These easy and delicious vegan fajitas will come out sizzling just like you'd expect from a gourmet Mexican restaurant!
The beauty of vegetable fajitas is that you can use almost any veggies you have on hand. This recipe features vibrant and colorful bell peppers, hearty portobello mushrooms, red onion and black beans coated with a flavorful homemade fajita seasoning.
Serve with a variety of toppings such as avocado (avocado spread or guacamole), vegan sour cream, pico de gallo, lettuce and cilantro (or a creamy cilantro lime sauce) and you've just created a family-style meal that everyone can customize and enjoy, including kids!
Contents:
- What are fajitas?
- Ingredients
- Suggested toppings
- How to make vegan fajitas
- Tips for making fajitas
- How to store
- More Mexican entrees
What are fajitas?
Fajitas are a Tex-Mex cuisine consisting of a variety of fillings cut into strips and wrapped in soft tortillas. Although they originally included strips of meat such as steak or chicken, they now frequently include a combination of vegetables cut into relatively equal-sized slices. Bell peppers, portobello mushrooms, onions, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, zucchini... the possibilities are endless!
I love veggie fajitas because you can cook everything all at once in a cast iron skillet. It is quick, easy and creates very little mess!
These fajitas are perfect for both kids and adults because each person can choose their own fillings and toppings. My kids generally go heavier on the rice, avocado, vegan cheese and plain beans that I set aside for them whereas I typically pack mine with beans, rice, veggies and ALL the fixings.
Ingredients
- Tortillas
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Bell peppers (red, yellow and green)
- Portobello mushrooms
- Red onion
- Black beans
- Fajita seasoning (see mix below)
- Optional toppings:
Bell peppers
Bell peppers range in color and flavor based on how ripe they are. A red bell pepper is riper and therefore sweeter and milder than a green bell pepper. Yellow peppers fall in the middle between red and green. I love the variety each color provides.
Select bell peppers that are brightly colored and firm with tight skin. You can store bell peppers for up to five days in a plastic bag in your refrigerator.
Portobello mushrooms
Mushrooms are low in calories and high in dietary fiber and riboflavin. They are also a good source of niacin, copper and pantothenate.
Red onion
Red onions are full of antioxidants and also contain vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, folate and potassium. Select red onions that are shiny and dark purple.
Black beans
Black beans are an inexpensive and rich source of plant-based protein and iron, both of which can often be lacking for vegans, as well as folate. Black beans also offer calcium and potassium.
Fajita seasoning
This fajita seasoning perfectly balances the mild heat from the chili powder and cayenne pepper with the subtle sweetness from the maple sugar. You'll need the following:
- Ground chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Fine salt
- Maple sugar (or coconut sugar)
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
Tortillas
I use almond flour tortillas to keep this dish gluten-free. My personal favorite are the almond flour tortillas from Siete Foods.
Suggested toppings
Avocado or guacamole
Guacamole adds a cold, creamy yet slightly crunchy texture that contrasts beautifully with the warm and savory veggies and beans. If you want to save a little time, adding plain avocado is a simpler option that accomplishes a very similar result!
Pico de Gallo (salsa fresca)
Pico de Gallo is the perfect refreshing topping for this dish. The diced fresh tomatoes pair beautifully both in taste and aesthetics. It also can provide a little spice to the fajitas depending on how much jalapeño you use.
Vegan sour cream
Vegan sour cream adds the perfect amount of tang to these fajitas. All you need is cashews, water, lemon, apple cider vinegar and salt. Everything goes straight into the blender and out comes homemade sour cream! It takes only 5 minutes to make, but using store-bought vegan sour cream is also an option if you need to save time.
Rice (white or brown)
Adding rice to the tortillas helps absorb some of the delicious juices. I love pairing rice with the black beans to create a complete source of plant-based protein. If you are short on time you can use frozen rice that is ready in minutes in the microwave.
Cilantro
Cilantro is an herb that people seem to either love or hate. I love it because it adds a pop of freshness and herby flavor. However, it is perfectly fine to leave this out!
Plant-based cheese
The toppings mentioned above provide more than enough flavor and texture for these fajitas, so I personally don't crave any cheese for this dish. But for the dairy-free cheese lovers out there, homemade vegan mozzarella would be a wonderful addition!
How to make vegan fajitas
1. Slice the vegetables
Wash the vegetables with water and place them all on a cutting board. Slice each of them into relatively equal sizes and set them aside.
2. Sauté and season the vegetables
I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet when making this recipe so that you end up with sizzling fajitas. Heat extra virgin olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and fajita seasoning. Cook for 20 minutes, tossing frequently.
3. Add black beans to the cast iron skillet
Once the vegetables have been cooked, add the black beans to the skillet and cook everything for another 5 minutes.
4. Char the tortillas (optional but so worth it!)
Charring the tortillas on an open flame keeps them soft while adding a subtle crispiness that is ideal for this dish. To do so, place a tortilla over the flame of a gas stove set to medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs until they are slightly blackened and warm.
5. Assemble your fajitas!
This is the fun part! Start by adding rice to the tortilla. Then add the fajita veggies and black beans. Top it with the guacamole/avocado, Pico de Gallo, vegan sour cream and cilantro and then squeeze some fresh lime juice for the finishing touch!
Tips for making fajitas
Don't worry if you are missing one of the ingredients! This recipe is incredibly flexible in terms of the vegetables you can use. It really boils down to what you are craving and what you have on hand. Switching them up from time to time also adds variety!
Add a little of each filling to the tortilla first to avoid overfilling. Who isn't guilty of overpacking the fajita to the point where you end up with half of it on your plate? While I agree that is part of the fun with this dish, if you start with a little of each you can always top it off with more of your favorite ingredient when done.
Prepare the toppings in advance. While toppings such as guacamole, Pico de Gallo and vegan sour cream individually are pretty quick to make, making these fajitas is a breeze when all are pre-made. Plus it makes clean-up super easy!
How to store
The vegetables and beans can all be stored together in one airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Store all other toppings in the refrigerator in separate airtight containers:
- Pico de Gallo: 2 days
- Guacamole: 2-3 days
- Cooked rice: 3-5 days
- Vegan sour cream: 5-7 days
More Mexican entrees
If you love fajitas, you'll also love these:
Sheet pan veggie black bean tacos - veggies tossed in a homemade taco seasoning.
Easy vegan baked taquitos - black beans and vegan cheese baked to perfection.
Easy vegan sweet potato black bean enchiladas - the perfect weeknight one-pan meal.
For even more ideas, check out my favorite vegan Cinco de Mayo recipes!
Please take photos of your creations and tag me @eatingbyelaine so I can see your fajitas come to life!
Print
Quick Vegan Fajitas with Black Beans
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These easy and delicious vegan fajitas will come out sizzling just like you'd expect from a gourmet Mexican restaurant!
Ingredients
Fajita Fillings:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 bell peppers (red, yellow and green), stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced
- 1 portobello mushroom, sliced
- 1 small red onion, ends removed, peeled, sliced
- 1 15-ounces can of low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
Fajita Seasoning:
- 2.5 teaspoons ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon maple sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 tortillas (I prefer almond flour tortillas to make it gluten-free)
Toppings (any or all):
- cooked rice (white or brown)
- avocado or guacamole
- cilantro
- Pico de Gallo
- vegan sour cream
- lime wedges
- vegan mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Slice the vegetables. Wash the vegetables with water and place them all on a cutting board. Slice each of them into relatively equal sizes and set them aside.
- Sauté and season the vegetables. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and fajita seasoning ingredients. Cook for 20 minutes, tossing frequently.
- Add black beans to the skillet. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Char the tortillas (optional). Char each tortilla over an open flame of a gas stovetop set to medium heat. Heat for a few seconds per side until they are slightly blackened and warm.
- Assemble the fajitas. Add the fillings and toppings to the tortillas. Garnish with cilantro if desired and squeeze some fresh lime juice overtop for the finishing touch.
Equipment
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- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: vegan tortillas
Amy A. says
These look amazing!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Amy!
Anjali says
These vegan fajitas were so easy to make and were packed with flavor!! They were the perfect easy dinner for our family last night - and everyone loved it!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Anjali! I'm so happy to hear that!
Kristen says
I made these for my vegan mom--she LOVED them (and so did I!) Thanks!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Kristen! I'm so happy to hear that you both enjoyed them so much!
dana says
This was so tasty! Nice change of pace for Taco Tuesday. Everyone loved it!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Dana! I'm so happy to hear everyone loved!
Andrea says
This is a quick, easy and very satisfying meal. My whole family are going to love these fajitas.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much! Thank you for the five star review, Andrea!
Shadi Hasanzade says
The combination of portobello mushrooms and black beans is just perfect. We’re trying to eat vegan dinners at least twice a week and this is going to be one of our favorites!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Shadi! I'm so happy to hear you enjoy this combination. I hope this continues to be a go-to for your vegan nights! Best, Elaine