An easy and vegetarian Tex-Mex meal that's ready in less than 30 minutes! This healthy meal is so simple and very satisfying with bold flavors and bright, beautiful colors. Veggie fajita tacos are tender and meaty, with a slight crunch from the peppers and onions, and finished with creamy avocado and fresh cilantro. Make a fajita taco bar with all of your favorite toppings!
I know I'm not alone in saying that Mexican food (or Tex-Mex) is one of my favorite cuisines.
I was craving restaurant-style fajita tacos recently, but wanted to make a vegetarian version. I forgot how easy it is to make fajitas at home - they are ready in no time at all!
For this recipe, we use portobello mushrooms to take the place of skirt steak. I love using portobello mushrooms to replace beef (or any meat really); they have an incredibly meaty texture that satisfies any craving.
Now you can make one of your favorite Mexican restaurant dishes at home!
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👩🏼🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Meaty, slightly crunchy, and creamy
- Smoky, subtly spicy and sweet, with that mouth-watering charred flavor!
- A satisfying vegetarian lunch or dinner; try it served with my creamy cucumber avocado gazpacho!
- So quick and easy; ready in less than 30 minutes!
- Recreates your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant meal at home
🌮 Ingredient Notes
- Bell peppers - I love to use a variety of colors when making fajitas for two reasons: It makes for a colorful dish and also provides a great balance of flavor when combined (green peppers have a slightly bitter flavor while the red, yellow, and orange - sweet bell peppers - are sweet).
- Portobello mushrooms - They have a delicious meaty texture [see: portobello burgers with smoky ranch coleslaw] and work well here because of their size when thinly sliced. However, you could also use your favorite mushrooms for this recipe and it will still be tasty.
- Lime juice - Using fresh lime juice really makes a difference in providing bright citrus flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce - Provides deep flavor with notes of savory, sweet, funky, and sour. You could substitute soy sauce, miso paste, or apple cider vinegar if you don't have it on hand.
- Garlic - I highly recommend using fresh garlic to get as much garlicky flavor as possible, but you can substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder if needed.
- Cumin - A major seasoning component for fajitas. It has so much warm flavor, so don't skip it!
🔪 How To Make Veggie Fajita Tacos
Place sliced peppers, onion, and mushrooms in a large bowl and set aside.
Make marinade/sauce: In a small bowl, combine lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and salt, and whisk to combine.
Pour marinade over sliced veggies and toss to combine using tongs or two large spoons.
Cook vegetables: Working in two batches, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of your vegetables and cook for around 5 minutes, until they become slightly tender (we don't want limp veggies here, we want a tender-crisp texture).
Remove veggies from skillet using tongs or a slotted spoon (try to leave liquid in the pan to avoid soggy fajitas). Repeat process with remaining olive oil and vegetables.
Warm tortillas: While vegetables are cooking, warm and char the tortillas by placing them over a gas burner (or grill) for a few seconds per side, using tongs to flip them. Alternatively, wrap tortillas in foil and warm in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10 minutes.
Assemble tacos: Assemble with cooked veggies, avocado, and cilantro, or your choice of toppings.
🥑 Topping Suggestions
When it comes to toppings for fajita tacos, the sky's the limit! Here are several suggestions:
- Sour cream
- Pico de gallo
- Salsa (try my corn avocado black bean salsa)
- Guacamole
- Cheddar or pepper jack cheese
- Squeeze of lime juice
⏲ Expert Tips and Tricks
- Cut veggies into long thin strips. More surface area allows them to become more caramelized and they also fit better into your tortilla of choice.
- Char tortillas over an open flame. If you have a gas stovetop or grill, I highly recommend giving your tortillas a good char for extra flavor. Just a few seconds on each side is all that's needed!
- If you want another level of flavor, place bell peppers under a broiler for 5 minutes to get a beautiful char on them (before cooking them in the skillet).
- For additional protein: Add 1-15 ounce can of black beans or pinto beans (drained and rinsed).
- Serve vegetabless with tongs or a slotted spoon so that any remaining liquid stays in the pan. Nobody wants soggy fajita tacos!
- Storage: Store leftover veggies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Tortillas can be wrapped in foil and stored in the refrigerator.
- How to reheat: Place veggies in a skillet over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes, until heated through. Tortillas can be wrapped in foil and warmed in a 350 degree F. oven for 10 minutes.
- How to freeze: Place completely cooled vegetable filling into a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months (tortillas can be frozen separately). To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight and follow reheating instructions above.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Popular toppings include cilantro, cheese, sour cream, salsa, avocado, pico de gallo, and guacamole. You can add whatever you are in the mood for!
Fajitas are typically prepared using grilled meat, along with grilled peppers and onions, with toppings served on the side. According to PopSugar, the word "fajita" refers to the type of meat being served, whereas "taco" refers to how the food is served. Additionally, fajitas are typically served with flour tortillas, whereas tacos can be served with either corn or flour tortillas.
As mentioned above, the key difference is more about the type of food and method of presentation. That said, a beef taco is very similar to a fajita if the former is served on a flour tortilla with grilled peppers and onions. So, a "fajita taco" is really just another name for a fajita!
🌯 Related Recipes
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📖 Veggie Fajita Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 bell peppers (I used a combination of colors), seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 portobello mushroom caps (stems removed), thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ Tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 avocados, sliced (optional)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
- 8 flour or corn tortillas
Instructions
- Place sliced peppers, onion, and mushrooms in a large bowl and set aside.
- Make marinade/sauce: In a small bowl, combine lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and whisk to combine.
- Pour marinade over sliced veggies and toss to combine using tongs or two large spoons.
- Working in two batches, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of your vegetables and cook for around 5 minutes, until they become slightly tender (we don't want limp veggies here, we want a tender-crisp texture).
- Remove veggies from skillet using tongs or a slotted spoon (try to leave liquid in the pan to avoid soggy fajitas). Repeat process with remaining olive oil and vegetables.
- While vegetabless are cooking, warm and char the tortillas by placing them over a gas burner (or grill) for a few seconds per side, using tongs to flip them. Alternatively, wrap tortillas in foil and warm in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10 minutes.
- Assemble fajita tacos with cooked veggies, avocado, and cilantro, or your choice of toppings (see "Toppings" section for suggestions).
Notes
- Cut veggies into long thin strips. More surface area allows them to become more caramelized and they also fit better into your tortilla of choice.
- Char tortillas over an open flame. If you have a gas stovetop or grill, I highly recommend giving your tortillas a good char for extra flavor. Just a few seconds on each side is all that's needed!
- If you want another level of flavor, place bell peppers under a broiler for 5 minutes to get a beautiful char on them (before cooking them in the skillet).
- For additional protein: Add 1-15 ounce can of black beans or pinto beans (drained and rinsed).
- Serve veggies with tongs or a slotted spoon so that any remaining liquid stays in the pan. Nobody wants soggy fajitas!
- Storage: Store leftover veggies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Tortillas can be wrapped in foil and stored in the refrigerator.
- How to reheat: Place veggies in a skillet over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes, until heated through. Tortillas can be wrapped in foil and warmed in a 350 degree F. oven for 10 minutes.
- How to freeze: Place completely cooled vegetable filling into a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight and follow reheating instructions above.
Matt
I added black beans for more protein and it was a very satisfying meal. My wife and I both loved the smoky flavor and level of spice!
Gastronotherapy
So glad you and your wife enjoyed them, Matt! Thanks for stopping by!