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.
Kimberly Smith says
Fantastic tasting flank steak! I only buy beef tenderloin, as it’s the only cut of beef my kids will eat. Decided to buy a bulk piece of flank steak (comes with two very large pieces) and marinate for 24 hours in this marinade. Absolutely delicious. Will be making this again!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear! Thanks, Kimberly! I know, flank steak is one of my favorite cuts, especially with this marinade.
Bill says
Wow! My new go to marinade for everything! Like eat a Michelin Star restaurant ever time I come in the house from the grill. Wonder if there's a horseradish sauce recipe on this site? Outstanding! Thanks You for sharing.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Bill! Great to hear it! Yes, I have the Horseradish Sauce Recipe Here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/horseradish-sauce/. Enjoy!
David says
Made this for a football tailgate, noon game, so we did breakfast. It was AMAZING!!! Big, bold flavor, not much spice, but that can easily be remedied if you want more. Everyone loved it and kept going on about it. I marinated for 30 hours in a vacuum sealed bag. SUPERB! Thanks for the recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! A nice long marinade! Glad everyone enjoyed it!
BW says
Fantastic recipe! I I grilled a flank steak yesterday after marinating for 24-hours and it was incredibly tender, juicy, and delicious. Yesterday's dinner leftovers will be today's lunch steak sandwich with horseradish.
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Glad you love it, BW!
Paul says
Excellent as usual. Made this a few times and love it marinade is ace, even cooking it in the rain, UK weather
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Paul! I use this one all the time. So good! Glad you like it!!
Mark Severson says
The marinade is very flavorful.
Highly recommend trying it at least once.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Mark!! Thanks!!
Catherine says
This looks amazing. I am trying it tonight. Two questions -
- after marinading, does it sit out on the counter, or in the fridge?? May seem like an odd question, but I just saw another flank steak recipe which had the meat sit out until ready to cook.
- I don't grill. Can I cook on the stove in a cast iron pan?
Thanks!!
Mike Hultquist says
Catherine, best to marinate in the fridge (covered), but then bring to room temp (30 minutes or so) before cooking. Yep, works GREAT in a cast iron pan. Enjoy!
Catherine says
Thanks for the quick reply!!
Cindi says
Let me just say that I have not had flank steak in years. It used to be the 'cheap meat' but has gotten quite pricey in recent years. We found a good sale and took a chance. Well, THIS marinade! I could not believe how tender it made this steak. It was delicious!!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes!! Thanks, Cindi. I know, this is my GO TO! Glad you like it! Thank you for sharing.
Stuart says
I made this last night for my Son's birthday dinner. SO DAMN GOOD! I vacuum sealed the flank steak in with the marinade, along with several sprigs of rosemary. I marinated for two days with no apparent degradation to the meat. I grilled it and then I boiled the left over marinade to allow people to drizzle it over their meat. It was probably the best flank steak I have ever eaten.
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! This is awesome to hear, Stuart! I love it! Thanks for sharing this.
Susan says
Hands down one of the best marinades I have ever used! Delicious!
Mike H. says
I am supper happy to hear it, Susan - thank you!
Melissa Burnette says
Best marinade ever! This has become one recipe that has been added to the frequent flyer rotation because it's so good.
Mike H. says
I am very pleased to hear it, Melissa. Enjoy!
anthony guerrieri says
wonderful recipe to upgrade a tuff cut of meat....5 stars for sure
Mike Hultquist says
Yes!! Thanks, Anthony! Big flavor! Makes flank steak one of my favorites.