A few weeks ago, the idea of adding asparagus to fajitas popped into my head out of nowhere and I just kind of had to try it. Annnnnd my new fave fajita has been born.
These Fajitas are for the Veggie Lovers
And to be honest, I didn’t always appreciate a pure veggie fajita myself. If you look at my archives you will notice that my previous fajita recipes always had a meatless protein added in. Like the indulgent Roasted Halloumi Fajitas which are a big favorite around here. But spring is coming and I am just feeling like some lighter and purely veggie centric meals, ya know?
So we have our usual trio of fajita veggies here: peppers, onions and portobello mushrooms. But adding asparagus was just the thing we needed to make the dish more interesting. Asparagus is the perfect shape to be sliced into strips, it roasts up well and doesn’t leach any liquid into the pan (crucial for making sure we get a good crisp on all the veggies), so it’s just slotting in perfectly here. The mushrooms provide some “meatiness” while the peppers and asparagus just melt in the mouth. Perfection.
The Case for Sheet Pan Fajitas
I make these fajitas on a baking tray in the oven, and that’s the only way I ever make fajitas at home. While it’s not the most authentic way of going about things (fajitas would usually be seared at high heat on a grill pan or skillet), the sheet pan method just makes sense for the home cook for the following reasons:
- It is a hands off process that keeps things very leisurely. While the filling is roasting in the oven you have plenty of time to set the table and prep the toppings, no stress.
- You can’t really get it wrong.
- You aren’t smoking up the house.
- Your hair doesn’t smell like fajitas afterwards.
No brainer!
Top Tips for Your Ideal Veggie Fajitas
- I am using a premade fajita seasoning (UK folk, I really recommend the M&S brand) but I do have a homemade blend recipe in the notes of the recipe card. Alternatively, I have a few other approaches in other recipes that you could borrow for these fajitas. First of all, sweet chili fajitas which bring in a slight Asian fusion kick. Another option, fajitas with BBQ sauce, which are a little more sticky and saucy if that’s your preference.
- Let’s talk about veggie sizes, because it makes a difference here. Vegetables often run smaller in the UK than the US, so I am using four portobello mushrooms where a US cook might only need two. My red pepper and brown onion are on the larger size for the UK, whereas in the US they’d be more medium. Basically, you’re filling a half sheet pan with veggies but you don’t want to crowd it, so if your quantity of sliced veggies feels a little too high when you’ve sliced it all up, you should save some for another recipe or use an additional baking tray for overflow.
- Speaking of the sheet pan… it’s a half sheet pan I am using here, which is around 18 x 13 inches or 46 x 33 cm. Ideally you want to use a metal and low sided pan for the best crisping. If you need to use a higher sided pan or glass / ceramic, you cook time may end up being a little bit longer.
- Toppings will make or break your fajitas! Add salsa, lime wedges and avocado for a vegan fajita. If you have the time to make an extra sauce, the vegan avocado crema in this recipe could be good. If you don’t need your fajitas to be vegan, cheese and sour cream are probably a given!
More Vegetarian Sheet Pan Dinner Ideas
Sheet Pan Veggie Fajitas with Mushrooms & Asparagus
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced into strips (if your mushrooms are on the smaller side, use 3-4)
- 1 medium onion, sliced into strips
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 6 oz asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2-3 strips depending on length
- 2 tbsp fajita seasoning, see notes for a homemade blend
- 8 small flour tortillas
- toppings of choice: avocado, salsa, lime wedges, etc (add cheese and sour cream if you don't need them to be vegan)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 430F / 220C / 200C Fan.
- We will start with the mushrooms, peppers and onions…Add the sliced mushrooms, peppers and onions to a large mixing bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the fajita seasoning. Mix to combine and ensure all of the veggies are well coated, then scatter on a half sheet pan or your largest baking tray. Place in the oven for 10 minutes.2 large portobello mushrooms, 1 medium onion, 2 tbsp fajita seasoning, 1 large red bell pepper
- Then we'll add the asparagus…Add the asparagus spears to the same bowl you used for the other veggies (don't clean it out first) and mix to coat the asparagus with the residual oil and spices. Assess how well coated it is – will probably want to add a further drizzle of oil and a few pinches of spices to get it well coated. Take the sheet pan out of the oven and add the asparagus to it, then place back in for another 15 minutes.6 oz asparagus
- This is a good opportunity to warm your tortillas… Wrap them in foil, then place them on a lower shelf in the oven. They'll be warm by the time you're ready to serve.8 small flour tortillas
- Check on the veggies… They should be tender and well charred by now. Place them back in the oven for another few minutes if you need to.
- Serve! Scoop your fajita veggies into warmed tortillas, add a squeeze of lime and your choice of toppings, and enjoy!
