the best Tex-Mex vegetarian dish this side of El Paso? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of them, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Best-Ever Veggie Fajitas
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet
- fajita skillet optional
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 3 large portobello mushroom caps stem and gills removed, cut into strips
- 3 bell peppers seeded and cut into strips
- 1 large red onion sliced into strips
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 8 flour tortillas heated (preferably over gas flame)
- fresh limes for garnish
- cilantro chopped, for garnish
- sour cream for garnish, optional
- salsa for garnish
- Cotija cheese crumbled, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet (ie, cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and darkened, about 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet onto a platter.3 tablespoon olive oil, 3 large portobello mushroom caps
- Use the same skillet (no need to wipe it clean) and heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onion and sauté, stirring often, until very soft and the onions have begun to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.3 bell peppers, 1 large red onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Return the mushrooms to the skillet and gently stir to combine. Stir in the soy sauce and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Stir in the chili powder, paprika, cumin, and onion powder. Sauté for 2 more minutes.2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Meanwhile, heat your tortillas, preferably over a gas flame, if possible. If using, heat your fajita skillet on the skillet until very hot (be careful, handle it with a hot pad).8 flour tortillas
- If using, transfer the vegetables to the heated fajita skillet and serve at once. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lime and a sprinkle of cilantro. Serve with the heated tortillas and desired toppings.fresh limes, cilantro, sour cream, salsa, Cotija cheese
Wesley says
So good! The portobello mushroom acts like the fajita meat and the seasoning is perfection. Make homemade flour tortillas to really impress your guests!
Phyllis says
I love the oval large cast iron pan you show for the vegetable fajitas. Can you please advise the brand as I am not locating that pan.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Phyllis! We got that oversized fajita skillet as a gift many years ago. I’ve searched for it and can’t find an exact match. However, this one is pretty close: