This simple flank steak marinade recipe is easy to whip together with pantry ingredients for perfect grilled flank steak every time. Fire up the grill! Perfect for skirt steak, too. I love steak topped with cowboy butter!
Flank Steak Marinade Recipe
It's time for one of my favorite recipes on the grill, my friends. Are you ready to get grilling? We're talking Grilled Flank Steak, and it is seriously fantastic.
Flank steak is easy to make and always satisfies. Because it is a thinner cut of beef, it grills up in minutes. I've made so many flank steaks over the years I've lost count, but one thing that makes the biggest difference is the marinade.
Yes, the best Flank Steak Marinade will make the best grilled flank steak, period.
My flank steak marinade is easy to whisk together from mostly pantry ingredients - like soy sauce, olive oil, vinegar - along with a mix of some of my favorite spices. And hot sauce, of course!
It's just the right amount of spicy and the perfect flavor building combination to give you the most satisfying, perfectly grilled flank steak every time. I love this marinade!
It's also very easy to adjust to your own personal tastes, so feel free to use it as your new base recipe. If you love flank steak, I think you're going to love this dish.
It works perfectly with a nice skirt steak as well.
Let's talk about how we make grilled marinated flank steak, shall we?
Flank Steak Marinade Ingredients
- Liquids. Soy Sauce, Olive Oil, Vinegar (white or apple cider), Honey (or use brown sugar), Spicy Brown Mustard, Hot Sauce.
- Seasonings. Fresh Garlic (garlic powder is good, too), Cayenne, Paprika, Red Pepper Flakes, Dried Oregano, Cumin. Salt and Pepper.
- For the Steak. 1.5 to 2 pound Flank Steak. This recipe is great for skirt steak as well, or other cuts of meat.
How to Make Flank Steak Marinade & Grilled Flank Steak - the Recipe Method
Make the Flank Steak Marinade. Whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, mustard, garlic, hot sauce and seasonings in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Marinate the Flank Steak. Add the flank steak to a wide pan or into a large plastic baggie and pour the marinade over it. A baking dish works great for this. Be sure to cover the steak.
Massage the marinade into the steak with your hands.
Marinating Times. Marinate the flank steak for at least 1 hour, or overnight for more flavor penetration. You can marinate for 24 hours.
Marinating overnight will give you a lot more flavor and will better tenderize the muscle fibers of the meat. Highly suggested.
For Grilled Flank Steak.
Heat the Grill. Heat a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.
Grill the Flank Steak. Remove the flank steak from the marinade and discard the marinade. Cook the flank steak for 3-4 minutes, then flip and grill another 3-5 minutes, or until done to your desired doneness.
See below for temperatures. You're really grilling for only a few minutes per side.
Rest the Flank Steak. Remove the flank steak from the grill and add the steak to a plate or cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Slice and Serve. Slice against the grain and serve.
Boom! Done! Your perfectly grilled flank steak is ready to serve. Thinly sliced! The flank steak marinade is key here to infuse all that wonderful flavor. Looks delicious, doesn't it?
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Flank Steak Serving Temps. Serving temps for flank steak are as follows: Rare: 125 degrees F. - Medium Rare: 135 degrees F. - Medium: 145 degrees F. - Medium Well: 155 degrees F. - Well Done: 165 degrees F. - Flank steak will rise in temperature as it rests, so remove the steaks from the grill 5 degrees below your target temperature, then rest.
- Additional Marinade Ingredients. You can easily adjust the ratios of your flank steak marinade, and also include other ingredients to your preference. Other ingredients I've seen include balsamic vinegar, lime juice or lemon juice, fresh chopped herbs and other seasonings.
- What to Serve with Grilled Flank Steak. So many options! I love to top my flank steak with a fresh herbaceous sauce like chimichurri, chimichurri rojo, zhug or chermoula. For side dishes, a simple veggie dish is always welcomed for us, like calabacitas, cajun fries, jerk rubbed grilled corn, or a refreshing vinegar coleslaw.
Storage Information
This flank steak marinade will last for 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can also freeze it for 3 months or longer.
If you'd like to make it ahead of time but plan on keeping it more than 5 days, it is best to freeze it, then thaw later when you want to marinate your flank steak or skirt steaks.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my flank steak marinade recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Recommended Cookbook & Products
If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.
- The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
Meat Thermometer
I recommend the Thermoworks Thermapen ONE thermometer (affiliate link, my friends!).
Try Some of My Other Marinade Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Flank Steak Marinade Recipe (for Grilled Flank Steak)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar or use apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey or use brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard or use Dijon mustard
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1.5 pound flank steak
Instructions
For the Flank Steak Marinade
- Whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, mustard, garlic, hot sauce and seasonings in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the flank steak to a wide pan or into a large plastic baggie and pour the marinade over it. Be sure to cover the steak. Massage the marinade into the steak with your hands.
- Marinate the flank steak for at least 1 hour, or overnight for more flavor penetration. You can marinate for 24 hours.
For Grilled Flank Steak.
- Heat a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.
- Remove the flank steak from the marinade and discard the marinade. Grill the flank steak for 3-4 minutes, then flip and grill another 3-5 minutes, or until done to your desired doneness. See below for temperatures.
- Remove the flank steak from the grill and set onto a plate or cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice against the grain and serve.
Video
Notes
Medium Rare: 135 degrees F.
Medium: 145 degrees F.
Medium Well: 155 degrees F.
Well Done: 165 degrees F. Flank steak will rise in temperature as it rests, so remove the steaks from the grill 5 degrees below your target temperature, then rest.
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 7/14/23 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 9/15/21.
Will demers says
Maybe you should throw some sauce recipes in it
Mike Hultquist says
I have a lot of spicy sauce recipes here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/sauces/
Tony says
Followed your recipe exactly with exception of a few more cloves or garlic . Results were fantastic . I marinated the meat for 24 hours , set grill at 500 and cooked for 4 minutes each side .
Marinade had great flavor and reminded me of a mild teriyaki with nice kick of heat at the end.
Another great recipe will use this marinade on some steaks I have . Thanks Mike
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Tony!! Glad you enjoyed it!! BOOM! I love to hear it.
Rikki from WA state says
I marinated for a full 24 hours; the steak grilled up tender and full of flavor. Father's Day dinner was a hit, thanks to your winning recipe, Mike. Thanks a bunch!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent!!! Glad it was a hit, Rikki!
Vickie says
Another winner Mike! The flavor was so good! Our first bite elicited Mmmm's…
Mike Hultquist says
Perfection!! Thanks, Vickie! Glad it was enjoyed!
Kathy says
5 stars! I made this last weekend and everyone loved it! I used jarred Calabria chili peppers instead of red pepper flakes. I didn't have any worcestershire sauce so omitted that. Periodically though out tge day I would massage marinade into meat. No left overs. our dinner party ate every last bite.
Mike Hultquist says
Perfection! Glad you all enjoyed it, Kathy! I love it. =)
Jackie says
I tried this and the marinade made the flavor delicious. I marinated it like you said for at least 24 hours, but the skirt steak still was very tough in some areas and I grilled it to rare/medium rare. What can I do for the toughness?
Mike H. says
Hey, Jackie. It sounds like you've done everything right with the marinade. However, toughness in skirt steak can sometimes be due to its natural composition of muscle fibers. Quality of the meat is very important, so that could be why it's tough. Also, allow the steak to rest for a few minutes after grilling. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender texture.
Linda B. says
I tried this because it had so many more ingredients than most flank steak marinades, which led me to believe it would equal more depth of flavor. Wow - that was so true. This is by far the best I've found. I used natural honey that had gotten a little grainy, but it melted in just fine. Mexican oregano and no salt for me.
Thanks for the great recipe!!
Mike Hultquist says
Success! Thanks for sharing, Linda. Very happy you enjoyed it!
Nichole says
I love this marinade, but trying to do keto. Has anyone made it without the honey? I’m nervous it won’t be near as good without it.
Mike Hultquist says
Nichole, you can definitely make this without the honey. It's great without it. Lots of flavor!
Ali says
New favorite steak marinade very flavorful. I would not add any additional salt because the soy sauce makes it salty enough. My family loves this and have made it 3x this month. Very versatile, my boys love it in steak fajitas. I use siracha and pul bieber chili flake because that’s what I have but I love how flexible this recipe is.
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent, Ali! Very happy your family enjoys it! Thanks!
Kimberly Bondzinski says
I'm a flank steak lover, and this is hands down the best recipe I've made. The spice is so flavorful. I've joined your mailing list and look forward to more of your creations.
Mike H. says
I am really happy to hear that, Kimberly. Thank you and enjoy!
Rene Leroux says
yes
amy f says
So tasty!