Marinated Flank Steak

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Marinated Flank Steak combines the savory flavors of your favorite bloody mary with a tender, juicy cut of beef that is grilled to perfection. Ready in under 30 minutes, this flavorful dish is the ideal main course for any family dinner or backyard barbecue.

339 CAL 23g CARBS 10g FAT 34g PROTEIN
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Like many of us, I love a good cocktail at brunch from time to time. Sometimes it’s a sweet mimosa, other times it’s a savory Bloody Mary. One day, between sips of my delicious cocktail, I was thinking about what to do for dinner and was suddenly inspired by the flavors of my drink.

The Bloody Mary cocktail is made with a base of tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, lemon juice, and garlic. These ingredients don’t just make a wicked drink, they sound like the ingredients for a fantastic flank steak marinade, too!

As soon as it popped into my head, I couldn’t shake the idea. Soon enough, I brought my idea for a Bloody Mary marinade to fruition, and wow. It was insanely delicious.

Now, I’m sharing this mouthwatering Marinated Flank Steak recipe with all of you. No longer will your favorite Bloody Mary mix be relegated to a bi-weekly brunch. It can be enjoyed as the base of an incredibly flavorful steak marinade. Gotta love a cocktail mixer with a dual purpose!

You can serve this dish alongside tasty side dishes like rice, roasted potatoes, pasta, roasted vegetables, and salad. Whether you’re serving up dinner for the family or hosting a summer barbecue, this bold and savory steak recipe is the perfect choice for a show-stopping main course. This Balsamic Flank Steak recipe is also delicious.

Ingredients for marinated flank steak including bloody mary mix, tomatoes, celery, onion, and garlic.

Key Ingredients

To make this mouthwatering dish, you will need the following key ingredients:

  • Flank steak: This lean cut of beef is a great choice for marinating, which is why it’s my go-to for this recipe. However, you can use any cut you like.
  • Bloody Mary mix: Feel free to use any kind you prefer, but Zing Zang is my personal favorite.
  • Vodka: Would it be a Bloody Mary without vodka? All jokes aside, alcohol acts as a flavor enhancer in marinades, making everything taste better. This is totally optional, so you can leave it out if needed.
  • Worcestershire sauce: This fermented condiment is a combination of sweet, savory, salty, and tangy flavors that are regularly used in marinades for grilled meats.
  • Horseradish: With its strong and spicy flavors, this ingredient is a staple in the classic Bloody Mary cocktail and is a staple in our marinade. It also pairs beautifully with steak!
  • Lemon juice: The acidity found in lemon juice both brightens and enhances the flavors of our marinade ingredients. Not only that, but it also helps to break down the proteins in the steak, helping to tenderize it.
  • Veggies" To make the fresh salsa that you will serve atop the grilled flank steak, you will need Roma tomatoes, celery, and white onion.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Here are some of my top tips and tricks to help you make this recipe:

  • Try to allow at least 2 hours of marinating time for the steak, preferably overnight if you have the time. This will help ensure the most flavorful and tender results!
  • Not a fan of heat? You can reduce the amount of horseradish by half and taste the marinade before soaking the steak to make sure it’s mild enough for you. If you find that it’s still a bit too spicy, add more lemon juice or Bloody Mary mix.
  • It’s perfectly fine to prep this dish the night before, but I recommend waiting until no more than a few hours before serving to make the salsa. If you make it too far ahead of time, it will likely wind up getting soggy.

What to Serve With Marinated Flank Steak

You can serve this steak dish with a wide variety of side dishes, from rice or potatoes to cooked veggies or salad. I love serving this mouthwatering dish with a refreshing salad for the perfect balance of rich and refreshing, but you can pair it with any of your favorite dishes.

If you need some ideas on what to make, here are some of my top choices for side dishes to serve with Bloody Mary Flank Steak:

Grilled flank steak with bloody mary in a grill plan with tomato and onion salsa.

How to Store Cooked Flank Steak

There are a few ways you can store this dish, depending on where you are at in the process. To start, let’s say you’ve cooked a few too many steaks and now have leftovers. Leftover steak can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 4-6 months.

Now, let’s try a different scenario. Let’s say you’ve got your flank steaks in the Bloody Mary marinade and you’re ready to go, but you realize that you won’t actually need as much food as you previously anticipated.

What do you do with that extra marinated steak? Don’t worry, it won’t go to waste. Marinated steak can be stored in an airtight storage bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this dish:

Because flank steak is a very lean cut of beef, it is known to be tough unless it’s properly prepared. By marinating this cut for a few hours prior to cooking it, you can ensure that it gets nice and tender, rather than tough.

This recipe uses Bloody Mary mix as a marinade for the steak. Both homemade and store-bought options work. Bloody Mary mix can vary by recipe, but it generally contains a combination of tomato juice, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and spices.

Yes! While I would not recommend freezing the fresh Bloody Mary salsa, you can safely freeze the flank steak in an airtight bag or container for up to 4-6 months.

Grilled marinated flank steak with bloody mary salsa on a grill pan.
The Recipe
Marinated flank steak served with a tomato, celery, and onion salsa on a grill pan.

Marinated Flank Steak

339 CAL 23g CARBS 10g FAT 34g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 2 Hours
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 2 Hours, 15 Min
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 2 lbs lean flank steak
  • 2 cups bloody mary mix (we love zing zang, but any will do)
  • 1/4 cup vodka (optional)
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire
  • 2 tsp celery salt
  • 1 tsp prepared horseradish
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt (moreto taste)
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced (about 2 stalks)
  • 4 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 1/2 onion, diced

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Instructions

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1

Prepare marinade: Add bloody mary mix, vodka, lemon juice, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, hot sauce, and horseradish in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside 1/4 cup of the marinade.

Flank steak marinade with garlic, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce in a bowl.
2

Marinate the steak: Add marinade to a large casserole dish, or ziplock bag. Use a fork to poke several holes in the flank steak. Add to the casserole dish/zip lock and let marinate for up to 24 hours, but at least 2 hours before cooking.

Raw flank steak marinated in a dish.
3

Heat a cast iron grill pan over medium high heat. If using an outdoor grill, preheat to 450 degrees. Place steak on the grill pan (or grill) and cook for 5 minutes. Flip over and cook for 4 minutes. Place steak on a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a foil tent to cover the flank steak as it rests.

Flank steak grilled to medium rara and sliced on a pan.
4

Make the bloody mary salsa: Dice celery, tomatoes, and onion and place in a small mixing bowl. Pour in the remaining marinade, salt, and pepper. Stir well.

Tomato, celery, and onion salsa in a bowl.
5

Serve immediately with bloody mary salsa and enjoy!

Grilled and marinated flank steak on a grill pan.
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 6 oz
Amount Per Serving
Calories 339
Calories from Fat 87
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10g
15%
Saturated Fat 4g
20%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 104mg
35%
Sodium 393mg
17%
Total Carbohydrate 23g
8%
Dietary Fiber 1g
5%
Sugars 20g
Protein 34g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
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