Asian Flank Steak Marinade

This grilled flank steak recipe is easy & delicious. An Asian flank steak marinade infuses the meat with flavor and tenderizes it overnight. Then, it only takes 10 minutes to grill and have perfect flank steak ready to eat for dinner.

grilled flank steak sliced after soaking in an asian flank steak marinade

This flank steak marinade is in an easy and delicious main dish cooked on the grill.

Flank steak is marinated overnight to both tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor. I love this because you can prep the recipe before you go to bed, let it marinate all day long, and then it only takes 10 minutes to grill when you’re ready to eat.

Serve it with some stir fry vegetables and some fried rice for an extra delicious meal!

4 slices of grilled flank steak after soaking in an asian flank steak marinade on a plate with rice and broccoli

Asian Flank Steak Marinade: Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Soy Sauce. You can use regular or low sodium soy sauce. For a soy-free version, use coconut aminos.
  • Mirin. this Japanese cooking wine is a staple in asian recipes for me. You can replace it with rice vinegar, if necessary.
  • Sesame Oil. I really do not suggest making substitutions for sesame oil because of the flavor it imparts in the recipe. If you must, peanut oil and olive oil will suffice.
  • Brown Sugar. Coconut sugar or honey are great substitutions for brown sugar.
  • Ground ginger. Fresh minced ginger can be used in place of ground.
  • Minced Garlic. Fresh or jarred both work well.
  • Flank Steak. I don’t recommend substitutions for the flank steak (also known as London broil).
ingredients in this Asian Flank Steak Marinade recipe

How to Marinade Flank Steak

Let’s walk through this recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by whisking together marinade ingredients in a medium-sized bowl or in a large glass container with the lid (large enough to fit your cut of flank steak).

two photos showing How to Make Flank Steak Marinade - whisking ingredients together.

Next, put the flank steak in the container and completely cover with the marinade.

Alternately, you can put the steak in a ziplock bag, pour in marinade and place the bag in a bowl so it doesn’t leak.

Put the steak in the refrigerator to marinate overnight, turning it once halfway through marinating.

two photos showing How to Marinate Flank Steak - the steak in the marinade before and after flipping.

Grill the marinated flank steak

After the steak has marinated and it’s time to grill, warm the grill to 500 degrees F and remove the steak from the marinated.

Grill the steak on the preheated grill for 5 minutes, flip and grill for 5 minutes more on the second side, or until the internal temperature is between 125-130 degrees F (for medium-rare).

two photos showing How to Grill Flank Steak - before and after grilling

Serve

Let the meat rest on the counter for 5 minutes.

Thinly slice the meat across the grain – this is extremely important for easy cutting.

Serve warm with your favorite dishes like stir fried vegetables, fried rice, Asian quinoa salad, etc.

grilled flank steak sliced after soaking in an asian flank steak marinade

Store/freeze

Slice the steak and store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

4 slices of grilled flank steak after soaking in an asian flank steak marinade

Recipe FAQs

What’s another name for flank steak?

Another name for flank steak is London broil, or top round London broil.

Is flank steak a good cut of meat?

Flank teak is a lean, but relatively tough cut of meat. It’s important to marinate the meat using this flank steak marinade recipe.

How do I tenderize flank steak?

Marinating flank steak overnight is key to tenderizing it so it’s easy to eat.

a plate full of slices of grilled flank steak