This homemade Fajita Seasoning recipe is the perfect spice blend to add flavor to any kind of fajitas. Whether you’re making shrimp or chicken fajitas, steak or vegetable fajitas, this easy seasoning mix will add just the right amount of spice to liven up any fajita recipe! Mix it up in just 5 minutes, with 8 simple ingredients, and use it to make the best fajita marinade!

Fajita seasoning spices in white bowl on wood tray

Table of contents

When I met my husband, he lived on a cereal and fajitas diet most of the time. Needless to say, his diet has gotten quite the upgrade over the last few years! Even though I’ve incorporated a lot of new recipes into his weekly meal plan, he still loves fajitas.

We make chicken fajitas, beef fajitas and veggie fajitas regularly for dinner. With this homemade fajita seasoning, it’s easy to make any night fajita night!

I love making my own seasonings at home! It has so many benefits vs. buying store-bought pre-made seasonings.

Why you should make homemade seasoning

  1. It’s cheaper! Check out the bulk spice section at your local grocery store for spices at a fraction of the cost. The commercial size spices at Costco, Smart and Final, or Amazon are also great for making your own seasoning blends. You can then make spice blends for an entire year at a fraction of the cost!
  2. You know exactly what’s in it! No hidden ingredients, like in the packets at the store. No secret products that I can’t pronounce containing gluten or sugar!
  3. Making a big batch of your own seasoning blends at home means you always have them on hand.
  4. It tastes better! This seasoning blend has been tested and perfected in my kitchen and I’ve been using it in recipes since 2019. It’s a staple in my pantry and the taste cannot be beat!
spices for fajita seasoning in plastic containers on white wood board

Ingredients

  • Ground cumin – cumin pairs perfectly with the chili powder and cayenne pepper in this fajita seasoning. It boosts the natural spicy flavor of these dried chili powders. And it adds a rich, earthy, and nutty element to the spice blend.
  • Chili powder – be sure to use chili powder, NOT chile powder! Chili powder is a blend of ground dried chili peppers with other spices. Chile powder is straight blended dried chiles and is much spicier than chili powder.
  • Paprika –  while I use traditional paprika to make this homemade fajita seasoning, if you’d like to add a little smokiness to the flavor, feel free to use smoked paprika instead.
  • Dried oregano – feel free to use traditional or Mexican oregano in this recipe. Both add a wonderful peppery flavor to the mix, with the Mexican version having a slightly stronger flavor than the traditional oregano.
  • Garlic powder (or granulated garlic) – the only difference between granulated garlic and garlic powder is that the powder has been ground finer, than the granulated garlic. I prefer to use granulated garlic because it’s less likely to clump over time, than garlic powder.
  • Onion powder (or granulated onion) – the only difference between granulated onion and onion powder is that the powder has been ground finer, than the granulated onion. I prefer to use granulated onion because it’s less likely to clump over time, than onion powder.
  • Sea salt (or kosher salt) – both sea salt and kosher salt can be used interchangeably when cooking. I prefer either kosher or sea salt, over table salt, in this seasoning mix because of their coarse texture and superior flavor.
  • Cayenne pepper – this adds most of the spice to the seasoning mix. Feel free to add more or less, depending on your spice preference.

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 6 months.

Easy as that, in 5 minutes or less, you have a flavorful fajita seasoning, ready to spice up all your favorite fajita recipes!

Fajita seasoning blend in a mason jar with a gold spoon full of the seasoning

How to store it

I store all of my seasoning mixes in half pint mason jars. You can double this recipe and it will fit perfectly in the half pint jars.

If you want to multiply the recipe by 5, use a pint size mason jar. If you want to multiply it by 10, use a 32 oz mason jar.

It’s really easy to change the amount of seasoning that you want to make, since all of the ingredients are measured in tablespoons or teaspoons, simply use 5 tablespoons, or teaspoons, of each seasoning to make 5 times the amount. You can also use 2 tablespoons, or teaspoons, of each seasoning to make double the amount.

The fajita seasoning will stay good in the pantry for up to 6 months. After that the spice blend will not “go bad” but as spices sit longer, they begin to lose their flavor.

Lucky for you, I can pretty much guarantee that you’re going to fall in love with this seasoning mix and you’ll be using it up in way less than 6 months. I know that I’m refilling a pint jar of the seasoning at least once a month in our house!

Taco seasoning vs fajita seasoning

The portions of spices are different in taco seasoning and fajita seasoning. In a pinch you can use them interchangeably, but I recommend making both to keep on hand.

The fajita seasoning contains more dried oregano and salt, with less garlic powder and onion powder than the taco seasoning.

Tips and tricks

  • I recommend using 2 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of protein used to make fajitas. For example, if making chicken fajitas with bell peppers, onions, and 1 pound chicken. I recommend using 2 tablespoons of the spice mix to season the chicken.
  • To make the fajita seasoning spicy, use 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper. To make it medium, use 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and to make it mild, use no cayenne pepper in the spice blend.
  • This recipe is gluten free, and contains no added sugar, making it perfect for a whole30, paleo or keto diet.
spices separated in white bowl on brown serving tray

How to make fajitas

This fajita seasoning makes the best fajita marinade. Combine two tablespoons of fajita seasoning mix with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Use this to marinate 1 pound of meat, either chicken breasts or thighs, sirloin, flank or skirt steak, or shrimp. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.

When ready to prepare the fajitas, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 or 2 sliced bell peppers and 1 sliced red onion to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and add the marinated meat.

For chicken breasts or thighs, cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. For steak, cook for 4-5 minutes per side, for a 1 inch thick steak. If using a thinner steak, like a flank steak or skirt steak, cook for 3 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F for a medium to medium-rare steak.

For large shrimp, cook for 2-3 minutes per side. For smaller shrimp, cook for 1-2 minutes per side.

Fajita marinated chicken, steak or shrimp can also be grilled, instead of cooked on the stove. If using this method, simply cook the bell peppers and onions in a skillet on the stove, then remove them from the heat and set them aside while grilling the protein.

To make vegetable fajitas, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet, add two sliced bell peppers and one sliced onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add 1 cup of sliced baby bella mushrooms, 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, then serve.

Serve the fajitas in tortillas or over rice for fajita bowls. For low carb fajita bowls, serve with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice. My go-to fajita toppings are fresh sliced avocado and cilantro. You can also add cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa or hot sauce.

For more detailed instructions, and tips and tricks, head to this blog post for Chicken Fajitas.

seven layer dip in glass trifle

Other ways to use the seasoning

In addition to traditional fajitas, this homemade fajita seasoning mix adds delicious flavor to these other fajita-inspired recipes!

Fajita seasoning spices separated in white bowl on wood tray

More homemade seasoning mixes

Stock your pantry with all of my homemade spice blends to add flavor to every meal!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Chicken Wing Seasoning

Homemade Chili Seasoning Recipe

Montreal Steak Seasoning

Cajun Seasoning

Italian Seasoning
Fajita seasoning spices in white bowl with gold and white spoon in the bowl
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Fajita Seasoning

This homemade Fajita Seasoning recipe is the perfect spice blend to add flavor to any kind of fajitas. Whether you're making shrimp or chicken fajitas, steak or vegetable fajitas, this easy seasoning mix will add just the right amount of spice to liven up any fajita recipe! Mix up in just 5 minutes, with 8 simple ingredients, and use it to make the best fajita marinade!
Servings: 6 tablespoons
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Author: Whitney Bond
Course: Seasoning
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all of the spices together in a small bowl or mason jar.
  • Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Video

Notes

  • Store the seasoning in a sealed container in a dry, cool area, like the pantry, for up to 6 months. After that the spice blend will not “go bad” but as spices sit longer, they begin to lose their flavor.
  • I recommend using 2 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of protein used to make fajitas. For example, if making chicken fajitas with bell peppers, onions, and 1 pound chicken. I recommend using 2 tablespoons of the spice mix to season the chicken.
  • To make the fajita seasoning spicy, use 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper. To make it medium, use 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and to make it mild, use no cayenne pepper in the spice blend.
  • This recipe is gluten free, and contains no added sugar, making it perfect for a whole30, paleo or keto diet.
  • To make fajitas with the seasoning:
    • Combine two tablespoons of the fajita seasoning with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Use this to marinate 1 pound of meat, either chicken, steak, or shrimp,  for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
    • Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 or 2 sliced bell peppers and 1 sliced red onion to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and add the marinated meat.
    • For chicken breasts or thighs, cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. For steak, cook for 4-5 minutes per side, for a 1 inch thick steak. If using a thinner steak, like a flank steak or skirt steak, cook for 3 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F for a medium to medium-rare steak. For large shrimp, cook for 2-3 minutes per side. For smaller shrimp, cook for 1-2 minutes per side.
    • Fajita marinated chicken, steak or shrimp can also be grilled, instead of cooked on the stove. If using this method, simply cook the bell peppers and onions in a skillet on the stove, then remove them from the heat and set them aside while grilling the protein.
    • To make vegetable fajitas, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet, add two sliced bell peppers and one sliced onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add 1 cup of sliced baby bella mushrooms, 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, then serve.
    • Serve the fajitas in tortillas or over rice for fajita bowls.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 17kcal (1%)Carbohydrates 3g (1%)Protein 1g (2%)Fat 1g (2%)Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat 0.2gSodium 1188mg (50%)Potassium 97mg (3%)Fiber 2g (8%)Sugar 0.3gVitamin A 1136mg (23%)Vitamin C 0.5mg (1%)Calcium 33mg (3%)Iron 2mg (11%)
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