These easy Flank Steak Tacos have minimal prep, maximum flavor, and they’re ready with less than 10 minutes of cooking! They start with a zippy citrus marinade, which ensures the steak is tender, juicy, and flavorful.
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Restaurant-style tacos made quick and easy.
Amazing citrus-marinated flank steak tacos don’t have to be complicated! This easy recipe requires just a few everyday ingredients to make an epic Taco Night dinner.
- Although you do need to build in time for the marinade portion of the recipe, the good news is once that hour is up, flank steak tacos are freaky fast. The steak cooks in just 8 minutes!
- You don’t even need access to a grill! This recipe can be made on the grill, stovetop, or oven.
- A simple citrus marinade makes these the BEST steak tacos, bringing a taste of sunshine into your kitchen and a (well-deserved) sense of swagger to your cooking routine.
5 Star Review
“These were absolutely amazing! This is a keeper and we’ll be making them again!”
— Mary —
My Tips and Tricks for Perfect Steak Tacos
- Use the Right Cut. Flank steak, also known as London Broil, is often confused with skirt steak. While these steaks both have a strong beefy flavor and tend to be tougher cuts of meat that require marinating, they are not the same. In fact, they come from entirely different parts of the steer. Flank steak is better than skirt steak for tacos. Sirloin steak tacos and ribeye steak tacos are also delicious options.
- Don’t Use Bottled Citrus Juice. Since there are so few ingredients in this recipe, be sure to use freshly squeezed orange and lime juice (this citrus press will be your friend). The bottled stuff will throw off the steak’s flavor.
- Avoid Over-Marinating. I don’t recommend marinating the steak overnight. I’ve found that anything more than 8 hours tends to break down the flank steak too much.
- Cut Against the Grain. Flank steak tends to be a tough cut of meat (even with an awesome marinade) because of its long, lean muscle fibers. Cutting the meat against the grain shortens these muscle fibers and effectively tenderizes the steak further. Don’t forget to let it rest before cutting either!
What to Serve with Flank Steak Tacos
- Easy Sides. Add some cumin or chili powder to Oven Roasted Potatoes, or serve your tacos with Mexican Quinoa or Grilled Corn.
- Tex-Mex Salads. Try this Mexican Street Corn Quinoa Salad or Mexican Salad.
- Margaritas. Definitely don’t skip out on a Spicy Margarita or Grapefruit Margarita!
Flank Steak Tacos
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
These easy flank steak tacos have a zippy citrus marinade for maximum tenderness and flavor. Cook them on the grill, stovetop or in the oven!
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Ingredients
For the Steak and Marinade:
- 1 pound flank steak trimmed of excess fat
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus additional for grilling the steak
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional for grilling the steak
- Canola oil for coating the grill
For Serving:
- 8 7-inch corn or flour tortillas
- Shredded Monterey jack feta, or queso fresco cheese
- Other toppings: chopped fresh cilantro diced red onion, sliced or diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Place the flank steak in a baking dish. In a medium mixing bowl or large measuring cup, stir together the olive oil, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour over the steak. Cover tightly with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours (do not marinate for more than 8 hours or the steak will break down and soften too much).
- When ready to grill, remove the steak from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature while you prepare any toppings and preheat the grill.
- Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over medium-high heat (alternatively, you can cook the steak under your broiler—place your oven rack in the upper third, usually the second closest rack to the top). Brush the grill grates with oil. Remove the steak from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Grill (or broil) the steak for about 3-4 minutes per side, flipping once, until medium-rare (The steak should read 135 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.)
- Remove the steak to a cutting board and cover with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes (this allows the juices to sink into the meat), then cut the steak into thin, 1/4-inch slices, slicing it across the grain.
- Next, warm the tortillas. Place them in a dry skillet heated over medium-high or heat them on the grill for about 30 seconds per side, until warmed through.
- To serve, fill the tortillas with a few slices of beef. Sprinkle with cheese and any desired toppings. Enjoy immediately.
Video
Notes
- NOTE: Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated with half the total marinade, as much is discarded. If you would like to calculate it differently, you can do so for free at myfitnesspal.com.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate steak in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently reheat leftover steak in a lightly oiled skillet, just until warmed through.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze steak in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4); without toppings or tortillasCalories: 193kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 24gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 68mgPotassium: 417mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 23IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg
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I just used that marinade for steak tacos last night and it was a hit! Really flavorful and well seasoned. I added a small amount of steak sauce to the marinade and it was a really nice balance of all the flavors. I also topped them with homemade mango salsa :)
Asia, thanks for reporting back! I’m so glad to hear it was a success!
My family loves this recipe! They ask for these tacos often.
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Elsa! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!
What time and temp do you use to sous vide? Are you marinating afterwards or while sous viding? Tyia
48 hours at 135 degrees. I typically use a dry rub for flavor, but if you own a chamber vacuum sealer, you can put the meat in a marinade. I’d use lime juice, some olive oil, lots of salt, plus some cumin and coriander. You could also throw in some smashed garlic.
Chef Mimi, thank you for the tip! I look forward to trying via sous vide. I know it will be awesome! Thank you!
Recipe number … 6 or 7, I’m losing count! This one was surprisingly hard for me, and I suspect a lot of user error. The marinade itself was easy but the cooking tripped me up. It’s freezing here and our grill fell apart this summer, so broiling it was. The problem is that I have very little experience broiling. I followed your rack placement directions but didn’t remember to drain off the extra marinade, so that may have been part of the issue. After ten minutes on one side, the flank steak was still a sort of gray color. I flipped it and did another ten minutes on that side, but the steak was still raw in the middle. Then I moved the rack up and did each side another five minutes each, and it was ready. I let the steak rest but probably not long enough, because lots of juices ran as soon as I started cutting. The flavors were good, but I was expecting something stronger. I marinaded for two hours but maybe that wasn’t long enough? My husband and kids said they enjoyed it, but I think I need to try this one again on a grill. Onward!
Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your results, Marie! It does sound like the extra marinade didn’t allow the meat to brown properly. I’m happy you still enjoyed it, and I hope it goes even better next time!
These were absolutely amazing! One of my boys worked around the Las Vegas area on a site and after he came home he kept raving about these tacos he had there. I was determined to make him some similar. I found this recipe and BOOM! Instant hit! I used flat iron steak since the other two mentioned were unavailable to me. I, personally, like flat iron better anyway. Per preference of each individual we used either corn or flour tortillas and warmed them in the pan first. This is a keeper and we’ll be making them again!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Mary! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Absolutely delicious! I have 2 very picky children, and typically have to make something different for them, but both loved this and even had seconds. I went a little over on the juices, though I did freshly squeeze both. While grilling I poured the remaining juice onto the other side once flipped. I added tzatziki sauce to mine just to change things up a bit!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Kimberly! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This looks like a wonderful recipe! Im just wondering where the instructions for the oven baked recipe is? I couldn’t find it!😅
Hi Estefania! Do you mean the for the tortillas? Step 3 gives you all of the details on how to heat them. Hope this helps!
These were SO good and so tender! I marinated for 6-7 hours then grilled, making sure to cut against the grain! Will definitely be making again :)
Hi Megan! So glad you enjoyed the tacos! Thank you for this kind review!
Very good marinade! Family loved it! Next time I am going to double the lime juice and garlic just based on preference. Thank you!
Hi Pattie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I saw fresh corn tortillas in the supermarket last night and it’s like I was destined to make this recipe. We had taco Sunday tonight. The steak marinade was awesome, and the meat was tender. I might use the new york strip next time. Thanks so much!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Daniela!
I made these for my husband and me this week. I don’t cook often with steak, so I was grateful to find the recipe easy to follow… the steak came out so juicy and with tons of flavor. We added some avocado and cilantro, which kicked it up even more. Can’t wait to make them again.
Yay! Thank you Janelle!
These tacos are fantastic! Such great flavor combinations and the flank steak is such a great choice for tacos! We made these for dinner last night and they were delicious! The meat was so tender and juicy. The marinade is great. So simple and easy to make, yet it was packed with flavor. I don’t even know where to start! Thank you, we are definitely going to be making these tacos again!
Thank you Aria!
Ehh I’ve tried this recipe 3 or 4 times. Very hit or miss. I don’t recommend the broil way.
I’m sorry to hear you had problems with the recipe, Jared. It has worked well for myself (and others) and I wished it would have been a hit for you too.