Tender, juicy steaks start with this marinade! This steak marinade is made with simple ingredients that add lots of flavor to any cut of steak. Mix it up in minutes, let the steak marinate, then grill or broil for an easy dinner.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Savory, tangy, and balanced with garlic, herbs, and a touch of sweetness.
- Why Make It: A simple way to add big flavor and tenderize budget-friendly steaks with pantry staples.
- Time-Saving Tip: Freeze extra marinade in ice cube trays for easy steak dinners anytime.
- Serving Suggestions: I like to serve this with grilled vegetables and potatoes for an easy summer dinner that feels complete without any extra effort.
Why Use A Marinade
A marinade is great for tenderizing and flavoring steaks. However, I personally don’t marinate prime cuts of steaks that are known to be tender, like filet or ribeye (I season them and grill them, as in this ribeye recipe).
- Tenderize: Marinades contain acidic ingredients like wine, vinegar, lemon juice, or a combination. Acid breaks down the tough fibers of the meat, making it tender.
- Flavor: Marinades usually contain salt, herbs, aromatics, & bold flavors that flavor the meat.
- Caramelize: Sugars in a marinade help with caramelization to give that nice brown crust we all love.
You should always marinate in glass or plastic, not in a metal bowl, as the acid can react with the metal. A freezer bag works well, too, for easy cleanup.
Ingredient Notes
- Oil: The oil helps the seasonings adhere to the meat. I use olive oil as I always have it on hand, but any light-flavored oil works.
- Acids: I like to use balsamic vinegar to tenderize the meat, but any vinegar (like red wine vinegar) will work. Lemon, lime, pineapple, and orange juice are all great acids to experiment with!
- Seasonings & Flavor: Dijon helps the marinade emulsify and adds sharpness. Whole grain mustard works, though the texture will be slightly different. Fresh garlic gives the best flavor, but garlic powder works if needed.
- Herbs: Fresh parsley adds a pop of fresh flavor and a little color to the marinade, but dried parsley works just fine. Rosemary pairs naturally with beef and gives the marinade a more robust flavor, and if using dried rosemary, crush it between your fingers to release the oils.
- Variations: A little lemon juice can be added if you want a brighter finish. If you prefer a slightly sweeter marinade, add a spoonful of brown sugar or honey. Red pepper flakes are an easy way to add a little heat.
How to Marinate Steak
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl or freezer bag.
- Add the meat and coat well (full recipe below).
- Refrigerate until the steak has time to soak up all the flavor.
- Remove from marinade and grill steak to desired doneness.
Keep It Fresh
- Unused Marinade: Keep marinade that has not touched raw meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for longer storage in small portions.
- Cooked Leftover Steak: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat in a skillet, in the oven covered with foil, or slice thin and serve cold over salad or in wraps.
Steak Night Sides
Did you enjoy this Steak Marinade Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil or light flavored oil
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 clove garlic minced or more to taste
Instructions
- In a glass bowl or freezer bag, combine olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, parsley, rosemary, pepper, thyme, and garlic.
- Add up to 2 pounds of steak and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
- Remove steaks and discard marinade.
- Grill or broil to desired doneness.
Notes
- Steak marinade is perfect to use on those tougher, less expensive cuts of meat.
- Marinate meat in a non-metal (glass or plastic) container or a freezer bag in the refrigerator.
- Discard used marinade or boil it at a rolling boil for a few minutes to ensure it reaches 165°F.
- Freeze marinade in ice cubes trays so you can pop out as little or as much as you like when it’s time to marinate a steak-this way the marinade stays fresh!
Marinating Times
- Filet mignon or ribeye are perfectly tender without marinating but can be marinated for 30-60 minutes for flavor if desired.
- New York strip or sirloin can marinate for about 4 hours.
- Tougher cuts of beef, such as flank steak, skirt steak, or even chuck can marinate longer, up to 24 hours (I usually do it the night before for the next day’s dinner).
Nutrition Information
Calories: 576 | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 40g | Sodium: 2630mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 487IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dressing, Sauce
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Do you think the marinade would burn if steak was cooked in a cast iron, instead of grilling or broiling?
I suggest following the instructions for steak in a skillet. Enjoy!
Can you saute the steak in a skillet on top of the stove? Or must it be broiled?
Thank you
Sounds delicious!
Here is a recipe for steak in a skillet Joanne. You can follow the directions for that. Enjoy!
This is fabulous. I made it exactly as written and marinated two thin sirloin steaks for 3 hours. I then rolled them with caramelized onions and broccoli. I served with mashed potatoes. It was hands down one of the best meals we have ever had.
That sounds wonderful Mo! Thank you for sharing.
What a simple yet effective marinade! It’s fantastic that it’s particularly effective for tougher cuts of steak, making them tender and tasty. The step-by-step instructions are very clear and beginner-friendly. Highly recommended!
Can I use this on other proteins, like chicken?
I think it should work well. I would love to hear how it turns out for you, Jarrod.
As you know there are at least a million marinade recipes. However this one is easy, very effective, and quick to put together.
Results are excellent.
So good, used leftover marinade about 2 weeks after preparing. Added 1 tsp Mikes hot honey to the leftover marinade, def took it to another level of deliriousness!
This is absolutely delicious!! Thank you for this recipe. I will use again. Everyone loved it. I used it on Top Serloin. Marinaded for about 2 hours. So so good!
OMG this was the best marinade we have ever used. The taste is amazing. Try it and you’ll never maker another one. Thank you for your great recipes and cooking skills.
This marinade is next FREAKIN level!!! Absolutely phenomenal. My husband is a steak snob and he said he would rather eat one of my steaks with this marinade over a nice restaurant. SCORE for the taste buds and the wallet!
The best steak marinade ! Thank you for the recipe ❤️
best marinade ever! thank you!
Can you add red wine to this recipe? Seems like that would be amazing
Sure you can!
I wasn’t sure how I was going to like this at first. I absolutely love it. It’s not too overpowering but just perfect in flavor and tenderness. Thank you very much
I added an extra garlic clove, splash of lemon juice, fresh parsley, a little bit of garlic powder, and Montreal steak seasoning. It is the absolute best steak marinade I have ever made. Thank you SO MUCH for this delicious recipe!!!
This is a great marinade for a variety of cuts of steak. Great flavor!
This has become my go-to beef marinade!
steak marinade does not freeze in ice cube trays!???
Hi Marsha, the marinade would freeze well in ice cube trays. I would love to hear how it turns out for you.
How many pounds of beef for 1 serving of steak marinade? Thank you.
It should flavor up to 2 pounds of steak effectively.
Follow the recipe exactly. Marinated 2 skirt steaks for 5 hours. Then broiled this was the worst tasting marinade. I have ever had sounds like it should have been good but it was awful. Do not recommend this for anyone? I have been cooking for more than 60 years and I was even a caterer, but this was really bad. It needed a lot more work to make it taste good.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it Claudia, it’s a fave for us and many readers! Thanks for trying it.
Claudia,
You did something wrong…spoiled ingredients?
Use suggestions in the acid, fat and flavor categories. Try different combinations!
I loved using them. Very tender & tasty!
This is a really great marinade!!!