This 3 ingredient steak marinade is delicious and easy to make! Perfect for pairing with skirt or flank steak, it infuses a little bit of tart, garlic flavor that has a great balance.
This recipe isn't fussy or complicated, and it will become a go-to marinade. It's also a great base for customization with fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme.
After you've used this 3 ingredient steak marinade for a grilled or air fryer flank steak, pair it with this Butter Lettuce Salad and Boursin Mashed Potatoes for a lovely dinner.
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Why I Love This Flank Steak Marinade
It's my journey with a migraine diet that inspired this recipe. While writing the Mediterranean Migraine Diet, I leaned into using tart cherry juice in many recipes because of its benefits for brain health. What I discovered is it makes an awesome marinade for red meat.
Paired with garlic and herbs, it infuses a slightly sweet and tart flavor without overpowering the meat. What's left is a juicy and tender steak with a great depth of garlic flavor, and a lovely caramelization on the outside.
You'll love this 3 ingredient steak marinade because:
- Versatile - Easy to make your own by adding herbs, or also great as is.
- Simple - Most of the ingredients you should have on hand already, and you can substitute the tart cherry juice with some options below.
- Quick - This marinade takes less than 5 minutes to blend together!
Whether you're gluten free, dairy free, low sodium, or love a Mediterranean diet, this marinade fits all types of plans.
Best Steaks for Marinating
Thinner cuts of beef like skirt steak or flank steak are the best types of steaks to marinate. I wouldn't use this recipe with a filet or New York strip.
Because flank steak is a tougher cut, it can be tenderized by using a marinade with a little acidity. The tart cherry juice does this without adding too much acidity.
Ingredients
- Tart cherry juice - This can be found in most grocery stores, especially since it's very popular for mocktails right now. Other good substitutes would be pomegranate juice or coconut aminos. Both will give you great depth of flavor. The natural sugars give a beautiful caramelization on the outside of the steak.
- Garlic - Fresh minced garlic is best.
- Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil - Depending on the heat level of your grill or how you intend to cook the steaks, use extra virgin olive oil for lower heat and avocado oil for over 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
See below for spice variations if you want to add a boost of flavor!
Easy Marinade Variations
Depending on what type of flavor you'd like, here are a few of my favorite additions to the base. Keep in mind, this 3 ingredient steak marinade is delicious on its own!
- Rosemary - My favorite addition, I add 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped rosemary.
- Thyme - Use 2-3 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
- Smoked paprika - Great for a smoky BBQ flavor. Add 1 teaspoon.
- Italian seasoning - Use 1-2 teaspoons of your favorite Italian seasoning.
- Taco seasoning - Use my flank steak taco marinade with flank or skirt steak and slice thin for tacos.
How to Make 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade
Simply whisk the tart cherry juice, garlic, and oil all together. Add the steak in a large ziplock bag (preferred, picture 3) or a glass baking dish (picture 2). Poke the steak a few times with the tines of a fork, just to allow the marinade to soak in a bit more.
If marinating in a dish, you will need to flip the steak a few times so it marinates on both sides.
Allow the steak to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. I find the sweet spot is between 2-8 hours.
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Cooking Recommendations
Either grill the steaks or use my air fryer flank steak recipe.
To grill - Heat charcoal or gas grill to about 425-450 degrees Fahrenheit and add steaks 8 min on first side. Flip and grill about 6 min on other side for medium/well. Remove and place on cutting board, cover the steak loosely and allow it to sit for about 5-10 minutes, then slice against the grain.
To air fry: Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-7 minutes the first side, flip and cook another 5-7 minutes or until desired internal temperature is reached. Allow it to rest 10 minutes before cutting.
Storage Information
The marinade can be mixed together and stored for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze it, but it's so easy to make, I think having to freeze and defrost would require more work.
If you want to freeze the marinated steak, it is best to do after cooking. Simply cool the steak, slice, and freeze in a freezer-friendly bag or container. It will keep well for up to 6 months.
Serving Suggestions
This 3 ingredient steak marinade works well with a few different dishes. Here are some versions of it where I've used it in other ways:
Some side dishes that pair well with this easy steak marinade are:
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I've used this 3 ingredient marinade for chicken and it's also delicious. Try it with a few more spices like this Mexican grilled chicken or plain.
Steaks marinated overnight can be delicious and full of flavor so if you have the time, that can work. I find this recipe still works well with a shorter time frame of a couple of hours. Marinating for longer can make the meat a little more tender, but past 24 hours the texture of the steak may get slightly mushy due to the acid in the cherry juice.
This recipe will work in a cast iron skillet or a grill pan, but you can also use my air fryer flank steak method.
Tart cherry juice is easy to substitute with pomegranate juice, coconut aminos, or pomegranate molasses (although this brings a more pronounced tart flavor).
Flank Steak Recipes
If you love this steak marinade with 3 ingredients, you'll love these flank steak recipes that uses variations of it. And don't miss this delicious air fryer NY strip steak!
If you make this, tag me #thedizzycook or @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram. And if you love the recipe, please leave a review below! Follow along on my Pinterest for more great recipes.
3 Ingredient Steak Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 cup tart cherry juice
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a ziplock bag or shallow dish. I prefer a bag because you won't have to flip it to marinade both sides, but you do you. Add 1½-2 pounds of flank or skirt steak to the marinade and coat on all sides. Marinate for 2-8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Before cooking, sprinkle steak with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides.
- To grill - Preheat grill to medium high heat (about 425F) and grill on the first side for 6-8 minutes until grill marks form, then flip and cook another 5-6 minutes. Remove the steak from the grill, loosely cover with foil, and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. This is best done on a cutting board with edges to catch any juices. See notes for air fryer suggestions.
Notes
- To air fry steak, follow the instructions in my air fryer flank steak recipe.
- Substitutes for tart cherry juice include pomegranate juice or coconut aminos.
- If you intend to grill or sear steaks above 425F degrees then use avocado oil.
- Salt and pepper is best added before grilling rather than directly to the marinade.
- This marinade will also work for chicken breasts or thighs.
- See the post for suggestions on spices that work well. 1 tablespoon of fresh (not dried), finely chopped rosemary is my go-to.
Use this recipe all the time! I like to switch between the juice and coconut aminos. Delicious!