Ingredients & pantry
The fajita pantry
What every fajita ingredient is, how to choose it, how to store it, what to substitute, and how much to use — from dried chiles and cumin to skirt steak and tortillas.
Ingredient guideAncho ChilesThe dried, wrinkled form of the poblano pepper, ancho chiles bring a mild, raisin-like sweetness and deep red color to fajita marinades and rubs. They are the workhorse chile of most Tex-Mex and Mexican seasoning blends.
Ingredient guideBell PeppersThe colorful, sweet strips sizzling alongside the meat in nearly every fajita platter, bell peppers add sweetness, color, and a satisfying char without any heat at all.
Ingredient guideChipotle Peppers in AdoboSmoke-dried, ripened jalapeños canned in a tangy adobo sauce, chipotles bring a distinctive smoky heat that turns an ordinary fajita marinade into something closer to Tex-Mex barbecue.
Ingredient guideCilantroA fresh, citrusy herb used as a finishing garnish rather than a cooked-in seasoning, cilantro adds the last layer of brightness to fajitas and the toppings served alongside them.
Ingredient guideCorn TortillasMade from nixtamalized corn masa, corn tortillas bring an earthy, slightly mineral corn flavor to fajitas and are the more traditionally Mexican counterpart to the flour tortilla's Tex-Mex association.
Ingredient guideCuminEarthy, warm, and slightly bitter, cumin is the single most identifiable spice in fajita seasoning — the flavor most people picture when they think "Tex-Mex" actually comes from cumin more than from any chile.
Ingredient guideFlank SteakA leaner, more widely available alternative to skirt steak, flank steak has become the more common choice for home fajita cooking thanks to its size, consistent thickness, and easier availability.
Ingredient guideFlour TortillasSoft, pliable, and a little sweet, wheat flour tortillas are the traditional wrap for Tex-Mex fajitas — a distinctly Northern Mexican and Texan choice compared to the corn tortillas used further south.
Ingredient guideGarlicFresh garlic is the single most load-bearing aromatic in a fajita marinade — it builds the savory foundation that lime and chile then brighten and season on top of.
Ingredient guideGuajillo ChilesA slender, deep-red dried chile with a tangy, berry-like brightness, guajillo is often paired with ancho in fajita marinades to add acidity and backbone that ancho alone lacks.
Ingredient guideJalapeñosThe most familiar fresh chile in American kitchens, jalapeños add reliable, moderate heat to a fajita marinade, filling, or topping without requiring a trip to a specialty grocery store.
Ingredient guideLimeLime juice supplies the acid that both flavors and tenderizes a fajita marinade, and a squeeze of fresh lime at the table is what makes the finished dish taste bright instead of heavy.
Ingredient guideMexican OreganoBotanically unrelated to the Mediterranean herb of the same name, Mexican oregano has a bolder, citrusy, slightly licorice-like edge that stands up better to cumin and chile than its Italian counterpart does.
Ingredient guidePoblano PeppersDark green, wide-shouldered, and gently spicy, fresh poblanos add a deeper, earthier flavor to the classic bell-pepper-and-onion fajita filling than sweet peppers alone provide.
Ingredient guideSkirt SteakThe original fajita cut, skirt steak is a long, thin, deeply beefy piece of meat from the diaphragm that rewards fast, hot cooking and careful slicing against the grain.
Ingredient guideSmoked PaprikaMade by smoke-drying peppers over oak fires in Spain, smoked paprika adds a mellow, wood-fired aroma to fajita seasoning without the heat of chipotle — useful when you want smokiness but not extra spice.