Steak fajita nachos are packed with flavor and taste like they came straight out of your favorite Mexican restaurant. Load them up with toppings and serve them as an appetizer, or dig right into them as dinner!
If you love the flavors of fajitas, but you (like me) can’t resist the crunchy allure of nachos, then this is the perfect recipe for you to try. It’s super quick (the most time consuming part is chopping the peppers and onion and peeling the garlic for the marinade) and the pay-off is high.
The inspiration for this recipe came from a local Mexican restaurant where I am TOTALLY head over heels for their fajita nachos, but one day I realized I can make them myself and save myself some money AND not have to change out of my pajamas. Win-win.
I like to serve these with sour cream, salsa or pico de gallo, and guacamole on the side (so the chips stay warm and don’t get soggy). You can definitely play with the toppings and make them your own.
Also, I know some people out there are total cilantro haters, so I just specified a handful in the recipe, so adjust to your tastes. I’ll look the other way if you leave it out completely, but just know that you may want to add JUST A HINT of more lime juice, or some of the zest, to balance it out.
Ready to try them out? Here’s the recipe!
Steak Fajita Nachos
Ingredients
Steak
- 1 pound flank steak or other lean, thin steak
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 3 limes juiced
- 1 handful cilantro more or less depending on taste
Cheese Sauce
- 8 oz white American cheese
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Nachos
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers (any color) thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bag restaurant-style tortilla chips about 13 ounces
- cilantro (optional) chopped, for garnish
- sour cream, salsa, guacamole (optional) for serving
Instructions
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Combine all of the steak marinade ingredients in a high speed blender and pulse until combined. Place steak in a covered dish and pour in marinade, making sure to coat all sides. Set aside while you make everything else.
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Next, heat your 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the onion and bell peppers. Let them cook, stirring semi-frequently, until they are soft and slightly charred. Do not burn.
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While your onions and peppers are cooking, add all cheese sauce ingredients to a small sauce pan over medium heat, whisking occasionally until cheese is fully melted and all ingredients are combined. Add more milk if you need to thin it out. Keep warm, stirring occasionally, until ready to use.
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Once the onions and peppers are done, remove them from the skillet and keeping it over medium-high heat, add your steak. Cook for about 2 minutes per side or until just slightly pink in the middle (or until desired doneness). Thinly slice the steak once cooked.
NOTE: You can also use a grill pan or a gas grill for the steak if you want to get pretty grill lines on your steak.
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Add tortilla chips to platter, and top with cheese sauce, peppers, and steak strips. Sprinkle on cilantro for garnish. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole on the side.
Recipe Notes
You will need to check the ingredients on your canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to make sure they are gluten free. Some brands are, and some are not. If it’s not listed on the can, the company website should tell you.
This recipe doesn’t use a full can of chipotles, but I like to freeze the extras in a plastic baggie for future use!
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