Name: Seared Flank Steak
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cup soy sauce; 2 Tablespoons crushed garlic or 1-2 teaspoons granulated garlic; 1 teaspoon minced ginger or 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger; 2 pounds flank steak; 1 Tablespoon avocado oil (any oil with a high smoke point)

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This seared flank steak is marinated in soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. It’s a bold, savory dish with deep umami flavor. The marinade tenderizes the steak while infusing it with garlicky, gingery notes, and quick searing creates a juicy interior with a beautiful exterior. It’s flavorful and easy to prepare for a quick weeknight meal.

This is my favorite way to use flank steak. In fact, my husband helps me make it every year on my birthday. I love serving it with my Quick Mushroom Tarragon Pasta. Their flavors go together so beautifully. I’m confident that once you make it you will find yourself making it again and again.

Why You’ll Love This Seared Flank Steak

Quick and easy to make: After marinating for 30 minutes to an hour, it takes only 10 minutes to cook.
Makes great leftovers: Finely chopped leftover flank steak can be stirred into scrambled eggs for a hearty Sunday morning breakfast. Or slice it thin against the grain and use it for steak tacos, fajitas, or quesadillas, or toss it into a stir-fry with vegetables and rice. It’s great in salads, sandwiches or wraps, and makes an excellent topping for fried rice, ramen, or grain bowls. You can also add it to pasta, or use it in a steak and egg skillet for a hearty next-day meal.
Budget friendly: A quick, high-flavor, and economical meal that is best served rare to medium-rare to avoid becoming too chewy.
Simple ingredients: Soy sauce, garlic and ginger are all you need to make a flavorful flank steak.
Great for: A quick weeknight meal, but impressive enough to serve to guests.

Ingredients

Flank steak: A long, thin, boneless cut of beef. To pan sear, you’ll want to use a cut of beef that’s about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in thickness.
Oil: Choose an oil with a high smoke point. Any oil with a smoke point over 400 degrees F will work. I like to use avocado oil. It has a high smoke point and doesn’t impact flavor.
Marinade: Combine soy sauce, ginger and garlic.

Tips

Do not over marinate: Marinate the steak for 30 to 45 minutes. Leaving the steak in the marinade longer can result in a salty steak. Marinating less than 30 minutes results in less flavorful steak.

Do not overcook: Since flank steak is a lean meat, it’s important not to overcook it because it can quickly dry out. We like our meat rare but medium-rare to medium will work too.

Slice against the grain: Flank steak is best served thinly sliced. Slice at a 45 degree angle across the grain to achieve the most tender and attractive cut. Thinner slices have shorter muscle fibers, making them easier to chew.

Use a meat thermometer: To ensure your steak is cooked to your preferred doneness and doesn’t turn out dry or raw.

Steak with differing thicknesses: If your flank steak is unevenly cut, with a thicker side and a thinner side, to prevent uneven cooking, cut your steak in half, or into four smaller steaks. Then, cook the similar sized steaks together or remove thinner steaks from the pan earlier.

Best pan for searing: Use a cast iron skillet. They always sear perfectly, never stick, and cleanup is simple. I do not recommend using nonstick pans for this recipe. It is not safe to heat a nonstick pan to the temperature needed to properly sear a steak.

Serving suggestions: My favorite is Quick Mushroom Tarragon Pasta. However, any form of potatoes, pasta or vegetables work well too. Try Roasted Carrots and Green Beans or Dilly Sweet Peas. If looking for pasta, try Vietnamese Garlic Noodles or Easy Fettuccine Alfredo.