The internet is full of grilled flank steak recipes - but this one has a briny olive herb relish that takes it over the top!
I'm making the most of summer grilling with this simple savory flank steak recipe. Grilling up the steak takes just a couple minutes - no marinade needed. To bring the flavor, I've paired it with a simple but punchy relish!
Quick Look: Grilled Flank Steak
⏲️Ready In: 30 Minutes
🍽Servings: 4-6
🥗Nutrition: 316 Calories / 37g Protein
🥘Main Ingredients: Flank steak, Kalamata olives, Pepperoncini, Parsley, Cilantro
📋Dietary Notes: Gluten free, Grain free, Nut free, Dairy free
⭐Why You'll Love It: Straightforward and fast, the briny olive herb relish adds a punch of flavor to beefy flank steak - no marinade required.
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Flank steak is an excellent lean cut that makes an incredibly fast dinner. High heat cooking making this high protein cut a perfect summertime grill recipe!
Hungry for more steak recipes? I've used flank steak in Steak & Egg Breakfast Tacos with Chimichurri and Cardamom Coffee Rubbed Steak for gluten free breakfasts or brunches!
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Key Ingredients
Flank Steak: You'll need one flank steak for this recipe - typically around 1.5 pounds! Flank steak tends to be quite lean and can be tough. While this recipe doesn't call for a marinade, you can rub the flank steak in salt and pepper up to a day in advance as a dry brine to work a little tenderizing magic.
Kalamata Olives: The backbone of the relish! Briney kalamata olives provide the best flavor. Black or green olives do not make a good substitute, so make sure you get Kalamata olives for this recipe!
Pepperoncini: Chopped jarred pepponcini provides a little kick to this relish! It's a great addition for more punchy flavor, but if you don't have it on hand you can safely skip it.
Parsley/Cilantro: Using a blend of parsley and cilantro means more complex flavor (which I love!) but if you hate cilantro or don't have parsley, you can use all one or the other.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Grilled Flank Steak with Olive Herb Relish
Step 1: Combine the olive oil, chopped kalamata olives, kalamata olive brine, chopped pepperoncini, chopped parsley, and chopped cilantro in a small bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: Preheat the grill for medium-high (450-500 degrees F) indirect heat. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and let come to room temperature while the grill heats.
Add the steaks to the grill over direct heat, cooking for 2 minutes on each side.
Step 3: Move the steaks to to indirect heat and continue to cook for 2-6 minutes, until temperature registers 125 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare or 135 for medium.
Step 4: Let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing against the grain and top with olive herb relish.
Top Tips from Chelsea
Always slice against the grain - To ensure a tender steak, let it rest at least 5 minutes after grilling, then slice thinly against the grain. You can identify the grain by the direction of the striations of the muscle in the meat.
Note the image in Step 4 above, the lines of the meat stretching vertically. You'll want to turn the steak so the grain goes right to left, and slice across, not with, that grain.
Not a fan of cilantro? Use all parsley - On the other hand, if you don't have any parsley on hand you can use all cilantro in the relish!
An instant-read thermometer changes the game - For perfect steak cooked to your desired doneness, you'll need an instant-read thermometer to take the guesswork out of cooking. I love my Thermapen! You'll pull the steak off the grill 5 degrees below your desired doneness, as it'll continue to rise in temperature while it rests.
Sub skirt steak for flank steak - If you have skirt steak on hand, you can easily substitute it for flank steak here. Skirt steak isn't as lean as flank steak but the cooking method is essentially identical.
Grilled Flank Steak FAQs
Yes, skirt steak makes a great substitute here. Skirt steak tends to be a little fattier than flank steak but has more beefy flavor!
My best tip is to make sure you let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes after grilling and slice against the grain.
Another prep-ahead tip: pre-season the steak with salt and pepper up to a day in advance, letting the salt work its magic and dry-brine the steak before grilling.
This flank steak recipe doesn't call for a marinade, but you could use the marinade from Grilled Steak, Zucchini, and Pesto Salad to tenderize the flank steak a bit.
While the cook time is short, keep the lid closed to prevent the heat of the grill from escaping.
What to serve with Grilled Flank Steak
Easy, fresh summer salads and sides make perfect accompaniaments for grilled steaks!
Serve with German Potato Salad or polenta as easy starches.
A crisp salad like Tangy Cucumber Salad with Chives, Watermelon Arugula Salad with Chili Honey Lime Dressing, or Mediterranean Tomato & Cucumber Salad add fresh summer flavor.
Did you try this Grilled Flank Steak with Olive Herb Relish recipe? I'd love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and rating or tag me on Instagram - I appreciate your feedback.
Print📖 Recipe
Grilled Flank Steak with Olive Herb Relish
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Straightforward and fast, the briny olive herb relish adds a punch of flavor to beefy grilled flank steak - no marinade required!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- ¼ cup sliced pepperoncini, chopped
- ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon brine from the kalamata olives
- 1.5-lb flank steak
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make relish. In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, olive brine, olives, pepperoncini, parsley, and cilantro. Set aside to let flavors meld.
- Season steak and preheat grill. Season the flank steak with kosher salt and pepper and let come to room temperature while the grill preheats. Prepare a grill for medium-high (450-500 degrees F) indirect heat: for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off; for a pellet grill, set temperature to 450 degrees F.
- Grill steak. Place steaks over direct heat/on the hot side of the grill. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, keeping the grill cover closed unless flipping. Move the steaks to indirect heat and close the cover, cooking for 2-6 minutes without flipping, until steak reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F for medium-rare or 135 degrees for medium, depending on how done you'd like the steak.
- Rest and serve. Transfer the steak to a plate and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice into thin strips against the grain and top with the olive and herb dressing. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Not a fan of cilantro? Use all parsley. Or, if you don't have parsley on hand, use all cilantro.
- Ensure a tender steak: Make sure you let the steak rest after cooking and slice against the grain. You can also dry brine the steak by seasoning the steak with salt and pepper up to a day in advance to let the salt work its magic.
- Swap skirt steak for flank steak: If you don't have flank steak on hand, skirt steak makes a great substitute!
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