Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Use this simple flank steak marinade and you’re well on your way to tender, flavorful grilled flank steak! The balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavor makes this recipe a winner.
How long it takes: 10 minutes (plus 2 hours marinating time); 15 minutes to grill
Equipment you’ll need: shallow dish or zip-top bag, grill
Servings: 4
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Pin ItFlank steak is delicious—if you prepare and cook it the right way. Since it’s such a lean cut, marinating it before cooking can go a long way towards making it tasty and tender. Marinating flank steak helps break down the tough fibers, ensuring a juicy, tender result. And, of course, it also infuses the meat with flavor, which is another bonus!
This easy flank steak marinade can be used to make grilled flank steak, as in the recipe card below, or you can pan-sear it, broil it, or even make air fryer steak with it. However you cook it, it’s going to be fan-flipping-tastic because this marinade has just the right balance of acidic, sweet, and savory flavors, plus thyme for an herbal note that makes the steak delectable with roasted fingerling potatoes.
Best Flank Steak EVER
Marinade is a must for flank steak. Flank steak is inexpensive compared to other cuts of steak, but that’s because it needs a little extra TLC to coax out its deliciousness. A marinade is the best way to transform this budget cut of beef into something that will get everyone running to the table.
Everyday ingredients. Most of the ingredients you need to make your own flank steak marinade are in your fridge and pantry already. (My chicken thigh marinade is similar!) Homemade marinade is so much better-tasting than bottled and it’s less expensive to make your own, too.
Excellent for meal prep. Marinating steak is a great way to do meal prep. When you’re ready to grill, your steak is also ready to go—and infused with flavor! The steak can be marinated for up to eight hours, so you can get it going in the morning if you want. You can even prep the marinade a couple of days ahead of time so it’s ready when you are.
Ingredient Notes
- Soy sauce: I like to use reduced-sodium or lite soy sauce so I have a little more control over the salt level. Soy sauce is the base of the marinade.
- Olive oil: Really, you can choose any neutral-flavored oil. Using oil in a marinade helps deliver the flavor deeper into the meat, making it extra delicious.
- Balsamic vinegar: Balsamic vinegar has a little more richness and natural sweetness than other types of vinegar. The rich flavor of balsamic and beef steak is a good combination!
- Worcestershire sauce: This condiment is fermented and contains a variety of spices and herbs. It’s slightly sweet and salty, and brings lots of umami to the table.
- Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard perks up the marinade with a pop of sharp flavor. You don’t necessarily taste it in the marinade but if it wasn’t there, the overall flavor would fall a little flat.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but you can use garlic powder if you’re in a pinch. (The marinade can be stored longer if you use garlic powder.)
- Brown sugar: Either dark or light brown sugar will work here.
- Herbs and seasonings: I like to use easy pantry items like dried thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. You can omit the salt if you’re not using low-sodium soy sauce.
How to Make Flank Steak Marinade
Make the marinade. Whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, sugar, and seasonings in a small bowl.
Marinate the steak. Set the steak in a shallow dish or place it into a resealable bag. I usually use a bag but I always set the bag in a dish to contain any possible leakage. You don’t want meat juices dripping through your refrigerator! Add the marinade and flip the steak a few times to coat it. Cover or seal the bag, and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to overnight.
How To Grill Flank Steak
Preheat the grill. It’s important that the grill is nice and hot before you start grilling the steak. I usually take the steak out of the refrigerator before I turn on the grill so it has time to warm up a little. If the steak is ice-cold, it doesn’t cook as evenly.
Grill the steak. Remove the flank steak from the marinade, and discard the liquid. Since flank steak is very lean, you may want to lightly oil the grates before you grill the steak so it doesn’t stick. Grill the flank steak on both sides, four to five minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the meat, how hot your grill is, and how you like it done. Monitor the temperature with an instant-read thermometer.
- Medium-rare: 130 to 135°F internal temperature
- Medium: 140 to 145°F internal temperature
- Medium-well: 150 to 155°F internal temperature
Serve. Allow the steak to rest for five to ten minutes after you remove it from the grill. This gives time for the juices to settle down in the meat so they don’t all run out when you slice it. To serve, slice the flank steak into thin strips, cutting against the grain.
Helpful Tips
- Pierce the steak first. Sometimes I pierce the meat in several places with a fork before marinating. This allows the flavors to penetrate deeper into the meat.
- Don’t marinate too long. Never over-marinate steak, or any other meat for that matter. After a certain point, the meat will begin to get mushy and actually is tougher once it’s cooked.
- Let the meat come to room temperature. For more even cooking, allow the steak to come to room temperature before you cook it. An ice-cold steak will be seared on the outside but still raw on the inside. By the time the inside is cooked properly, the outside is too dry.
- Never re-use marinade. Once you’ve marinated the steak, discard the marinade.
Easy Recipe Variations
- Use a different cooking method. The flank steak doesn’t have to be grilled. You can easily pan-fry it, broil it in the oven, or air fry the steak. Use your favorite cooking method. No matter which one you choose, your marinated flank steak will be amazing!
- Add ginger. For an Asian-style marinade, add grated fresh ginger to the recipe and omit the thyme. If I’m leaning more into Asian flavors, I usually swap in rice vinegar instead of using balsamic.
- Give it Tex-Mex flair. Omit the thyme, and use oregano instead (Mexican oregano is even better!). Add a teaspoon of chili powder and a pinch of chipotle to give it smoky flavor. This marinade is perfect for steak fajitas!
- Make it gluten-free. Soy sauce has gluten in it, but using tamari, liquid aminos, or coconut aminos will make your flank steak marinade gluten-free.
More Ways to Use Flank Steak Marinade
- Other cuts of steak. This marinade works well with other cuts of beef, such as skirt steak (another inexpensive cut that needs TLC!) or sirloin.
- Chicken. Chicken drumsticks and grilled chicken thighs would stand up well to this marinade.
- Pork. Pork chops and pork tenderloin would be home runs with this recipe too!
Refrigerate: This steak marinade can be made in advance. It will keep (without meat in it) for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Store it in a tightly covered container, or a jar with a tight-fitting lid. If you substitute garlic powder for the fresh garlic, it will keep even longer, for a couple of weeks if it’s stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
More Steak Recipes
Flank Steak Marinade and Grilled Flank Steak
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak (up to 2 pounds)
- ¼ cup soy sauce (low-sodium if preferred)
- ¼ cup olive oil (or another mild flavored oil)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (see note)
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
To Marinate:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, brown sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper to make the marinade.¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Place the flank steak in a zip-top bag or a shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the steak, ensuring it is fully coated. Seal the bag or cover the dish, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably up to 8 hours or overnight for the best flavor and tenderness.1 ½ pounds flank steak
To Grill:
- When ready to cook, preheat your grill to medium-high heat (400-450°F). Clean and lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
- Remove the steak from the marinade and discard the used marinade.
- Grill the flank steak for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temperature should reach 130 to 135°F). Adjust the cooking time based on your preferred level of doneness (see chart below). All cooking times will vary greatly based on the thickness of your steak, the temperature of the grill, and the starting temperature of the steak. Use an instant read thermometer for best results.
- When the steak is cooked to your liking, remove it from the grill and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice the steak against the grain into thin strips, and serve.
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes enough marinade for 1 ½ to 2 pounds of flank steak.
- Cooking tips: Pierce the steak in several places with a fork to let the marinade permeate the meat more deeply. Allow the steak to come to room temperature while you preheat the grill so that it cooks more evenly. Check the internal temperature of the steak to ascertain when it’s done.
- Medium-rare: 130 to 135°F internal temperature
- Medium: 140 to 145°F internal temperature
- Medium-well: 150 to 155°F internal temperature.
- Nutrition note: Calculated for one 8 oz. serving of steak. Since most of the marinade is discarded, the nutrition information is not really accurate. It’s difficult to ascertain how much of the marinade penetrates into the meat.
- Salt: If you choose to use regular soy sauce, not reduced sodium, you may want to omit the ½ teaspoon of added salt.
- Other cooking methods: Marinated flank steak doesn’t have to be grilled. You can pan-sear it, broil it, or even make air fryer steak.
- More uses: You can use this marinade for other cuts of beef, chicken thighs or drumsticks, pork chops, or pork tenderloin.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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