This bold and zesty flank steak marinade comes together fast in the blender with fresh lime juice, garlic, cumin, and jalapeño-classic Mexican-inspired flavor in every bite. The marinade does double duty: tenderizing the meat and acting as a sauce for serving. After a quick 10-12 minutes on the grill, the steak is juicy, charred, and packed with flavor. Serve it over greens, with grilled vegetables, or in warm tortillas for unforgettable flank steak tacos.
Flank steak is a long, flat cut of beef known for its bold, beefy flavor and visible grain that runs the length of the meat. Because it comes from the well-exercised belly of the cow, it's best cooked quickly over high heat and served medium-rare for maximum tenderness. With fresh lime, garlic, cumin, and jalapeño, this flank steak marinade boosts tenderness and packs in flavor without extra fuss.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Flank Steak Marinade
- Big, bold flavor - A bright, punchy marinade of lime, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeño infuses the steak with irresistible Mexican-inspired taste.
- Fast and versatile - Flank steak cooks in minutes and works beautifully on salads, in tacos, or with grilled veggies.
- Double-duty marinade - The same marinade works as a fresh sauce for serving, saving time and boosting flavor.
For another flank steak recipe, try this Asian inspired flank steak recipe with ginger.
What You'll Need
Flank steak marinade
- Cilantro - Freshly chopped for bold, herbaceous flavor.
- Olive Oil - Use a good-quality extra virgin olive oil for richness and body.
- Jalapeño - Half a medium jalapeño, seeded and deveined, finely chopped. Adds a subtle kick without overpowering heat.
- Lime Juice - Freshly squeezed for bright acidity that balances the richness.
- Garlic - Three large cloves, for bold, aromatic depth.
- Dijon Mustard - Adds tang, a touch of heat, and helps emulsify the marinade.
- Shallot - Finely chopped for a mild oniony sweetness.
- Worcestershire Sauce - Optional, but recommended for umami depth and complexity.
- Ground Cumin - Warm and earthy, it gives the marinade a southwestern edge.
- Sea Salt - Enhances all the other flavors.
- Black Pepper - Freshly ground for a bit of bite.
Steak
- Flank steak - A lean, flavorful cut that grills quickly. Trim excess fat for even cooking. It's one single piece of meat.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt, and black pepper.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the steak - Try skirt steak or flap steak for similar texture and quick cooking.
- More heat - Use serrano for more heat or a pinch of red pepper flakes for convenience, or use the whole jalapeno, seed, white veins, and all.
- Shallot alternative - Substitute with red onion if needed; it brings similar sharp-sweet flavor.
- Cilantro-free option - Use flat-leaf parsley or a mix of parsley and fresh oregano for a different twist.
- Citrus variation - Mix in a little orange juice with lime for a more mellow, slightly sweet profile.
Chef's Tip: how to get perfect grill marks? Use the 10:00 and 2:00 trick. When you lay the meat on the grill, point one end towards 10:00 on the clock. When first set of grill marks are set, move that point to 2:00. When grill marks are set, flip the steak and finish grilling.
How to Make a Flank Steak Marinade
Note - Use part of the marinade for the steak, and reserve the rest (untouched by raw meat) as a fresh sauce to serve.
- Add all marinade ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Place the flank steak in a zip-top bag with half of the marinade. Seal and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to overnight.
- Prepare to grill. Remove the steak from the marinade and discard the used marinade. If the steak has been refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes to take the chill off.
- Preheat your grill to high and clean the grates well. Oil the grates to prevent sticking. Grill the steak for about 11 minutes total, turning once-keep the first side on longer to develop nice grill marks.
- Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute.
How to Cut Flank Steak
After allowing the flank steak to stand for a few minutes to reabsorb juices, slice thinly across the grain to maximize tenderness. Slicing across the grain is critical. Use a sharp chef's knife or a sharp slicing knife.
Chef's tip: If your herbs and spices are more than 12 months old, buy fresh jars. Be sure to date them when opened. Store them in a cool dark place like a drawer, cabinet, or pantry, not next to the stove where light and heat degrade their flavor.
Serving Suggestions
With a Mexican flavor profile, this grilled steak is great served with a pile of soft corn tortillas and thinly sliced veggies. Go grain-free by skipping the corn tortillas and use cassava tortillas and serve with this easy cole slaw recipe.
Storage and Leftovers
Let the steak cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze leftover flank steak, slice the cooked steak thinly, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or reserved marinade, or enjoy cold on salads, tacos, or wraps.
For another terrific Mexican-inspired recipe, try this Mexican chicken tortilla soup. It's filled with big bold flavors and topped with wonderful garnishes.
Recipe FAQs
Flank steak benefits from at least 1 hour of marinating at room temperature. You can marinate it up to 12 hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor-just let it come to room temp before grilling.
Yes. You can make the marinade up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reserve half to use as a sauce for serving.
Yes. Skirt steak is the closest substitute and also works well with high-heat grilling. Flat iron or flap steak are good options too, just adjust cooking time based on thickness.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this flank steak marinade, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. They really help other readers. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating!
📖 Recipe
Flank Steak Marinade (for grilled flank steak)
Ingredients
Meat
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak
Marinade & Sauce
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- ⅓ cup olive ol
- ½ medium jalapeno seeded, deveined, chopped fine
- 3 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire optional but recommended
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Make the marinade
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a blender and pulse to puree, or use the small bowl of a food processor.
Marinate the steak
- Place steak in a heavy zip bag. Cover steak on both sides with approximately ⅓ cup of the marinade and squeeze out air. Reserve the rest of the clean marinade for your sauce. Marinate flank steak, refrigerated, for 2-3 hours or overnight for best flavor.
Grill the steak
- When ready to grill, remove steak from the refrigerator and allow to stand approximately 45-60 minutes to get the chill off. Pre-heat grill over high heat and be sure the grates are clean. When grill is hot, drain marinade off of steak. Sprinkle both side with salt and pepper. Grill flank steak approximately 11 minutes in total. For grill marks I do 4 minutes one direction, 4 minutes the other, (top side down) then flip the meat for the final 3 minutes. Flank steak is best done medium rare, to about 125ºF - 130°F.
- When done, allow steak to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing to insure moist meat. Slice cross-grain into thin strips. Serve with clean marinade as sauce on the side or drizzled over the top.
Notes
Nutrition
Would you like to save this recipe?
Never lose a recipe! We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
OMG this looks amazing, wanna get some flank steak soon to try this!