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This air fryer flank steak is tender and juicy, but best of all it’s super easy to make. A favorite recipe that gets great reviews, you’ll love the 4 ingredient marinade and that it’s ready in 15 minutes!
You don’t need a grill to make a great steak – just a simple air fryer. You can easily use this air fried steak on top of rice bowls, in air fryer quesadillas, or with delicious sides. Try this air fryer filet and air fryer NY strip steak too for different variations.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I used to be one of those “I only want grilled steak” people until I tried this recipe. Truly, I was shocked at how well it was cooked! I thought for sure I’d have to at least sear the meat first, but the air fryer cooks it to perfection.
Cooking flank steak in the air fryer is great for those who are intimidated by grilling or who don’t own a grill, but still want to enjoy a nice steak.
- All weather recipe – This recipe is great for summer, but this air fryer steak method is perfect for winter when you don’t want to be outside grilling.
- 15 minute meal – The flank steak cooks in just 15 minutes for medium, and about 10 minutes for medium rare.
- Easy – It’s easy to clean up, no scraping the grill or cleaning up splatter on the oven or stove, just wash your air fryer insert. This recipe fits a gluten free and dairy free diet as well.
Ingredients
This flank steak marinade has just 4 ingredients plus salt and pepper! You could also use my 3 ingredient steak marinade as an alternative.
- Flank Steak – Flank steak is a leaner cut of meat that’s good for grilling, but can be tough if overcooked or not cut properly. A good marinade helps break down fibers, making the steak more tender. Another great way to make it is slow cooker flank steak or instant pot steak tacos. Cutting against the grain into thinner slices can combat any toughness. It’s usually a good price and less expensive than other types of steaks. Skirt steak can be substituted and tends to have more fat.
- Coconut Aminos and White Vinegar – Using coconut aminos, a soy sauce substitute, adds a little bit of natural sweetness to the marinade without any sugar, and a little bit of vinegar adds some acidity.
- Fresh garlic – I recommend using fresh garlic over dried for a better flavor. Because the marinade only has few ingredients, it needs a bold garlic flavor.
I also include an optional corn salad topping in the recipe card, which is perfect for the summer months!
Substitutions & Variations
- Coconut aminos – I love to actually use coconut aminos because it’s less salty than soy sauce with a little bit of sweetness. You can substitute soy sauce, but I’d leave out the extra salt and add a teaspoon of honey. Balsamic vinegar or even tart cherry juice works well here. If you use balsamic, don’t add the extra vinegar.
- HYH diet – Use only coconut aminos or tart cherry juice. This recipe is gluten free and dairy free as is.
- Herbs – Chopped fresh rosemary (1-2 teaspoons) is great in this marinade.
How to Air Fry Flank Steak
Step 1: Marinate the steak. This is the first step to tenderizing the flank steak and also infusing a little extra flavor. The longer you can marinate it (up to 24 hours) the better. You can “score” the meat by cutting very thin lines into both sides of the steak in a crosshatch pattern. Sometimes I forget and the steak is still good, but it does help impart some extra flavor. Remove the steak from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking so it can come to room temperature.
Step 2: Start by pre-heating the air fryer lid to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the steak in the air fryer and cook it for 5-7 minutes on the first side (7 produces more of a medium cooked steak).
Step 3: Flip and cook another 5-7 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 130-135 degrees F. This is cooked medium. For rare, you want 120-130 degrees F. I don’t recommend cooking this cut of steak any more or it will be tough.
Step 4: Allow the steak to rest, covered with foil, for at least 7-10 minutes before slicing. You want to slice “against the grain” so in the opposite direction of how the meat fibers are running.
Recipe Tips
- Choose a good cut of flank steak – one that is preferably cut that day or doesn’t have large chunks of fat. Skirt steak will also work for this recipe.
- Medium to medium rare is the best temperature for this cut of steak so it’s not too dry and chewy. Your first round making this, choose a lower cook time, open the air fryer and test it with a meat thermometer. It should read 125-135 degrees F.
- Allow the steak time to rest, covered with foil – at least 5-10 minutes. This keeps it extra juicy.
- Slice as thin as possible, against the grain, for the best texture.
How Long Should I Cook Flank Steak in the Air Fryer?
I highly recommend cooking this between medium rare and medium for the best texture and flavor, but here are some general cooking times and internal temperatures. With 5 minutes, the steak was rare at about 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Medium rare: 130-135 degrees (about 6 minutes per side)
- Medium: 140-145 degrees (about 7 minutes)
- Medium well: 145-155 degrees (about 7-8 minutes)
- Well done: 155 and up
Different air fryers will cook at different temperatures, so it’s good to invest in a quick meat thermometer to judge the internal temperature. Smaller air fryers will typically cook faster than larger ones.
Storage and Reheating
Keep any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Steak also freezes very well so you can put sliced pieces into a storage container or bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
When you’re ready to eat it, thaw in the fridge overnight and warm it up for 2-3 minutes in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sauces and Sides
If you’re looking for extra flavor, these sauces and sides are perfect with flank steak. The included corn relish recipe is a great option for summer that takes a little bit of fresh corn, shallots, some tomatoes, cilantro or parsley, and a little bit of acid. It just adds a little bit of extra flavoring to the steak. A few others that I love are:
- Cilantro chimichurri for a flavorful sauce or even this tahini sauce for vegetables would work well.
- If you hate cilantro, this creamy basil dressing would make a great dipping sauce or drizzle on top! It would also make an amazing flank steak salad.
- For another steak salad idea, add peaches, cheese, and a fresh herb dressing.
As for side dishes, I highly recommend a pear arugula salad, Boursin mashed potatoes, Boursin stuffed mushrooms, or crockpot mac and cheese with cream cheese. These bang bang brussels sprouts would also be amazing.
Flank Steak Recipes
Beef
Slow Cooker Flank Steak
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Air Fryer Flank Steak
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce , see other substitutes in notes
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1¾ pounds flank steak or skirt steak
Instructions
- Mix together the oil, coconut aminos, vinegar, and garlic in a shallow cooking dish or a ziplock bag that the steak will fit into. You can "score" the steak if you'd like, which can impart some extra flavor if your marinating time is short. To do this, simply use a knife to very slightly cut into the top of the steak a few times.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the steak and place into marinade, flipping to coat both sides. Return to the fridge to marinate the steak. Try to marinate the steak at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
- Remove the steak from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you intend to cook. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the steak in the air fryer and cook for 5-7 minutes each side (5 for rare at 120-130 degrees internal temp, 6-7 for medium at 130-135 degrees internal temp), flipping halfway through.
- Check the internal temperature once the timer is up and if it's done, place it on a cutting board (preferably with a moat to catch the juices) and cover with foil. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing thin against the grain of the meat.
Video
Notes
- Air fryers can cook differently depending on size. A smaller air fryer will cook faster than larger. For this recipe I used Cosori’s air fryer. Here are some general times to go by, but use a meat thermometer to double check yours.
- Medium rare: 130-135 degrees (about 6 minutes per side)
- Medium: 140-145 degrees (about 6-7 minutes)
- Medium well: 145-155 degrees (about 7-8 minutes)
- Well done: 155 and up
- Coconut aminos add sweetness to the marinade, using fewer ingredients overall. It can be subbed with soy sauce, but omit the extra salt and stir in 1-2 teaspoons of honey. Taste the marinade and adjust to your liking. I’ve also used cherry juice and balsamic vinegar as well for this! Omit the extra vinegar if you use balsamic.
- For a corn salsa topping – Add 2 cobs of corn, 1/2 shallot (about 2 tablespoons), 2/3 cup sliced cherry tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of cilantro or parsley and 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you soooo much for this recipe. My flank steak turned out amazingly delicious 😋♥️
Glad you enjoyed it!!
I just made this recipe tonight and it really was so so good! I don’t have coconut amino‘s so I did do low sodium soy sauce and then cut down on the salt that I put on it. I added a little bit of honey to it, but it was so tender! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Delicious and quick. Loved the coconut aminos and got mine at Costco.
So delicious and easy to make. I used my ninja and the 7 min was great.
Where do you find a steak with no additives such as rosemary extract?
I would think most grocery stores. I haven’t actually seen a fresh steak with it around me.
Made my own marinade but followed the cooking instructions in this recipe. Was worried about the cooking times being too much for medium rare. Should not have worried. 100% best steak I’ve cooked in the air fryer.
Thanks so much, Meg. I remember testing this recipe being unsure myself. It’s a keeper!