Grilled Flank Steak is a quick and easy recipe that you can make for dinner all summer long. This flank steak recipe is so tender and flavorful, with a delicious cilantro lime steak butter to make it even better. Serve it with your favorite sides, or slice it up for fajitas!
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Why We Love This Grilled Flank Steak Recipe
The recipe is so quick and easy, but it still gives you a meal that you’ll really want to savor. The cilantro lime steak butter melted on top just makes it extra amazing. It comes out so tender, flavorful, and juicy!
- Easy. This steak is grilled to perfection in just a few minutes. It’s a simple recipe you can make any time!
- Flavorful. The cilantro lime steak butter adds so much flavor. Melt it over the steak for the most delicious taste!
- Tender. This flank steak is so tender when cooked just right. Slice it up for melt-in-your-mouth goodness!
Variations on Grilling Flank Steak
While we adore the cilantro lime butter, you can flavor your butter with whatever herbs you have on hand. Some classic choices include rosemary, sage, and thyme! You could also skip the herb butter and instead serve this steak topped with chimichurri, salsa verde, garlic aioli, or balsamic glaze.
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover grilled flank steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the grill until warmed through, about 5 minutes, or bake in a 300°F oven until warmed through, about 8-10 minutes.
How to Freeze
Freeze grilled flank steak in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
We love this flank steak with a side of grilled vegetables (grilled asparagus is our recommendation), and enjoy! It’s perfect to slice up for steak fajitas, steak nachos, burritos, steak salad, and stir fry.
More Steak Recipes To Try
Notes from the Test Kitchen
- You can grill this flank steak to whatever your preferred temperature is. Because this cut of meat is a bit tough, well done will mean a chewy, tough texture. We recommend cooking to medium-rare (140°F) for this recipe! Check this internal meat temperature chart to keep in your kitchen.
- You should cut flank steak against the grain, at a slight diagonal angle. And you want to make thin slices. Against the grain means cutting through the fibers, not parallel (or between) them. This means you’ll be getting more of the tender, juicy parts in each bite, and less of the fibrous parts.
5-Star Review
“This cilantro lime butter is EVERYTHING! My kids are begging me to make this again!” -Lauren Kelly
Grilled Flank Steak with Cilantro Lime Butter
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Ingredients
For the Cilantro Lime Butter
- ½ cup salted butter room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from ½ lime)
- 2 teaspoons lime zest (from 1 lime)
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped green onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste we used Gourmet Garden brand
For the Grilled Flank Steak
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds flank steak
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
To Make Cilantro Lime Butter
- Take the softened butter and place it in a medium bowl.½ cup salted butter
- Stir in the cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, green onion, and garlic paste. Mash with a fork or spoon to fully combine.1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons lime zest, 1 teaspoon finely chopped green onion, 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- Place the butter over plastic wrap and form into a log. Wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until firm.
For the Grilled Flank Steak
- Brush a grill or grill pan with canola oil and heat to high heat. (You want the grill HOT).
- In a small bowl, combine salt and pepper, garlic paste, olive oil and mustard powder. Stir to combine and form a paste. Rub both sides of steak with the paste.1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- Place flank steak on grill and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes per side for rare, or 6-8 minutes per side for well done. We do something in between. Please see my Meat Temperature Chart for help deciding.2 pounds flank steak
- Remove from heat.
- Cut into slices, against the grain.
- Before separating, slice butter and allow to melt over the steak.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Start with a steak marinade to make it even more tender.
- Be sure to cut flank steak against the grain, and slice it thinly. This is the most enjoyable way to eat it!
- The steak butter can easily be made ahead of time, stored in the fridge, and used for other things if you have leftovers.
- Steak Internal Temperature Guide:
- For rare steak: 125-130°F
- For medium-rare steak: 130-140°F
- For medium steak: 140-150°F
- For medium-well steak: 150-160°F
- For well-done steak: 160-165°F
Nutrition Information
How to Grill Flank Steak Step by Step
Make the Cilantro Lime Butter: Stir ½ cup of softened salted butter, 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons of lime zest, 1 teaspoon of finely chopped green onion, and 1 tablespoon of garlic paste together. Place the butter over plastic wrap and form into a log. Wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until firm.
Season the Steak: Brush a grill or grill pan with canola oil and heat to high heat. (You want the grill HOT). In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon of garlic paste, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of mustard powder. Stir to combine and form a paste. Rub both sides of the steak with the paste.
Grill the Steak: Place 2 pounds of flank steak on the grill and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes per side for rare, or 6-8 minutes per side for well done.
Cut and Serve: Remove from heat. Cut into slices, against the grain. Before separating, slice the chilled butter and allow it to melt over the steak.
They are similar in size and shape, and both are lean cuts. They aren’t the exact same cut, but they are generally interchangeable in recipes. Both benefit from short cook times and thinly sliced cuts.
Yes! For the best results, let your steak sit out for 30-60 minutes before grilling it.
The trick to keeping your flank steak tender is to cook it only briefly. I recommend cooking it to medium, no more, because the longer it cooks, the tougher it will get. Cutting it nice and thin, against the grain, also helps to give it a tender bite while eating.
We prefer to keep the lid closed in order to hold the heat in and cook the steak more evenly.
I made this a couple days ago and hands down it’s the best flank steak I’ve made to date and I usually cook two a month. The killer butter is fantastic! I’ve make up another batch and use it on literally everything…so good. Thank you
Those products definitely make this dish easier to make! Sounds perfectly flavorful!
I love flank steak and cilantro. Can’t wait to try this.
This cilantro lime butter is EVERYTHING! My kids are begging me to make this again!
I don’t blame them!
This is great for summer and I can’t thank you enough for how detailed all your recipes are. From how to cut the steak to how to grill it, I love that all your recipes take you step by step!
Thank ya!
So much robust flavor in this meal, my entire family loved it! Looking forward to making this again sometime this week!
Yay!
It’s sad you are showing recipes that are just advertisements for certain products. I don’t have these things at my store and you should at least offer an alternative for people who can’t find or don’t want to buy the product!
Hi Jennifer, I like to promote certain products that I use and love. You can easily substitute if you’re grocery store doesn’t carry these, but these products are sold nationwide and also online.