This vegetarian fajitas recipe makes colorful veggies and seasoned pinto beans into a satisfying 30-minute easy dinner. Serve with warm tortillas or in a bowl for a customizable meal everyone loves.
Here’s an easy dinner idea that’s one way to eat lots of colorful veggies without giving it a second thought. This vegetarian fajitas recipe is so full flavored, they please everyone around the table, even the meat lovers!
My tried and true fajita recipe stars my favorite fajita veggies, blackened in the oven and finished on the stove, with pinto beans cooked in a flavorful fajita sauce. I love serving it with warm tortillas or as part of a fajita salad as a bowl meal, which makes it work for many different diets and tastes!
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are the essential ingredients you’ll need here:
- Bell Peppers: I use red, yellow, and green peppers for contrasting colors that makes the traditional fajitas look. You can substitute in orange pepper for any of the colors.
- Portobello Mushrooms: These meaty mushrooms are essential for creating that satisfying, substantial texture in a vegetarian recipe.
- Pinto Beans: I like pinto beans over black beans here because they have a creamier texture and a more neutral flavor. You can substitute black beans if that’s what you have on hand.
- Red Onion: The sharpness mellows during cooking and adds a subtle sweetness.
- Homemade Fajita Sauce: The combination of fresh lime juice and adobo sauce makes a flavor that store-bought versions can’t match. Head to my Homemade Fajita Sauce for the full recipe.
How to Make Vegetarian Fajitas
These vegetarian fajita recipe can come together in about 30 minutes. There’s a little back and forth between the cooking methods, so here are a few tips (or jump right to the recipe):
- Broil the veggies first. Throwing the veggies in a broiler gets them to release their liquid so they’ll all fit in one sauté pan, and gets them lightly charred.
- While the veggies broil, prep the beans. Make my homemade fajita sauce and throw it in a skillet with the beans.
- Finish the veggies in a skillet: Finishing in the skillet gets them nice and tender and that classic fajita skillet sizzle.
Ingredient Spotlight: Adobo Sauce
A bit more about chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: this ingredient is easy to find at most grocery stores near the Mexican products. All you do is use a spoon to remove adobo sauce from the can. Refrigerate or freeze the remainder, and use it for more adobo sauce recipes, like tortilla soup, enchilada sauce, or chipotle ranch dressing.
Topping Ideas
Once you’ve made your veggies and pinto beans: let’s talk toppings! You can use any of your favorite fajita toppings here. In fact: the toppings are the only thing that make this vegetarian fajita recipe!
Otherwise, all the ingredients are vegan. So you can make this a vegan fajitas recipe with plant-based toppings. Here are my must-have fajitas toppings:
- Pico de gallo: It adds just the right zing
- Sour cream: Always. For vegan, substitute Cashew Cream
- Fresh cilantro: Another must! It’s the perfect contrast to the savory veggies
- Guacamole: Use guacamole or a mashed avocado
- Cheese: You can add shredded cheddar, feta, queso fresco or cotija cheese, but the flavor doesn’t need it! It’s ultra flavorful as is.
Creative Ways to Serve Vegetarian Fajitas
These vegetarian fajitas are fantastic on their own: most nights I don’t even make a side to go with them! But here are a few easy ideas for what to serve with fajitas:
- Chips and guacamole: Quick and easy! Look for organic chips with just 3 ingredients (corn, oil and salt)
- Easy green salad: Try this crisp green Mexican Salad, with taco salad dressing to make it even easier
- Rice: Try this simple and delicious Cilantro Lime Rice
- Avocado salad: Try an easy Cucumber, Tomato & Avocado Salad
- As a fajita salad or bowl meal: Turn it into a Fajita Salad by serving over greens instead of with tortillas, or over cilantro lime rice for a Fajita Bowl
More fajitas recipes? Try these Shrimp Fajitas or Vegan Fajitas.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover vegetarian fajitas store up to 3 days in the refrigerator. I keep the vegetables and beans in separate containers from the toppings.
To reheat, I prefer using a skillet over medium heat rather than the microwave. The microwave works in a pinch, but the vegetables lose some of their texture.
Dietary Notes
This vegetarian fajita recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free (with corn tortillas).
Frequently asked questions
There are plenty of delicious options for vegetarian fajitas! Some popular choices include:
Portobello mushrooms: Their meaty texture and umami flavor make them a great substitute for steak.
Tofu or tempeh: These soy-based proteins can be marinated and grilled for a satisfying bite.
Black beans or lentils: These legumes add protein and fiber to your fajitas.
Yes! You can chop the vegetables and prepare the seasonings in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator and cook them just before serving. This makes vegetarian fajitas a great option for meal prepping or entertaining.
Absolutely! Grilling fajitas imparts a delicious smoky flavor. Thread vegetables onto skewers or cook them directly on the grill grates over medium heat.
Easy Vegetarian Fajitas
Pin Recipe
Print RecipeEveryone loves this easy vegetarian fajitas recipe! This Tex Mex dinner is full of big flavor and beautiful colorful veggies. As two cookbook authors, fajitas is something we know will always please a crowd, whether it’s with tortillas or as fajita salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- Category: Main DIsh
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, green)
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 portobello mushrooms
- 4 tablespoons oil, divided
- 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 3 cloves smashed garlic
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 each teaspoon chili powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans
- 1 recipe Homemade Fajita Sauce*
- Small tortillas
- For the toppings: Sour cream, pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, guacamole (optional), shredded cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Broil the veggies: Preheat a broiler. Thinly slice the bell peppers and thinly slice the onion. Remove the stems and slice the portobello mushrooms. Place them in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Spread the veggies on a parchment lined sheet pan. Place in the broiler and broil 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until softened and blackened on some edges. Then go right to Step 3.
- Cook the beans: Meanwhile in a skillet, whisk together the ingredients for the Homemade Fajita Sauce. Drain and rinse the pinto beans and add them to the skillet. Heat over medium heat and cook until warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Taste and stir in another ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Saute the veggies: Once the veggies are done in the broiler, finish them on the stove by heating the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a cast iron skillet or large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the broiled veggies, smashed garlic cloves, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender. Remove and discard the garlic cloves before serving.
- Warm the tortillas: Warm and char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. (See How to Warm Tortillas.)
- Serve: Place bowls of fajita veggies and pinto beans on the table, with tortillas, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, and fresh cilantro. Let each person add their desired toppings and serve. Leftovers store refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Notes
*We highly recommend this homemade fajita sauce! Or you can substitute ½ cup store bought sauce. For the fajita sauce, mix together 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 to 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce), 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ cup olive oil.
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/y0SCcuV
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