How To Cook Flank Steak

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When it comes to exceptional dinner recipes, this flank steak recipe deserves its place in the spotlight! This cut might not be as famous as a sirloin steak, filet mignon, or New York strip, but with the right methods, it can be just as tasty. I’ll show you how to cook flank steak in the oven, on the grill, and in a pan on the stove, so you can choose the method that’s convenient for you. All of them are so fast!

What Is Flank Steak?

A flank steak comes from the lower abdominal region of the cow, known for its long, flat shape and distinctive grain. It’s a lean and flavorful cut of meat, but it can be tough if not cooked properly, so it’s often marinated, grilled, or sliced thinly against the grain to make it tender.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for beef flank steak, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Selecting Your Beef:

For the best flank steak, look for one that’s bright red with thin streaks of marbling, which adds flavor and tenderness. If you can’t find flank steak, you can use similar cuts of beef, such as skirt steak, for almost the same texture and taste.

Flank Steak Marinade:

• Olive Oil – You can swap olive oil for avocado oil or any neutral cooking oil.
• Coconut Aminos – This is my preferred soy sauce substitute due to its slightly sweet, umami flavor, but if you prefer, you can opt for low-sodium soy sauce.
• Lime Juice – An acidic ingredient is key to making the meat tender. I used lime juice, but you can also use lemon juice, red wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar.
• Garlic – For convenience, you can use 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, but I recommend using fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Kosher salt also works instead of sea salt.

VARIATION: Try a different marinade.

The marinade in this flank steak recipe pairs well with Mexican or Asian flavors, like a taco salad (or simply with a scoop of fresh tomato salsa) or an Asian-inspired cabbage salad, but you can also try balsamic steak marinade instead for something different.

How To Cook Flank Steak

This section shows 3 ways to make flank steak recipes, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

There are 3 common methods for cooking flank steak: broiling it in the oven, grilling it, or pan searing it. The key part to a juicy, flavorful result is the marinade. Other than that, I don’t think there is one best way to cook flank steak, so choose your preference.

Marinate First:

Follow these steps no matter what cooking method you use…

• Whisk together the olive oil, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), lime juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
• Add the flank steak and turn to coat in marinade.
• Cover with plastic wrap, or pour in a zip lock bag and marinate in the refrigerator.

Broiled Flank Steak In The Oven:

This method is similar to a London broil…

• Preheat your oven broiler to High. Place the marinated flank steak on a sheet pan (or even a grill pan).
• Broil, flipping halfway through, until cooked to your desired doneness.
• Rest before slicing.

Grilled Flank Steak:

Grilling is one of the fastest ways to cook this cut of beef…

• Preheat your grill, after you oil the grill grates.
• Grill the flank steak over direct heat, until it reaches your desired doneness.
• Don’t forget to rest away from heat.

Pan Seared Flank Steak:

This is just as fast as grilling, but you can do it year-round…

• Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, until very hot, then add oil.
• Add the steak and sear on both sides until it reaches your desired doneness.
• Rest on a plate before serving.

How Long To Cook Flank Steak?

Cooking flank steak to medium-rare takes 8-10 minutes on the stovetop or on the grill, or 10-14 minutes in the oven (under the broiler). The time will vary depending on the thickness of your steak and how done you like it.

For 1-inch-thick flank steaks, follow my time chart for your perfect level of doneness:

Tips For Cooking Flank Steak

Learning how to cook flank steak is pretty easy, but here are some tips to help you make a perfect steak every single time:

• Don’t marinate for more than 24 hours. You need at least 2 hours for the flank steak marinade to tenderize the meat, but overnight is ideal. Don’t go over 24 hours though, or the steak can get mushy.
• Let steak come to room temperature before cooking. It will sear better and cook more evenly. Just remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before.
• Use a meat thermometer. A probe thermometer (this one is my fave) works best because it’s hands off and will beep when the steak reaches your desired internal temperature, but a regular meat thermometer (like this one) also works.
• Remove from heat and rest. This helps the juices incorporate into the meat, so they don’t leak out when you cut into it.
• Slice against the grain. This breaks up the muscle fibers, making each bite more tender.

Storage Instructions

• Store: You can keep cooked flank steak recipes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
• Meal prep: Mix up the flank steak marinade and marinate for up to 24 hours.
• Reheat: Warm in the oven at 275 degrees F, covered with foil, preferably with a little broth in the baking dish to keep it moist, until heated through. (See my reverse sear steak post for more details on this method.)
• Freeze: You can freeze both raw or cooked flank steak in a freezer-safe zip lock bag. Raw steaks will last up to 12 months in the freezer, but cooked tastes best for up to 3-4 months.

What To Serve With Flank Steak

Cooking flank steak for dinner? All you need is a delicious side dish to go along with it. Serve your steak with a healthy side dish:

• Classic Steak Sides – You can’t go wrong serving this steak beside a heap of mashed potatoes, some sauteed mushrooms, and creamy spinach.
• Veggie Sides – For some comforting sides to complete your meal, serve with baked asparagus or tender oven roasted zucchini. Or just make some classic roasted broccoli.
• Toppings – Take this flank steak recipe to the next level with a drizzle of chimichurri sauce or a tablespoon of herby compound butter.
• Taco Fixings – Serve your favorite tortillas with homemade guacamole, onion, cilantro, and cotija cheese for flank steak tacos. Or, just substitute the ground beef with steak slices in a taco salad.

More Flank Steak Recipes

I love using flank steak in other dishes. Here are some other flank steak recipes to try:

Carne Asada

Steak Salad

Chimichurri Steak

Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas

Recipe Card

4.6 from 10 votes

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How To Cook Flank Steak (Oven, Grill, Or Pan)

Learn how to cook flank steak in the oven, in the pan, or on the grill! This flank steak recipe cooks fast, with just 5 simple ingredients.

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Marinating Time: 2 hours

Total: 15 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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• 1/3 cup Olive oil (plus more to grease the pan if using pan sear method) ▢
• 2 tbsp Coconut aminos (or low sodium soy sauce) ▢
• 2 tbsp Lime juice (from 1 medium to large lime) ▢
• 4 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
• 2 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 2 lb Flank steak (1 inch thick) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Marinate:

1. In a baking dish large enough to hold the steak, whisk together the olive oil, coconut aminos, lime juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Add the flank steak, turn to coat in marinade, and cover with plastic wrap. (Alternatively, you can whisk the marinade in a small bowl, place the steak in a zip lock bag, pour the marinade over it, seal, and move around to coat.)

2. Refrigerate the flank steak in marinade for at least 2 hours, up to to 24 hours, turning the meat halfway through if possible. (Don’t do longer than 24 hours, or the meat will get mushy.)

3. If you can, take the flank steak out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking.

Broil:

1. Preheat the broiler to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Place the oven rack about 6 inches from the heating element.

2. Place the steak on a sheet pan and place in the oven. Broil the flank steak, flipping halfway through, for 8-12 minutes for rare, 10-14 minutes for medium rare, 14-18 minutes for medium, 16-20 minutes for medium well, or 18-22 minutes for well done. The time will vary depending on your steak thickness and oven, so use a meat thermometer to be sure – 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) for rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium rare, 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for medium, 150 degrees F (66 degrees C) for medium well, and 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for well done. Steak temperature will increase by an additional 5 degrees when resting in the next step.

3. Transfer the steak to a plate or cutting board. (Do not leave it in the pan or it will be overcooked.) Tent with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.

Grill:

1. Oil the grill grates well. Preheat the grill to high heat (450-500 degrees F (232-260 degrees C).

2. Place the flank steak on the grill over direct heat. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side for rare, 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare, 5-6 minutes per side for medium, 6-7 minutes per side for medium well, or 7-8 minutes per side for well done. The time will vary depending on your steak thickness and grill, so use a meat thermometer to be sure – 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) for rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium rare, 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for medium, 150 degrees F (66 degrees C) for medium well, and 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for well done. Steak temperature will increase by an additional 5 degrees when resting in the next step.

3. Transfer the steak to a plate or cutting board. Tent with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.

Pan Sear:

1. Preheat a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Make sure it’s very hot before adding the steak.

2. Add oil to pan just before cooking.

3. Add the steak and sear for 3-4 minutes per side for rare, 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare, 5-6 minutes per side for medium, 6-7 minutes per side for medium well, or 7-8 minutes per side for well done. (Do not move the steak around except to flip.) The time will vary depending on your steak thickness and grill, so use a meat thermometer to be sure – 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) for rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium rare, 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for medium, 150 degrees F (66 degrees C) for medium well, and 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for well done. Steak temperature will increase by an additional 5 degrees when resting in the next step.

4. Transfer the steak to a plate or cutting board. (Do not leave it in the pan or it will be overcooked.) Tent with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1/4 to 1/3 pound cooked flank steak, or 1/6 of entire recipe

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 323

Fat 19.6g

Protein 32.6g

Total Carbs 2.2g

Net Carbs 2.1g

Fiber 0.1g

Sugar 1.1g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keywords: broiled flank steak, cooking flank steak, flank steak in the oven, flank steak recipe, how to cook flank steak

Calories: 323 kcal

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