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    Home » Recipes » Beef

    Best Steak Marinade Recipe

    Published: Jun 26, 2025 by Amanda Mason · Leave a Comment

    Yield 6 people
    Cook 20 minutes minutes
    Prep 10 minutes minutes
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Sliced marinated flank steak topped with freshly parsley.
    Sliced marinated flank steak topped with parsley.
    A flank steak on a grill.
    Sliced marinated flank steak sitting on a white table, topped with fresh parsley and fresh ground pepper.
    Close up of sliced flank steak topped with parsley.
    Seared Flank Steak on the grill, topped with fresh parsley.
    Sliced marinated flank steak topped with parsley.

    The absolute best steak marinade recipe that will quickly become your "go-to" for any cut of beef! Not only does the marinade help tenderize the meat, but it also adds a delicious savory flavor in every bite. This is the only steak marinade you'll ever need!

    Sliced marinated flank steak sitting on a white table, topped with fresh parsley and fresh ground pepper.
    Jump to:
    • Better Than The Rest - Here's Why:
    • Steak Marinade: What You Need To Know About This Recipe
    • 🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
    • 👩🏼‍🍳 Here's Exactly How You Make It
    • 🙋🏼 Top Questions I Get Asked About This Recipe
    • Expert Tips
    • 🥗 A Few Side Dishes That Taste So Good With This Steak Marinade!
    • Steak Marinade Recipe

    Better Than The Rest - Here's Why:

    ✅ Perfect Balance In The Marinade - it has all the key ingredients you need for a solid base: it's made with oil (that's your fat), lemon juice and red wine vinegar (that's your acid), and fresh garlic, soy sauce, and so many more flavorful ingredients (that's your seasonings)! That's why you'll get restaurant quality texture and flavor with this marinade every single time!

    ✅ Best On These Cuts Of Steak - the best cuts of beef to marinate with this recipe are flank, flat iron, skirt, sirloin, and hanger.

    ✅ Quick & Convenient - with just a 10 minute prep time and by using the bowl-and-whisk method, it’s fast and fuss-free. You don't need a blender or food processor like so many other marinade recipes.

    Steak Marinade: What You Need To Know About This Recipe

    • Make Extra For Later: You can make a couple of batches ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator or in the freezer for future use.
    • Marinating Time: For best flavor results, marinate the steak for 12-24 house because not only does it add a ton of flavor, but it also tenderizes the meat making it easier to eat. But if you are short on time, marinate it for at least 2 hours before grilling.
    • Grilling vs. Oven Cooking: This marinade shines when you cook the steak on the grill. But if grilling isn’t an option, you’ll still get delicious results using a cast iron skillet for a pan sear, finishing in the oven, or even trying a reverse sear or broiling method.
    • Quick, Flexible, Reliable, and Flavor-Packed: It delivers restaurant-worthy steaks at home!

    Really delicious, best steak I’ve ever eaten.

    - Michael Mawbey

    🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

    Ingredients on a wooden counter to make a steak marinade.
    • Oil - I've had really great results using Canola Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Grapeseed Oil, or Avocado Oil when making this recipe. My go to for this recipe is olive oil, but all the ones I've listed here taste amazing!
    • Soy Sauce - I don't use salt in this marinade, only soy sauce. It gives steak marinade a deep, savory, meaty flavor that plain salt can’t match.
    • Red Wine Vinegar - it's an acid and helps tenderize the steak (break down muscle fibers and connective tissues.) while marinating.
    • Fresh Lemon Juice - another acid that helps tenderize and adds a nice zesty flavor.
    • Worcestershire Sauce - this adds a deep, savory, slightly tangy flavor (like a flavor amplifier) and also helps with tenderizing the meat (it's made with a vinegar base).
    • Dijon Mustard - adds a zesty bite, but bind together the oil and vinegar in the marinade, creating a way smoother texture than most other marinade recipes out there.
    • Garlic - this gives the steak marinade that savory flavor.
    • Ground Pepper - adds a bit of a "kick"
    • Steak - use any cut you want! My favorite cut with this marinade recipe is either flat iron, flank, or hanger! But, you just really can't go wrong with any cut of steak you use!

    👩🏼‍🍳 Scroll down to the recipe card below for all the details you’ll need to make this recipe!Content

    👩🏼‍🍳 Here's Exactly How You Make It

    White bowl containing marinade.

    Step 1: In a medium bowl, mix the canola oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon Mustard, garlic, and pepper.

    Gallon Ziplock bag containing a steak marinating.

    Step 2: Place the steak in a gallon size Ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over the meat, mixing so it's covered thoroughly. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

    👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tip: If you're not a fan of using plastic bags, you can mix all the steak marinade ingredients in a bowl and then pour the liquid over the steak in a large dish. 

    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

    Enter your email to receive this recipe, along with weekly food inspiration!

    White dish containing flank steak marinating, sitting on a wooden table with a lemon and lemon slices, topped with fresh parsley.

    Step 3: After the meat has marinated, remove it from the plastic bag and let it rest uncovered for 15 minutes at room temperature.

    Seared Flank Steak on the grill, topped with fresh parsley.

    Step 4: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the steak on the grill and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat and continue to grill for 7-10 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

    Sliced flank steak on a cutting board, topped with parsley.

    Step 5: Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 5-7 minutes. Using a steak knife, slice against the grain and then you are ready to serve!

    🙋🏼 Top Questions I Get Asked About This Recipe

    How long should steak marinate?

    At a minimum, steak should marinate for at least 1-2 hours. For best results, let it marinate the steak overnight, 12-24 hours.

    Is it better to marinate in the fridge or room temperature?

    Never marinate steak at room temperature. Doing so will increases the risk of bacterial growth that can make you very sick. Always marinate meat either covered or sealed in the refrigerator.

    Should I poke holes in the steak before marinating?

    I love using this technique because the marinade will seep deeper into the steak and it will also help tenderize the steak even more, making it super flavorful!

    Expert Tips

    1. Allowing the steak to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before grilling helps it to cook more evenly when on the grill.
    2. If you opt to cook the steak in the oven, don't cook it in the marinade. If you grill the steak, don't baste it in the marinade it soaked in. It's just not safe due to bacteria growth.
    3. Try cooking your it in the air fryer or by pan searing on the stove top.
    4. The steak will be juicier if you let it rest once you remove it from the heat. Letting it rest before slicing helps make it extra juicy and you want to do everything you can to hold in the juices.
    5. Make sure you slice against the grain and ensure it is thinly sliced. Using these techniques will result in a more tender steak.

    🥗 A Few Side Dishes That Taste So Good With This Steak Marinade!

    • Cooked french fries on a black slate with parmesan cheese and seasoning
      How To Make French Fries In The Air Fryer
    • White bowl containing homemade mashed potatoes topped with chives, sitting on a white table with a teal napkin, red potatoes in background.
      Homemade Mashed Potatoes
    • White platter containing oven roasted vegetable including asparagus, zucchini, squash, green peppers and onions.
      Oven Roasted Vegetables
    • White bowl of Potato Salad sitting on a wooden table, gingham napkin with onion slices and a wooden spoon.
      Simple Potato Salad Recipe

    If you tried this steak marinade recipe or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And, please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!

    📧 Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter, so that you don’t miss out on any of my delicious recipes!

    Sliced flank steak on a cutting board.

    Steak Marinade Recipe

    The absolute best steak marinade recipe that will quickly become your "go-to" for any cut of steak! Not only does it help tenderize the meat but it also adds a delicious savory flavor. This is the only beef marinade you'll ever need!
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Marinate Time: 12 hours hours
    Total Time: 12 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 338kcal
    Author: Amanda Mason

    Equipment

    • 1 large bowl
    • 1 whisk
    • measuring cups and spoons
    • 1 steak knife

    Ingredients

    For Marinade:

    • ½ cup canola oil
    • ⅓ cup soy sauce
    • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
    • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
    • 1 ½ Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper

    Steak

    • 2 lbs steak, (any cut)

    Instructions

    Grilling Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, mix the ½ cup canola oil, ⅓ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 ½ Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tablespoon of Dijon Mustard, 2 minced garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. 
    • Place the steak in a gallon size Ziplock bag.
      Expert Tip: If you're not a fan of using plastic bags, you can mix all the steak marinade ingredients in a bowl and then pour the liquid over the steak in a large dish.
    • Pour the marinade over the meat, mixing so it's covered thoroughly. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
    • After the meat has marinated, remove it from the container and let it rest uncovered for 30 minutes at room temperature.
    • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the steak on the grill and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes.
    • Lower the heat and continue to grill for 7-10 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.
    • Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 5-7 minutes before slicing.

    Video

    Notes

    • I highly recommend marinating the meat for at least 12 hours, if not 24 hours before cooking. The marinade is full of flavor so take the time and don't skip this step.
    • Let the steak rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
    • If you opt to cook it in the oven, don't cook it in the marinade. If you grill the steak, don't baste it in the marinade it soaked in. It's just not safe due to bacteria growth.
    • Insert a meat thermometer at a slight angle on the side of the steak and when it reaches your desired doneness, remove it from the grill or the oven.
    • It will be more juicy if you let it rest once you remove it from the heat. Letting it rest before slicing (rest for about 5-7 minutes) helps make the steak extra juicy and you want to do everything you can to hold in the juices.
    • Make sure you slice against the grain rather than parallel. Cutting against the grain will result in a more tender steak.

    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

    Enter your email to receive this recipe, along with weekly food inspiration!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 851mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 2.8mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2.4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @RecipesWorthRep or tag #RecipesWorthRepeating!
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    About Amanda Mason

    Hi! I'm Amanda, the founder and creator behind Recipes Worth Repeating! Simply put, I focus on creating delicious recipes for everyone. I offer variety. I offer convenience. I offer yumminess! And that's why people keep coming back. The recipes I create are absolutely worth repeating.

    Founded in 2012, Recipes Worth Repeating grew from people routinely asking me to email them the recipe for my latest dish. Recipe development comes naturally to me and I find cooking relaxing. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, I developed a passion for cooking at an early age and I love to showcase a variety of recipes on my blog.Creating delicious new recipes, still photography, and video for Recipes Worth Repeating is the driving force behind what engages my readers to keep coming back for more recipes they will love.

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