Epic Vegetarian Fajitas

Everyone loves this easy vegetarian fajitas recipe! This Tex Mex dinner is full of big flavor and beautiful colorful veggies.

Here’s a Tex Mex favorite that no one can turn down…and it’s a great way to infuse loads of veggies without giving it a second thought. Try these Vegetarian Faijtas! These are so full flavored and satisfying, they please everyone around the table: even the meat lovers! This fajita recipe stars our favorite fajita veggies, blackened in the oven and finished on the stove, with pinto beans cooked in a flavorful fajita sauce. It’s so satisfying, you’ll promptly add it to your regular rotation.

How to make vegetarian fajitas: an overview

These vegetarian fajita recipe can come together in about 30 minutes, and the concepts are very simple. There’s a little back and forth between the cooking methods, so here’s a bit more about the why behind the what:

Prep the veggies: There’s quite a bit of veggies here, so use your most efficient knife skills! Head to How to Cut a Pepper or How to Cut an Onion if you need to brush up.
Broil the veggies (10 minutes): Throw the veggies in a broiler first. This gets them to release their liquid so they’ll all fit in one saute pan, and gets them lightly charred. Why broil instead of baking? You don’t have to wait to preheat your oven, and it’s a quicker broil time.
Meanwhile, get the beans started: Make our homemade fajita sauce (more on that below) and throw it in a skillet with the beans.
Finish the veggies in a skillet: Finishing in the skillet gets them nice and tender. This makes it much quicker than roasting and gets that classic fajita skillet sizzle.

Pinto beans add plant-based protein and flavor

The key to vegetarian fajitas is finding a stand in for meat that has great flavor and a good amount of protein. We’ve used portobello mushrooms in the vegetable mix to add big meaty flavor. But mushrooms don’t have protein, so on their own they’re not very filling.

Pinto beans are perfect for vegetarian fajitas! They’re savory with a robust flavor, and they taste incredible with homemade fajita sauce (we’ll get to that next). If you prefer, you can use black beans instead. Just don’t skimp on the beans, since they’re the major protein source.

Homemade fajita sauce is key

We highly recommend our homemade fajita sauce for this recipe! It’s got a great zing from the lime juice, and a smoky body from the adobo sauce. Here’s a little breakdown of the ingredients, and make sure to head over to Homemade Fajita Sauce for the full recipe:

Lime juice
Cumin
Adobo sauce: from 1 can chipotle peppers
Garlic powder
Salt
Olive oil

What are chipotle peppers in adobo sauce? They’re easy to find at most grocery stores near the Mexican products. The can includes chipotle chiles: smoked and dried jalapeños that are rehydrated and canned, and adobo sauce, a purée of tomato, vinegar, garlic, and other spices. 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 or enchilada sauce.

Toppings for vegetarian fajitas

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 our must-have fajitas toppings (what are yours?):

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: Optional — or use a mashed avocado
Cheese: Optional too! You can add shredded cheddar, feta, queso fresco or cotija cheese: but the flavor doesn’t need it! It’s ultra flavorful as is.

Make it a meal: sides to add

These vegetarian fajitas are fantastic on their own: most nights we don’t even make a side to go with them! (Truth.) But here are a few easy side ideas for adding to make it a meal:

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
Avocado salad: Try an easy Cucumber, Tomato & Avocado Salad

This vegetarian fajita recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free (with corn tortillas).