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This steak marinade is one of the top recipes on my site! It’s my go-to for turning tough, budget-friendly cuts into juicy, flavor-packed steaks that practically melt in your mouth.
A Reader’s Review
Loved loved loved this recipe!!!! This my first time making steak and was so pleased! Easy and simple. Thank you!!
Asma
Why Everyone’s Obsessed With This Marinade
- It’s totally foolproof! Even if you’re nervous about cooking steak, this marinade guarantees juicy, flavorful results every time.
- It lets the steak shine! This is NOT one of those marinades that hides the steak; it brings out the best in it. The perfect blend of spices, herbs, and acidity complements the natural flavor of the meat!
- It works year round! Grill it outside in the summer or sear it to perfection in a skillet when it’s freezing out. This marinade tastes amazing either way!
Ingredients Needed
- Soy Free: Swap soy sauce with coconut aminos for a soy-free option.
- Lemon Juice Substitution: Instead of lemon juice, you can use lime or orange juice, OR a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar, OR a tablespoon of whole grain or Dijon mustard for a little bite.
- Italian Seasoning: Not a big fan of Italian seasoning? Reduce it to 1 tablespoon, or use a different seasoning mix. Cajun, chipotle, and southwest would all be great!
How to Make Steak Marinade
Simple pantry ingredients all come together in this incredible steak marinade recipe to give you such amazing flavor and the perfectly cooked, juicy steak! Try my Tri-Tip Marinade next!
- Combine: Add soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, ground black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes to a small bowl and whisk until combined.
- Marinate: Add 4 pounds of your choice of steaks to a zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the steaks, then seal the bag, and marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
Steak Questions? I’ve Got You (FAQ’s)
- How do you make a steak tender? I use lemon juice in my marinade to break down tough fibers and soften the steak. For really tough cuts, I’ll also pound the meat before cooking.
- Why is my steak tough and chewy? It usually means the fibers didn’t break down enough. Tender cuts need quick, high heat; tougher cuts need slow cooking with moisture to stay tender.
- How long do you marinate steak? At least 2 hours, but overnight is even better for maximum flavor and tenderness. But don’t marinate the steaks for longer than 24 hours. After that, the lemon juice will start to break down the steak, leaving it tough and mushy.
Make Ahead & Leftover Steak Marinade
- Make Ahead: You can make the marinade 2-3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge. Set out at room temperature for an hour or two before adding the steak so the olive oil isn’t solid.
- Leftover Marinade: *Never reuse a marinade that has touched raw meat! If you want extra marinade for basting or making a sauce, set some aside before adding the raw steaks.
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The BEST Steak Marinade
My steak marinade turns you into the steak master everyone talks about. Juicy, tender, bold, whether your grilling or searing!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
Marinade
- Add ⅓ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 pinch red pepper flakes to a small bowl and whisk until combined.
- Add 4 pounds of your choice of steaks to a resealable zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the steaks, seal the bag, and marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
Video
Notes
Servings: Makes about 1 ⅔ cups of marinade, enough to marinate up to 4 pounds of steak.
Cooking Steaks in a Skillet: Heat the skillet over high heat before adding the steaks. Add the marinated steaks and cook on each side for 3 minutes or until the outside forms a brown crust. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook the steaks to the desired doneness. Mine took about 10 minutes, flipping 3 times to get a medium well. Top the steaks with salted butter and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 279kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 3gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gSodium: 1596mgPotassium: 246mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 68IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
More Delicious Steak Recipes
Steak is already a rockstar! It doesn’t need a lot to taste amazing. A good cut is packed with flavor on its own, but the right recipes (like these!) take it to the next level.
Delicious marinade! And it makes a lot. This recipe is a keeper – thank you so much!
I used soy sauce and a dash of Tabasco as I didn’t have any Worchester Sauce at the time… it still tasted great.
I bet it was awesome! Thanks for letting me know!
Love this recipe, thanks!
Can you tell me what nutrition values are for this recipe?
I like to use skinnytaste.com or myfitnesspal.com for any nutritional information. Hope you find what you are looking for.
When do you pound the steak? Before or after marinating?
I like to do it before marinating.
Why are you pounding the meat? I didn’t see that in the recipe directions. Did I miss something? (which is possible) 🙂
Can you use marinate on kangaroo meat without pounding it
how are you on a keto diet and eating potatoes?? i thought that was one of the foods you shouldn’t ever eat on keto or am i wrong?
Yes, the Keto diet does not recommend potatoes because they are high in carbs. The steak is the main dish for this recipe. I added the potatoes for those of you who are not following a Keto diet as well as my kids when I dished the plate for them. It is more of a beautiful shot at the end on what side you could add that goes well with this marinaded steak recipe. Hope that helps clarify for you! XOXO
You were right the steak with this marinade was delicious. What do I do with marinade after? Do I throw it out or Cani keep it for another steak? Please advise. Thank you.
If the marinade has not touched the steak I like to use it for another dish and either store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or start marinating another steak with it. Once the marinade has touched the meat then it will need to be discarded.
What happens if you make a large quantity of marinade (a gallon, for example) and refrigerate it for more than a few days, using small quantities on single small steaks and then discarding? Will the unused marinade go bad in the refrigerator?
I cook for just myself, I’m not a chemist, and am somewhat lazy, if you hadn’t guessed…
This marinade will last for about 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Louise you can boil the marinade at high for at least 5 minutes and then reduce at a lower temp to make a nice sauce. High temp kills any bacteria. I am a chef and a nutritionist.
I used this last night. Marinated the steaks for about 5 hours. They were the best steaks!
I tried this recipe twice and it was an absolute hit. I used lesser oil and butter but it was still fabulous. Thanks a lot for this recipe.
This was by far the most tender steak I’ve ever eaten ?? I couldn’t have bought a better one at a restaurant.
Hi, I’m allergic to soy sauce but I have tried this recipe and loved it. I know I can replace the 1/3 cup soy sauce with coconut aminos, but do I also replace the 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauve with coconut aminos as well? I know Worcestershire sauce has soy as one of its ingredients. Please advise me!
I am gluten intolerant and I have found what works best for a soy sauce replacement is Tamari sauce. I also use it as a replacement for Worcestershire. It’s widely available in most stores now days. Hope this helps
Hi Alyssa, what herbs mixture do you use to marinade your steak with? I see the herbs, but I don’t recognize them and in what ratio quantity?
I like to use the Italian seasoning which is already a mixture of herbs in one bottle. Hope that helps! XOXO
How long would it last to make ahead of time
I have used this twice. The second time i actually cooked stew meat in the marinade in the slow cooker. Was fabulous!
High or low? How long?
Very nice. Thanks. I do have some, well, opinions on this keto diet thing which are not favorable (nor do I think, like virtually all fad diets, it is very healthy) but who cares the important thing is the recipe and the food
Keto is not a fad diet.
You need to do some more research. Keto is BY FAR AND WIDE the healthiest way of eating for everyone on the planet, but especially those with diabetes, insulin resistance, autoimmune disorders, epilepsy, heart disease, or any other existing health issue.
If you are not a dietician or doctor, you cannot make a statement about Keto. Some recommend, others don’t as everyones health is different. Keep your judgements to yourself.
Right on
Just wanting to verify, is this recipe for 1 steak or multiple (if so how many)? Cooking tonight so hopefully I will get a response within a couple hours.
Thank you♥
This marinade is for 2-4 steaks depending on how many pounds they each are. You will love these steaks! Enjoy! XOXO
1.5 lbs of steak
Steaks are marinating now using this recipe. I knew I needed Worcester for a steak marinade and luckily everything else I had in the pantry. My taste-buds wanted to add a bit of ginger but I’m sticking to the recipe… Wish me luck!
So the oil in this recipe won’t make the grill fire flare-up?
I hope not! I have made this a few times now and I haven’t had any problems with the flare up.
to avoid flare ups on the ol BBQ pit, put your coals or wood on one side of the grill, and a small foil pan or even just foil folded up in the same shape, under the meat, and you have no issues with flare up or coals drowning from the drippings. oh and of course the ease of clean up.
Brilliant idea Lisa! I guess I am a bit concerned that the meat- especially steaks you’re trying to cook hot & fast- might not get enough direct heat? If coals/wood is over to one side, w/a tin or foil pan under the meat….oh wait~ does the foil or pan conduct some of that heat, maybe? I’m trying to work it out in my head, obviously =)