Brady Evans does something she’s never before done: she lets her husband peruse the recipes and select the week’s meals.
Text And Photo By Brady Evans
Recently I was feeling completely uninspired when planning my week’s meal menu. I handed a select group of cookbooks over to my husband and allowed him to do something I’ve never before done: peruse the recipes and select our week’s meals. 
Of course, he chose a meat-laden entree for each and every day. I’m mostly vegetarian these days – meat maybe twice per month by my choosing.
This dish is not heavy on the beef and I enjoyed the inclusion of beans in the meat mixture. I guess you could say we were able to ‘meat each other halfway.’
And I’m glad I did. This meal was truly restaurant quality.
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Beef and Bean Fajitas with Avocado Tomato Salsa
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Savor restaurant-quality fajitas featuring a savory beef and black bean filling, topped with fresh avocado and cilantro.
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb (350 g) thinly sliced beef
- 16 oz (475 mL) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 16 oz (475 mL) canned tomatoes
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cumin
- 1 tsp (5 ml) chili powder
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Flour tortillas, for serving
- Avocado, diced, for topping
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil and heat until shimmering.
- Add the thinly sliced beef to the skillet and stir fry until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, cumin, and chili powder to the beef. Cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the canned tomatoes and black beans. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Warm the flour tortillas according to package instructions.
- Serve the beef and bean mixture in the tortillas. Top with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, you can omit the beef and double the beans.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a skillet over medium heat.
- Serve with additional lime wedges for extra brightness.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5 grams
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 15 grams
- Carbohydrates: 50 grams
- Fiber: 12 grams
- Protein: 28 grams
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — the notes specifically say to omit the ¾ lb of beef and double the black beans for a vegetarian version. The cumin, chili powder, garlic, and canned tomatoes base will still give the filling plenty of flavor, and the avocado and cilantro toppings remain the same.
Why mix beans into the beef rather than keeping them separate?
The article explains this was the author’s own compromise — she describes herself as mostly vegetarian and appreciated that the dish is “not heavy on the beef” by mixing 16 oz of black beans into the meat mixture. She calls out this approach as what made it restaurant quality and says it let her and her carnivore husband “meet each other halfway.”
This recipe was lovely. While we were cooking the steak,in the first couple minutes, we added sweet bell peppers and mushrooms. Once we filled out shells we finished with brie cheese. He added hot peppers and I used a green salsa. It was soooo good thank you!