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Summer is upon us, and this is — by far — the BEST steak marinade recipe for all of your grilling season needs! With soy sauce, maple syrup and plenty of garlic, it’s the perfect combination of sweet and savory — and it’s ready with just 5 minutes of prep. You can’t beat this easy, healthy dinner idea!
Few meals are more iconic than a grilled steak at this time of year. Such a crowd-pleaser!
If you’re looking for a steak marinade recipe to give your meat that extra dose of flavor without the need for any weird ingredients, then you’ve come to the right place! You probably already have everything you need to stir together this quick sauce, which perfectly highlights the natural flavor and texture of your meat without overpowering it. Let your steaks shine!
How to prepare the best steak marinade recipe:
This quick marinade can be whisked together in about 5 minutes. You just need:
- Olive oil
- Soy sauce
- Maple syrup (or honey or brown sugar)
- Rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- Onion powder, garlic powder and ground ginger
Once the marinade is ready to go, you’ll also need some steak! I’m using New York Strip steaks here, but this particular marinade will work with your favorite cuts (more on that below).
Simply place the steak in a large zip-top plastic bag (or glass tray) and pour the marinade over top.
Seal the bag and refrigerate the steak for at least 15 minutes. Different cuts of meat will do better with different marinating times, so I’ve included more information on that below.
When you’re ready to cook the meat, remove the steak from the bag and discard the marinade.
The steaks can be grilled or pan seared in minutes. Talk about an easy and delicious dinner that won’t heat up your kitchen!
The sugars in the marinade create a great char and flavor on the outside of the steaks, while also maintaining that tender, juicy texture on the inside.
Should I marinate steak?
Using a marinade is a great way to add flavor to a steak, and will sometimes help to tenderize the meat as well.
Marinades work really well on thin cuts of beef (such as flank steak), as well as on tougher cuts like skirt steak. If you’ve got a fairly tender piece of meat, a quick 15-minute soak in a marinade is all you need for that added dose of flavor.
How long should I marinate steak?
You can use this particular marinade with a variety of cuts, but you’ll want to vary the marinating time depending on the cut of meat that you choose.
I used boneless New York Strip steak here, but you can use chuck steak, shoulder steak, top round steak, bottom round steak, skirt steak, hanger steak, flank steak, ribeye, tri-tip or sirloin steaks as well.
Tougher cuts should be marinated for at least 4 hours, but not more than 24 hours. Tender cuts of beef, like a tenderloin, only need to be marinated for 15 minutes, and not more than 4 hours.
If you marinate beef for too long, the acid in the marinade can give the meat a mushy texture.
What to serve with marinated steak:
This grilled or pan-seared steak will pair nicely with any of the following simple sides:
- A green salad dressed with Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Rice and Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- Southern Potato Salad
- Crispy Seasoned Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Old Virginia Plantation Spoon Bread
- B.L.T. Pasta Salad
- Healthy Summer Corn Salad
- Southern Squash Casserole
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- For a steak marinade without soy sauce, try substituting with an equal amount of coconut aminos.
- Instead of the maple syrup, you can substitute with an equal amount of honey or brown sugar.
- Use fresh minced garlic and freshly grated ginger, if you have it. When using the fresh ingredients, use 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic and 3 teaspoons of ginger.
More steak marinade recipes that you might enjoy:
The Best Steak Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- 1 ½ cups olive oil
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
For serving:
- 2 lbs. steak (I used boneless New York Strip steak here, but you can use chuck steak, shoulder steak, top round steak, bottom round steak, skirt steak, hanger steak, flank steak, ribeye, tri-tip or sirloin steaks as well)
Instructions
Prepare the Marinade:
- In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients until completely combined.
- Place steak in large Ziploc bag and pour marinade over top. Seal the bag, toss gently to coat, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 15 minutes but not more than 4 hours (for tender cuts of steak) or at least 4 hours (but not more than 24 hours for tougher cuts).
To Grill New York Strip Steak:
- About 15 minutes before grilling, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the grill to high. Remove steaks from the marinade and discard marinade. Place the steaks on the grill and cook until slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue to grill 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperature of 135 degrees F), 5 to 7 minutes for medium (140 degrees F) or 8 to 10 minutes for medium-well (150 degrees F).
- Transfer the steaks to a cutting board or platter, tent loosely with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
For Pan-Seared New York Strip Steak:
- About 15 minutes before grilling, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon oil to the pan; swirl to coat. Add steaks to pan; cook 3-4 minutes on one side or until browned. Turn the steaks over and continue to cook 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperature of 135 degrees F), 5 to 7 minutes for medium (140 degrees F) or 8 to 10 minutes for medium-well (150 degrees F).
- Transfer the steaks to a cutting board or platter, tent loosely with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- For a steak marinade without soy sauce, try substituting with an equal amount of coconut aminos.
- Instead of the maple syrup, you can substitute with an equal amount of honey or brown sugar.
- Use fresh minced garlic and freshly grated ginger, if you have it. When using the fresh ingredients, use 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic and 3 teaspoons of ginger.
Love love love this recipe!
Thanks, Brenda! 🙂
I halved the recipe, used tenderized round steak, and subbed peanut oil for the olive oil. Tenderized the round steak with a non-splatter tenderizer to 1/4″ thick and cutting into roughly 6×4″ pieces. Meat was marinated for 8 hours then grilled at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. The flavor and texture is great! Juicy and melted in your mouth. Wonderful recipe, will be using again!
That sounds perfect, Kylee! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
The recipe doesn’t say how much of each ingredient we need?!
Hi! Yes, the specific measurements for each ingredient are listed in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
An AMAZING recipe! I cut the steak into strips, let it sit in the marinade for 20+min and then cook it in the air fryer. Produces a nice & crispy outside! Best marinade I’ve ever had!
Great tip, Kay! I’ve never tried it in the air fryer. Thank you!