This Instant Pot Fajita Steak Soup recipe is full of hearty protein and nutritious vegetables for a comforting meal full of flavor, even without the carbs! Prep it ahead of time for easy dinners any night of the week! Paleo and Whole30 Options. (Instant Pot & Stove Top Options)
The 2nd edition of our soup week series, this steak soup has all the taste of fajitas you love with the ease and convenience of soup!
Mexican-Inspired Meal Prep
I’ll let you in on a little secret. I don’t like to meal prep. Do you? Let’s face it, though. It can be a lifesaver when it comes to time management, especially when Fall season approaches and life gets crazy! There’s something so reassuring knowing that whatever happens throughout the day, I’ll have food on the table without extra effort. Oh, and my second secret? Soup! Soup is hands down THE EASIEST option for meal prep. Not only are soups easy to make, but they’re also customizable to fit all your needs. I already sense you nodding your head. Yes, yes bring on SOUP SEASON!
Personally, I love anything spicy with a Mexican flare! Hence my love for these dishes; Tex-Mex Egg and Cheese Cauliflower Casserole, Mexican Quinoa Skillet Dinner, and Baked Mexican Cauliflower Rice with Chorizo! They always come in handy! Not only are they super tasty, but they’re also quick to make and store super well for easy leftovers.
So, I thought, why not continue this trend but in a more warm and cozy way? Fajita Soup anyone? Yep! Today, we’re dishing up everyone’s favorite restaurant order and turning it into a Mexican beef soup with Instant Pot Fajita Steak soup to be exact!
It’s got all the flavor and spice you love. Plus, it’s packed full of filling vegetables and steak for a well-rounded meal that will satisfy your tastebuds, meet your nutritional needs, and stay fresh all week long! Clearly, I’m a big fan, and my husband was, too. I’ll let you decide for yourself, though. Let’s Cook!
Steak Soup Ingredients & Easy Alternatives
Based on what kind of fajitas you like best, and how spicy you want your soup, there’s a long list of ingredients I could add to this recipe. To keep things simple, I included only the most nutritious and delicious items. However, if you don’t have them available, they can easily be swapped with the suggestions below!
Steak – I used steak filets, but stew meat would work just as well. If you don’t eat red meat, you could use chicken, shrimp, or tempeh in its place.
Salsa – I prefer a thick and chunky salsa, but you could opt for pico de gallo or a smoother salsa instead. Feel free to experiment with spice levels as well based on your own tolerance for heat!
Tomatoes – For the best flavor, I highly recommend using diced tomatoes with green chili. If you can’t find this specific variety any diced tomatoes with Mexican spices will work, too.
Cauliflower Rice – If you aren’t following a Whole30 diet, plain white rice can be substituted. Or, try including other riced vegetables such as zucchini.
Bell Pepper – In all honesty, there’s not a perfect substitute for bell peppers. However, poblano peppers will yield a very similar flavor. Ir, If you prefer, you can omit the peppers altogether.
Broth – Both chicken broth and chicken stock can be used in this steak soup. If you prefer, you can use vegetable or beef broth instead. Just be aware that, while still delicious, the flavor of the soup might be slightly altered.
Jalapeño – Not a fan of spice? No problem! Just omit the jalapeño or scrape off the seeds. If you can’t find jalapeños, chili peppers work, too!
Nutrition Tip: To easily increase the iron absorption from iron-rich protein sources such as steak, try pairing them with ingredients that are naturally high in vitamin C like the lovely immunity-boosting peppers and tomatoes in this recipe! (Source)
2 Quick Ways to Make Low Carb Fajita Soup
One of the great things about this Mexican-inspired recipe is how versatile it can be! With two cooking options, it’s always easy and guaranteed to please!
Instant Pot
To start, remove any excess fat from the steaks, you’ll want to keep a little around the edges for searing. Then make sure all the other ingredients are diced and ready for cooking.
Place the instant pot on the sauté setting, and add the steak, garlic, and onion. Brown the meat for 2-3 minutes making sure to flip it once halfway through. Once cooked, remove it from the instant pot, let it rest for 2 minutes, and slice it into stew pieces.
Note: Resting meat before slicing into it allows the juices to distribute and creates tender, juicy bites!
Add the sliced meat back to the instant pot along with the remaining ingredients, and place the lid back on. Press the manual mode pressure cook option, cook the soup for 12 to 15 minutes. Thicker cuts of steak will take 15 minutes. Once the time is up, simply let the instant go to slow release. After 5 minutes, hit quick release to let the extra steam out. Be careful though, that steam is still hot!
Pro-Tip: Quick release works just as well. Just be sure to keep it on warm mode after pressure is released.
To finish, stir the ingredients, add any seasonings and toppings to taste, and enjoy!
Stove Top
Similar to the instant pot version, start by heating a stockpot on medium heat. Then, add the steak, garlic, and oil letting it brown for 2-3 minutes. Once cooked, let the beef rest 1-2 minutes before slicing.
Note: If you’re using stew meat, you can skip letting it rest.
Next, add the veggies to the pot, and sauté them for 2 minutes before adding the meat back in along with the salsa, tomatoes, and spices.
Once the ingredients are well mixed, cover the pot with a lid, and let it cook on medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes.
Pro-Tip: Once cooked, taste the soup to ensure the vegetables are soft and flavored with the broth.
Finally, adjust any seasonings to taste, and dig in!
Optional Toppings
Full of fajita seasonings, this soup is super flavorful by itself, but a topping or two never hurt anyone, right? Plus, they make any bowl look picture-worthy and impress your guests! A few of my favorite additions include shredded cheese, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, and a dash of hot sauce if you’re brave.
Storage Tips
Ideal for meal prep, this steak soup stays fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or, for a longer-lasting option, place it in the freezer for up to 1 month.
More of Our Favorite
Homemade Soup Recipes
Easy Fajita Steak Soup (Paleo)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Healthy fajita steak soup (instant pot or stove top)- A Mexican-inspired paleo soup that’s easy and delicious! Whole 30 friendly.
Ingredients
- 12 ounce sirloin steak or two 5-6 ounce steaks. *See notes for other options.
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 3 cloves
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 1 cup thick chunky salsa or pico de gallo of choice (mild or hot)
- 1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chili or canned diced tomatoes with other Mexican spices
- 2 cups cauliflower rice (1 small head with stem removed, see notes for easy prep)
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- pinch of chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cup chicken broth or chicken stock (gluten free)
- 1 cup fresh (torn) cilantro (about 1 small bunch)
- 1 jalapeno, sliced.
- avocado slices and optional peppercorns to garnish
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from steaks. Keep some fat around edges for searing. Set aside.
- Plac instant pot on sauté setting. Place the steak, garlic, and oil in the instant pot.
- Brown meat with garlic and oil on sauté mode for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping once.
- Remove from instant pot and let the steak rest for 2 minutes. Slice meat pieces.
- Place the meat back in the instant pot, and add in the remaining ingredients; salsa, tomatoes, cauliflower rice, bell pepper, cumin, chili powder, salt/pepper, and broth. Mix until combined. Then, place the lid back on the instant pot.
- Press Manual mode pressure cook. Cook for 12 -15 min. 15 minutes for thick steak and 12 for thinner steak. Set to slow release for 5 minutes, then quick release. (Quick release works just as well just be sure to keep it on warm mode after pressure is released.)
- Stir ingredients in the instant pot. Adjust seasonings, if desired, while the soup is still warm.
- Serve hot and garnish with torn fresh cilantro, jalapeño slices, avocado slices, and peppercorn.
STOVE TOP OPTION
- Heat a large stock pot to medium. Add steak meat (or stew meat) and brown with oil and garlic. Slice meat once browned and rested for 1-2 minutes. If using stew meat, skip the resting.
- Add the vegetables (cauliflower rice and bell pepper) to the pot, sauté for 2 minutes on medium. Add the sliced steak meat back into the pot along with salsa, tomatoes, spices, and broth. Mix together.
- Cover with lid and set to medium-low for 30 – 35 min or until meat and vegetables are cooked seasoned well with the broth. Taste and adjust if needed.
- Serve and garnish with cilantro, jalapeño, avocado
SEE NOTE FOR STORAGE. This soup does freeze well.
Notes
- If you wish to skip searing steak fillets, you can buy stew meat already sliced and brown it in instant pot.
- Store in airtight container in fridge for up to 7 days. Or freeze for 3 months.
- Frozen cauliflower rice maybe used but be sure to cook/steam prior to placing into the instant pot. Remove/drain extra water after cooking frozen cauliflower rice.
- Category: dinner
- Method: Instant Pot or Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 264
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 1588.1 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.5 g
- Fiber: 6.1 g
- Protein: 23.5 g
- Cholesterol: 57 mg
Keywords: mexican, soup, instant pot, pressure cooker, steak, paleo, dairy free, whole 30, keto, fajitas
I know soups are sometimes reserved for the colder months. However, if I’m being totally honest, I make this recipe all year long. It’s just that good! Do you have any favorite soups? Let me know in the comments below!
Cheers,
LC
