Sheet Pan Fajita Bowls
Sliced steak and peppers roasted on one pan, served bowl-style over cilantro-lime rice.
Sheet Pan Fajita Bowls earns a permanent place in the rotation on arithmetic alone: around twenty-five minutes from starting to sitting down, 6 ingredients, 5 steps, and 28g of protein a serving for 370 calories. The method is forgiving enough to improvise around once you have cooked it once.
Why this one works
The appeal of a one-pan meal is not only the washing up. Cooking everything in the same vessel means the flavours actually meet each other rather than arriving on the plate as separate items.
Almost all of the cooking happens in the oven at 425°F, so once it is in you are free until the timer goes.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings
- 1 lb flank steak, sliced
- 3 bell peppers
- 1 onion
- Fajita seasoning
- Lime, cilantro
- Rice, sour cream, guacamole
Notes on the key ingredients
Dice the onion roughly the same size throughout so it softens evenly. A pinch of salt early on draws out moisture and speeds up the softening.
Day-old refrigerated rice fries far better than fresh. Fresh rice carries too much moisture and turns to mush in a hot pan.
Add the citrus at the end, off the heat. Cooking it flattens the brightness that it is there to provide.
Substitutions
- No cilantro? Use flat-leaf parsley, or a mix of parsley and mint.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Toss steak, peppers, and onion with fajita seasoning.
- Spread on sheet pan. Roast 18-20 minutes.
- Serve over cilantro-lime rice.
- Top with sour cream and guacamole.
Tips for getting it right
- Preheat fully to 425°F before the tray goes in, and give everything room on the pan. Two trays beat one crowded one every time.
- Taste before it reaches the table. Salt levels vary with the brand of broth, cheese and sauce you used, and this is the last point at which you can fix it.
Storage, make-ahead and reheating
- Fridge: up to three days in a sealed container, cooled before it goes in.
- Freezer: up to two months. Freeze in portion-sized containers so you can thaw only what you need.
- Reheating: a hot pan brings back more texture than a microwave. A few minutes over medium heat is usually enough.
- Making it ahead: the prep work keeps well even when the finished dish does not. Chop and measure the night before and the 25 minutes on the night drops to closer to ten.
Variations
Add some heat
A pinch of red pepper flakes with the aromatics, or a spoonful of chilli crisp at the table, lifts the whole dish without changing the method.
Make it gluten-free
Use a certified gluten-free pasta or grain, swap soy sauce for tamari, and check the broth, which is the ingredient that most often hides wheat.
Stretch it further
Adding a handful of greens, a tin of beans or an extra cup of cooked grain takes this from four servings to six without much change to the 25 minute timing.
What to serve with it
- Crusty bread for the pan juices
- A crisp side salad
- Rice or couscous if you want to stretch it further
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 370 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28g |
| Servings | 4 |
| Total time | 25 minutes |
Figures are estimates and will vary with the brands and exact quantities you use.
Common questions
How long does Sheet Pan Fajita Bowls take to make?
About 25 minutes from start to finish, including prep. If you chop and measure ahead of time, the active cooking is closer to 15 minutes.
Can I make this ahead of time?
The prep work can be done a day ahead, which cuts the time on the night substantially. The finished dish is best eaten soon after cooking, though leftovers keep for a few days.
How many does this serve?
Four as written, at 370 calories and 28g of protein a serving. It scales up cleanly if you have the pan space; just avoid crowding, which steams rather than browns.
Can I cook this without an oven?
Partly. The roasted elements can be cooked in a covered skillet over medium heat instead, turning occasionally. You will lose some of the caramelised edges but the dish still works.