The BEST Flank Steak Marinade Recipe

This Flank Steak Marinade made with soy sauce, garlic, onions, citrus, and more is exactly what you need to make the perfect flank steak!

Our marinade for flank steak is easy to make and tastes fantastic.  Make your grilled flank steak and serve it alongside some homemade guacamole, fresh pico de gallo, and classic keylime pie.

Flank Steak Marinade

Flank Steak Marinade Ingredients

• Oil – Olive oil
• Soy sauce – Make sure you’re using a gluten free soy sauce if you need the marinade to be gluten free
• Worcestershire sauce
• Vinegar – Balsamic
• Lemon juice – Fresh is idea
• Mustard – Stone ground mustard is best, but dry mustard works if you’re in a pinch
• Garlic – For best flavor you’ll want to use fresh garlic
• Black pepper – Ground
• Onion powder

Gather and measure your ingredients before beginning.

How do you marinate a flank steak? (Step-by-step)

⭐ First, add all ingredients except flank steak to blender and run until smooth, reserve some for basting and dipping.

⭐ Next, pour remaining marinade over steak and refrigerate at least overnight.

⭐ Then, cook on a medium heat grill or under a broiler in the oven, basting periodically.

⭐ Finally, after allowing the meat to rest, slice thinly against the grain.

Add everything to the blender. (You could also use a stick blender).

Preparation

Can you make flank steak marinade in advance?

You can prepare this marinade several days in advance, or even longer if you freeze it. I like to make a large batch of marinade in advance and freeze it in mason jars for later use.

How long do you have to marinate flank steak?

For best results, you’ll want to marinate the steak at least overnight, but ideally 24 hours and up to 3 days.

Can you marinate flank steak too long?

More than three days in the marinade and you run the risk of the acid in the marinade denaturing the proteins too much and causing the outside of the steak to become tough, while the inside gets mushy.

Can you freeze steak in the marinade?

You can freeze steak in the marinade because by freezing it essentially stops the marinating process, thereby avoiding the risk of over processing it. I like to freeze it in gallon bags.

Blend until smooth.

Storage and leftovers

Can you save leftover marinade?

If the marinade has been in contact with raw meat, it should not be saved. If you realize you’ve made too much marinade, reserve it before using it on the steak.

How long does marinade last?

It will last the until the earliest use-by date on your ingredients. So check each ingredient, and then label the marinade with the earliest date. Store unused marinade in the refrigerator or freezer.

I like to marinate my steak in a gallon bag for a day or two.

Variations on the Best Flank Steak Marinade

This recipe is absolutely fantastic, but once you’ve nailed it, try playing around with new and interesting flavors.  Here are some ideas!

🟢 Use a different citrus – Try lime juice, or grapefruit juice instead of lemon juice.

🟢 Make it tropical – Blend a mango into the marinade for a sweet tropical flavor.

🟢 Try another vinegar – We use balsamic, but how about apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or even classic white vinegar.

Put it in a dish so there are no leaks. 💧

More sauces and marinades

• Citrus vinaigrette dressing
• Easy chimichurri sauce
• Apple cider vinegar dressing
• Classic honey mustard
• See all our marinade and condiment recipes!

Ready for the grill!

More awesome steak recipes

• Grilled ribeye steak
• How to broil a flank steak
• Steak salad with goat cheese
• Cast iron seared steak

🔥🔥🔥

Tools we love

• Outdoor propane and charcoal grills – you guys, we grill every. single. week.  Sometimes multiple times in a week!  I used to be a total charcoal grill snob, but now I know that propane has it’s time and place.  Like Tuesday evening after soccer when you just don’t have 45 minutes to get charcoal going!
• Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Skillet – cast iron doesn’t have to be expensive to be beautiful.  Use it on your grill, on your stove top or in your oven!
• Lodge Cast-Iron Reversible Grill/Griddle – my husband got this for me a few Christmases ago and I have since bought a second. I keep one on the grill (oh em gee, perfect sear) and one in the oven (see also: perfect sear).
• Chefs Basics 18-Piece Stainless-Steel Barbecue Set – we all need the right grill tools. Yes, yes we do.

🔪🥩❤

How to Make the Best Flank Steak Marinade

The BEST Flank Steak Marinade

This Flank Steak Marinade made with soy sauce, garlic, onions, citrus, and more is exactly what you need to make the perfect flank steak!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Marinade

Cuisine: American

Keyword: flank steak marinade

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 374kcal

Author: April Woods

Ingredients

• 1 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard dry mustard works if you're in a pinch
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tablespoon onion powder
• 3 pounds flank steak

Cook ModeToggle to green to prevent your screen from going dark while you cook!

Instructions

• Add all ingredients except flank steak to blender and run until smooth, reserve 1 cup for basting and dipping.
• Pour remaining marinade over steak and refrigerate in a shallow pan or ziploc bag at least overnight, or up to three days. (Or you can freeze your steak in the marinade for later!)
• Cook on a medium heat grill, or under a broiler, basting frequently until you reach desired doneness.
• Allow to rest several minutes before slicing against the grain.

Video

Notes

Calories are automatically generated. For best results calculate based on your exact ingredients. 

Find full grilling directions here: GRILLED FLANK STEAK RECIPE

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Nutrition

Calories: 374kcal

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Want more summer favorites? Try our Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe!

6-17-15, 2011