This post has been sponsored by American Greetings. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
In today’s post, in the eve of Father’s day, I am treating all dads out there virtually with an out-of this world flank steak tacos recipe.

Table of Contents
- What is Flank Steak?
- How to Marinate Flank Steak for Tacos:
- Best Way To Cook Flank Steak – Get Your Grill On!
- How To Make Steak Tacos
- How to Cook Flank Steak on The Stove
- If You Liked This Flank Steak Tacos Recipe, You Might Also Like:
- Grilled Flank Steak Tacos Recipe
- OTHER MEXICAN INSPIRED RECIPES YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
To be more precise, we are grilling flank steak and making tacos! And doing it with an easy-to-make yet delicious flank steak marinade. I love that flank steak is a rather inexpensive cut of meat and tastes so good when grilled.
With that being said, you can use this recipe to make flank tacos on the stovetop as well.
What is Flank Steak?
Before I talk about my go-to steak taco marinade, I want to talk to you about what is flank steak. The following comes from my favorite book about everything meat-related, Field Guide to Meat: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Meat, Poultry, and Game Cut (affiliate link):
“The small, thin, tasty, and quick-cooking flank steak is cut from the flank primal. It is ideal for marinating and outdoor grilling over aromatic woods. The marinade can penetrate flank steak thoroughly without the meat losing its firm texture because it is relatively thin and porous.”
The “flank primal” mentioned in the above statement lies on the underside the loin area (the belly area of the animal).
Also, here is a trivia for you – Another name for Flank Steak is London Broil.
How to Marinate Flank Steak for Tacos:
Even though it has a reasonable price-tag, flank steak can be a tougher cut of meat. My secret to turning it into a flavorful and tender dinner is using a steak taco marinade that I learned from a friend years ago. Throughout the years, I made a few changes to her original recipe to alter it for our taste. Nowadays, it is my go-to marinade for flank steak.
As you will see in the recipe below, it is a combination of vegetable oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, and grainy mustard. I usually mix everything up in a large plastic bag (like Ziplock) and place the meat in there to let it marinate for at least 4 hours, or ideally, overnight. Keeping it in a plastic bag not only helps with the cleanup, but also takes less space in the fridge.
Best Way To Cook Flank Steak – Get Your Grill On!
As I mentioned earlier, I think flank steaks are best cooked on the grill. Though if you can’t get your grill on, below you will see instructions on how to cook flank steak on the stove as well.
I love grilling during this time of the year as (1) we love the outdoors and (2) I find that grilling delivers the most tender flank steak.
The very important thing when it comes to grilling is to make sure that your grill is very hot before you place the meat on it. Ideally, you want to cook it for only 3-4 minutes on each side for it to be medium. Once it is cooked, place it on a cutting board and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes to let the juices come back into the meat so that it will be moist and tender.
How To Make Steak Tacos
The initial plan was to grill the meat and serve it along with a big green salad with some fresh farm vegetables, but then Dwight suggested that we make tacos. Steak tacos sounded fantastic as I think this marinated flank steak is the best cut of meat for tacos.
To make steak tacos, I placed a few slices of the meat on top of a lightly warmed corn tortilla (if you want to make your own, check out my Homemade Corn Tortillas recipe) and topped it off with some pico de gallo, a dollop of guacamole, slices of cucumbers, and fresh cilantro.
How to Cook Flank Steak on The Stove
If you are making this steak tacos recipe during the wintertime or don’t feel like grilling, you can cook the flank steak on the stove. A cast-iron skillet is ideal for cooking steak as it can reach and preserve higher temperatures better than any other pan. Similar to grilling, it is ideal to make sure that your skillet is very hot before you place the meat on it.
To cook flank steak on the stove, remove the flank steak from the marinade and discard the marinade. Sear on the first side for 4-5 minutes. Using thongs, flip the steak and continue to until the interior meat is slightly less done than you want it to be when you eat it, 3-4 minutes for medium or 2-3 for medium-rare. Transfer the meat onto a cutting board, loosely cover with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 7-10 minutes. Slice it on bias against the grain.
I know we are still a few weeks away, but starting with my own dad, I am wishing all the fathers out there a happy Father’s Day. I am sending you big virtual hugs. We can never thank you enough for all you do for us. ♥
If You Liked This Flank Steak Tacos Recipe, You Might Also Like:
- Homemade Corn Tortillas
- Slow Cooked Beef Brisket Tacos
- Spicy Thai Beef Salad
- Guacamole Burgers with Roasted Onions and Sweet Potato
- Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe
- Recipe for Turkish Meatballs
- Beef and Vegetable Soup
- Ina Garten’s Pot Roast
Grilled Flank Steak Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- ½ cup vegetable oil, I used grapeseed oil
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak
For pico de gallo:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For the Guacamole:
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 2 ripe avocados, cut in cubes or mashed
- 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 4-5 cherry tomatoes, chopped (optional)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- Juice of a lime
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For the Tacos:
- 12 small corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade corn tortillas
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, with leaves torn as garnish
Instructions
- To make the marinade, mix together all the ingredients in a plastic bag with a resalable mouth or an airtight container. Place the meat in the marinade, seal and place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- To make the pico de gallo, place all the ingredients in a bowl, season generously with salt and pepper and set aside.
- To make the guacamole, place the red onion, avocado, jalapeno, tomatoes, garlic, and limejuice in a bowl. Season with cumin, salt and pepper. Give it a gently mix and set it aside.
- When you are ready to serve, heat your grill until it is very hot, 10-15 minutes. Remove the meat from the plastic bag and discard the marinade. Place it on the grill grate and grill until well-seared and dark brown on one side, 4-5 minutes. Using thongs, flip the steak and continue to grill until the interior meat is slightly less done than you want it to be when you eat it, 3-4 minutes for medium or 2-3 for medium-rare. Transfer the meat onto a cutting board, loosely cover with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 7-10 minutes. Slice it on bias against the grain.
- While the meat is resting, warm the corn tortillas on the grill until they are softened, 1 minute or so on each side.
- When ready to assemble your tacos, place a few slices of meat at the bottom of a corn tortilla and top it off with a few tablespoons of guacamole and pico de gallo.
- Garnish it with sliced cucumbers and cilantro leaves. Repeat the same process with the rest of the tacos and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
OTHER MEXICAN INSPIRED RECIPES YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
- Mexican Corn Recipe
- Mexican Quinoa Recipe
- Stuffed Peppers Recipe – Mexican Style
- Mexican Corn Salad
- Mexican Party Food Ideas
- Mexican Pasta Salad
This marinade is fantastic! The flank steak came out tender, juicy, and super flavorful! Thank you for sharing, I will make it again, and again 🙂
Hi Monica,
So glad to hear that you liked it. This is my favorite flank steak marinade too.
Thanks for coming by.
Cheers!
We made this for dinner today and it was GREAT. The marinade is truly delicious. I made a few minor changes to it , but overall it was great. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Samantha. I use this marinade often as well. I am glad to hear that it worked for you.
Cheers!
The next time I have access to a grill, I’m so doing this recipe. Have a lovely time with your dad!
How special that your dad finally made it to Vermont to visit you. It’s tough when you live away from your parents. It’s really something that I miss the most as I haven’t lived near my parents since I graduated from high school (which is a long time ;-). . .Ahem. . .not that I’m old. . .wink! wink! ).
BTW. . .I got a good chuckle that the guys elected to grill steak. . .it’s such the obvious guy choice. .but a tasty one at that. I’m absolute adoring what you did with it though. Tacos are my very favorite and I bet these taste out of this world with that delicious marinade (hello grainy mustard ?)
Steak tacos have been a thing lately at our house too, and it’s great to see your version here. I’m pretty boring with mine, so I love the idea of a marinade to kick up the flavor a bit more. These look absolutely perfect and restaurant worthy! So glad to hear about your dad’s visit. I bet he loves your new place in Vermont!