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This Grilled Marinated Flank Steak is juicy, tender, and packed with bold savory flavor thanks to a soy-lime marinade, quick grilling time, and a few simple techniques that guarantee perfect results every time.
With simple ingredients and just minutes of hands-on prep, this marinated flank steak is suited to be served as an entrée alongside Marinated Veggie Kabobs, piled onto an Asian Noodle Salad, or tucked into a rice bowl with Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice.
Key Takeaways: Marinated Flank Steak
- Yield: Marinade for one flank steak; 4-6 entrée portions
- Marinating Time: 2 to 8 hours
- Easy Prep + Quick Cooking: Just 5 minutes to whisk together the marinade and about 10 minutes on the grill.
- Versatile Serving Options: Serve sliced as an entrée or use for tacos, salads, wraps, grain bowls, or rice bowls.
- Why This Recipe Works: Lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic infuse the beef with bold Asian flavor while working to tenderize the beef ensuring it stays melt-in-your mouth tender.
Recipe Highlights
Kristen's Key Tips
Flank steak is a lean cut of beef that can easily turn out tough or chewy if overcooked or improperly sliced. The good news? With my tips, you can avoid that! Between the flavorful marinade, quick grilling time, and proper slicing technique, this recipe delivers flank steak that is flavorful and tender every single time.
- Lime juice + soy sauce do the heavy lifting. The soy sauce adds deep savory flavor while the acidity from the lime juice helps tenderize the beef, just as it tenderizes chicken in my cilantro lime chicken marinade.
- Score the steak lightly before marinating. A shallow diamond pattern helps the marinade penetrate the surface of the meat.
- Don't marinate longer than 8 hours. Any longer and the texture can start to become mushy from the acid in the lime juice.
- Flank steak is best served medium-rare. Since it is naturally lean, overcooking can cause the meat to lose moisture and become chewy. Pull it from the grill around 128-130°F and let it rest before slicing. Same is true when it comes to preparing steak to make my London Broil recipe.
- Slice against the grain. Flank steak has long muscle fibers that can feel chewy if sliced incorrectly. Cutting against the grain shortens those fibers, making the steak significantly more tender.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
- Flank Steak: This marinade works well for a 1½ to 3-pound flank steak. I would double the marinade if your flank steak is over 3½ pounds.
- Olive Oil: For this recipe, I recommend using refined light olive oil over extra virgin olive oil as it has a higher smoke point that is ideal for grilling.
- Soy Sauce: I prefer reduced-sodium soy sauce so the steak stays flavorful without becoming overly salty. Use Tamari or gluten-free soy sauce to keep this recipe gluten-free if needed.
- Brown Sugar or Honey: Adds balance to the lime juice and helps create beautiful caramelization on the grill.
- Fresh Garlic + Ginger: Fresh is absolutely worth it here. They add bold flavor and give the steak a slightly Asian-inspired twist similar to my Salmon Bites recipe.
- Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice gives the best flavor and helps tenderize the steak naturally.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Adds a subtle kick that rounds out the marinade. Increase, decrease, or omit as needed.
How to Grill Marinated Flank Steak
This step-by-step section walks you through how to marinate and grill flank steak with ease and consistently delicious results.
- Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and black pepper until fully combined.
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels. This removes any excess moisture that can waterdown the marinade.
- Using a sharp knife, lightly score the steak in a shallow diamond pattern. Don't cut deeply into the meat, you just want to break the surface so the marinade can penetrate more effectively.
- Place the steak into a large zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over the steak. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. If possible, flip the steak halfway through marinating for even flavor.
- Remove the steak from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Place on a preheated grill and grill over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side. Or until it reaches an internal temperature of 128-130°F.
- Transfer the flank steak to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. This step keeps the juices inside the meat instead of all over your cutting board.
- Once rested, slice the steak thinly on an angle against the grain to keep things tender.
Serving Suggestions
The beauty of this grilled flank steak recipe is how versatile it is. Below are a few of my favorite suggestions
- As a Plated Dinner: Serve alongside grilled zucchini salad, grilled corn on the cob, or sautéed sugar snap peas.
- Add to a Salad: Add to any mixed greens salad, such as a Mandarin Orange Salad or an Asian noodle salad for an added source of protein.
- Make a Grain Bowl: Top Instant Pot white rice, Instant Pot brown rice, Instant Pot quinoa, or Instant Pot cilantro lime rice with sliced grilled flank steak along with diced avocado, steamed edamame, and homemade sweet chili sauce for added flavor.
- Make Wraps or Sandwiches: Add sliced flank steak to wraps with shredded cabbage or layer into toasted rolls slathered with homemade bang bang sauce for an easy steak sandwich.
- Add Leftovers to Quesadillas: Add leftover flank steak, shredded cheese, and maybe leftover fajita vegetables to flour tortillas and pan-fry for a quick weeknight dinner.
Storage & Meal Prep Tips
- Refrigerate: Store leftover grilled flank steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat Gently: Warm leftovers in a skillet over low heat just until heated through. Overheating can make the flank steak tough.
- Enjoy Cold: No need to reheat when leftover flank steak is served over salads or tucked into wraps.
- Freeze Before Marinating: Add the scored flank steak and marinade directly to a freezer-safe bag and freeze immediately for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator for 16-24 hours, then plan to cook immediately. As the meat thaws, it marinates at the same time. Dinner multitasking at its finest.
Grilled Marinated Flank Steak FAQs
Can I Freeze flank steak in this Marinade?
Yes! Score the steak as directed, add to a freezer-safe storage bag, along with the marinade and immediately place in the freezer. Let thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then plan to cook immediately. The chicken will marinate as it defrosts and once fully defrosted, it should be cooked shortly. Any longer results in an unpleasant texture.
Can I cook flank steak in the oven instead of grilling?
Absolutely. Broil the steak on a foil-lined baking sheet about 4-6 inches from the broiler for roughly 4-5 minutes per side, or until it reaches 128-130°F. Rest and slice as directed.
What temperature should flank steak be cooked to?
For the most tender results, cook flank steak to just below medium-rare or about 128-130°F. As the meat rests, it will rise a few degrees and reach medium-rare which is ideal for flank steak.
More Favorite Marinated Entrées
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
- Honey Soy Chicken Thigh Marinade
- Jerk Chicken Kabobs
- London Broil Marinade
- Marinated Greek Chicken
- Honey Garlic Pork Chop Marinade
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
Thanks to a bold soy-lime marinade, quick cooking time, and a few simple techniques, this marinated flank steak grills up incredibly juicy, tender, and packed with flavor.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil, + more for greasing grill
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar, or honey
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic, -5 cloves
- ½ tablespoon grated ginger root
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 (1½ to 3 pound) flank steak
Instructions
- In a large shallow dish or glass measuring cup, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup lime juice, ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, ½ tablespoon grated ginger root, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of black pepper until combined.
- Pat the flank steak dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Then this is optional, but strongly encouraged, using a sharp knife, make shallow cuts across steak in about 1-inch intervals. Repeat the opposite direction, to create a diamond-shaped pattern. Don't cut through the steak, you just want to break the surface to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat as best as it can.
- Place the steak into the shallow dish with the prepared marinade, or into a large storage bag and pour the marinade over the steak. Toss to coat the steak evenly in the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours, turning the steak once or twice during the process.
- When ready to grill, lightly grease the grates of a grill or grill plate with oil then preheat to medium-high.
- Remove the steak from the marinade, letting the excess drip into the bowl or bag. Place the marinated flank steak on the grill and grill for 4-5 minutes per side, for medium-rare or an internal temperature of 128-130℉. (It will continue to rise in temp as it rests).
- Transfer the grilled steak to a cutting board, tent with foil, and rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Once rested, slice the steak thinly on an angle against the grain for the most tender results.
Notes
Olive Oil: I recommend using refined light olive oil over extra virgin olive oil as it has a higher smoke point that is ideal for grilling.
Soy Sauce: Use Tamari or gluten-free soy sauce to keep this recipe gluten-free.
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Omit, increase, or decrease as desired to control the spice level.
Broil vs. Grill: Broil the steak on a foil-lined baking sheet about 4-6 inches from the broiler for roughly 4-5 minutes per side, or until it reaches 128-130°F. Rest and slice as directed.
Freeze Before Marinating: Add the scored flank steak and marinade directly to a freezer-safe bag and freeze immediately for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator for 16-24 hours, then plan to cook immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 131kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0.1mgSodium: 395mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 55IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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