An easy and vegetarian Tex-Mex meal that's ready in less than 30 minutes! Vegetarian fajitas are tender and meaty thanks to portobello mushrooms, with a slight crunch from the peppers and onions, and finished with creamy avocado and fresh cilantro. Make a fajita bar with all of your favorite toppings!
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I know I'm not alone in saying that Mexican food (or Tex-Mex) is one of my favorite cuisines. My easy refried bean tacos and creamy chicken enchiladas are on rotation year-round in my house.
I was craving restaurant-style vegetarian fajitas recently, and I remembered how easy it is to make fajitas at home - they are ready in no time at all!
For this healthy fajita recipe, we use portobello mushrooms to take the place of skirt steak. I love using portobello mushrooms to replace meat; they have an incredibly meaty texture that satisfies any craving (be sure to try my mushroom tacos!).
Now you can make one of your favorite Mexican restaurant dishes at home!
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👩🏼🍳 Why These Fajitas are the Best
- Meaty, slightly crunchy, and creamy texture
- Veggie fajitas that are smoky, subtly spicy and sweet, with that mouth-watering charred flavor!
- A healthy vegetarian meal that's naturally dairy-free, protein-rich, high in fiber, and with a vegan and gluten-free option
- Quick and easy recipe that's ready in less than 30 minutes
- Recreate your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant meal at home; try it served with creamy cucumber gazpacho or beans and rice
- Freezer-friendly recipe
🌮 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 are sweet).
- Portobello mushrooms - They have a delicious meaty texture and work well here because of their size when thinly sliced. Try them in my portobello burgers!
- 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.
- Cumin - A major seasoning component for fajitas. It has so much warm flavor, so don't skip it!
📝 Variations & Substitutions
- Mushrooms. Although portobello mushrooms are large and "meaty", replicating the texture of skirt steak in classic fajitas, you can use your favorite mushrooms for this recipe and it will still be delicious.
- Garlic. Although I highly recommend using fresh garlic to get as much garlicky flavor as possible, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of jarred garlic or garlic powder.
- Worcestershire sauce. Replace it with soy sauce, miso paste, or apple cider vinegar if you don't have it on hand.
- Gluten-free option: Use 100% certified gluten-free tortillas for a gluten-free meal.
- Make vegan fajitas: Use a vegan brand of Worcestershire sauce, which is not classified as vegan (traditional Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies and/or fish sauce).
- For additional protein: Add 1 (15 ounce) can of black beans or pinto beans (drained and rinsed).
🔪 How To Make Vegetarian Fajitas
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. Remove veggies from skillet using tongs or a slotted spoon. 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 fajitas: Assemble with cooked veggies, avocado, and cilantro, or your choice of toppings.
⏲ Expert Tips
- Cut vegetables 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!
- For 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).
- Serve vegetables 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 (tortillas can be frozen separately). To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight and follow reheating instructions above.
🥑 Fajita Topping Ideas
When it comes to toppings for fajita tacos, the sky's the limit! Here are several suggestions:
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Although the foundation of fajitas is made with peppers and onions, there are several vegetarian options to replace chicken. Some delicious options include: beans, meaty mushrooms, or tofu.
Bell peppers, red onion, tomatoes, and chili peppers all give fajitas complex flavor.
Absolutely! Every brand of taco seasoning uses a mixture of cumin, paprika, and chili, so the flavor will be very similar.
Some of my favorite fajita toppings include: cilantro, salsa, guacamole, lime juice, and pico de gallo.
🌯 Related Recipes
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Vegetarian Fajitas 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 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 fajitas with cooked veggies, avocado, and cilantro, or your choice of toppings. Serve warm.
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!
- 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 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 says
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 says
So glad you and your wife enjoyed them, Matt! Thanks for stopping by!
Karen says
The flavor of these fajitas is out of this world!! I've been searching for more flavorful vegetarian recipes, and this was a big winner! I added a drizzle of Cholula b/c I like spicy fajitas. Can't wait to try more of your recipes!
MaryAnne says
Thanks so much, Karen! I also like to add a few dollops of hot sauce to my fajitas!