Grilled Asian Marinated Flank Steak

This Grilled Asian Marinated Flank Steak brings bold flavors and tender meat texture together in one incredible dish.

This Asian marinade takes an ordinary flank steak and turns it into something really special. It’s a little spicy from the chili sauce, a little tangy from the lime juice and there’s just the right amount of saltiness from the soy sauce.

This marinade is also a popular choice to season chicken, pork or even portabella mushrooms. The versatility factor cannot be overstated. 

This steak is great hot off the grill or later at room temperature. You can serve as the main dish in a plated dinner, sliced over salads, tucked into tacos, rolled into rice bowls, or served alongside grilled vegetables. It’s one of my favorite recipes to provide me multiple meal options throughout the week.

What Makes This Recipe Great

✅ Double Duty Marinade – The soy sauce and acidity from the lime juice breaks down tough muscle fiber, while the garlic, Asian chili sauce, fresh cilantro and green onion build layers of flavor that penetrate deep into the meat. You get tender, juicy steak without any special equipment or complicated techniques.

✅ Quick and Easy Grilling – The relatively thin profile means it cooks quickly to your desired doneness, and using medium-high heat helps develop a caramelized crust while staying juicy inside. When you slice it against the grain, each bite practically melts in your mouth despite being a lean cut of beef.

✅ Budget Friendly – This flank steak recipe turns an affordable beef cut into something that tastes like it came from an upscale steakhouse. Flank steak typically costs significantly less per pound than premium cuts, yet delivers comparable satisfaction when prepared correctly.

What to Serve with Grilled Asian Marinated Flank Steak

Grilled Potatoes
For me, these Foil Packet Grilled Potatoes  are my go-to easy grilled potatoes. There’s very little prep time (15 minutes), everything is done on the grill and clean up is so easy. It’s my favorite way to grill potatoes and prepare a super simple side dish.

Asian Rice Pilaf
This Asian Rice Pilaf really takes just a few more minutes to make than regular, plain rice, but it’s so worth it! And it pairs perfectly with grilled meats.

Asian Broccoli Slaw with a Tangy Vinaigrette
The vinaigrette is so easy to make. It’s a little tangy from the rice wine vinegar and it also has a little heat from the red pepper flakes. Then, add in a nutty flavor from the sesame oil. Such a great combo!

Freezing and Storing Leftovers

To Store:
Let your cooked steak cool to room temperature before storing, which should take about 30 minutes. Wrap sliced steak tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Properly stored, it stays fresh for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. 

To Freeze:
Freeze cooked steak for up to 3 months. Wrap individual portions in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag with all air pressed out. This double-layer protection prevents freezer burn.

How to Reheat

If frozen, allow meat to thaw to room temperature. I highly recommend using the microwave to reheat as a last resort as it can quickly overcook the steak in very little time. I prefer the stovetop method.

Stovetop Method
Heat a skillet over medium heat with a small amount of oil or butter. Add thawed steak slices and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just warmed through.

Recommended Equipment

Tips and Tricks

• Grating the garlic rather than mincing it helps it to incorporate better into the asian marinade.
• If you’re not a fan of cilantro, fresh parsley is a good substitute to add brightness to the marinade.
• My preference is to use lime juice, but lemon juice can be substituted if that’s what you have on hand.
• To marinate the steak, place the marinade and steak in a gallon size zip-loc bag. It makes clean up extra easy.
• The steak needs to marinate for at least 30 minutes. However, a longer marinade time (12-18 hours) adds more depth of flavor and a slightly more tender consistency.
• If you only have 30 minutes to marinade, that is ok! The steak will still take on the marinade flavors. To help tenderize the steak even more, poke several times with a fork just prior to grilling.
• Because cooking time can vary, to ensure the right level of doneness, I use a meat thermometer as a final check (for example, medium is between 140-150 degrees F).

Ingredients Needed to Make Asian Marinated Flank Steak

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Juice of one lime – Adds brightness to the marinade and the acidity helps to tenderize the meat.
• Soy sauce – Add umami flavor as well as saltiness.
• Fresh garlic – Grating the garlic is recommended to help to better distribute the garlic into the marinade.
• Asian chili sauce – Adds spiciness. You can add more or less depending on how spicy you want the marinade to be.
• Peanut oil – I prefer this for the flavor, but vegetable oil or canola oil can be substituted.
• Fresh cilantro – Adds brightness to the flavor of the marinade.
• Green onion – For mild onion flavor.
• Black pepper – To taste.
• Flank steak – This cut of meat tends to be tougher than other cuts, so it’s perfect for marinating which will help to tenderize the steak.

How to Make Asian Marinated Flank Steak

• Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl.
• Gradually whisk oil into the mixture.
• Add cilantro, green onion and black pepper.
• Pour marinade into a ziploc bag and add flank steak.
• Refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Heat grill to 400-450 degrees.
• For a 1 inch steak, cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side for medium rare. Using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should be approximately 130-140 degrees F.
• Remove from grill, tent with aluminum foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.
• Slice at an angle into thin slices across the grain and serve.

ENJOY!

 

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