Asian Marinated Flank Steak with Spicy Asian Chimichurri

Soy sauce, mirin, and brown sugar soak into flank steak overnight, then caramelize into a crust in a hot cast iron pan. Slice it thin and spoon over a spicy, herb-packed Asian chimichurri.

Growing up in an Asian household, I ate a lot of marinated steak, and my favorite part was always the caramelized outside where the marinade cooks down onto the meat and gets even more flavorful. This Asian flank steak marinade is how I get that at home: soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger, with the brown sugar and mirin doing the caramelizing once the steak hits the pan.

If you love Korean marinated beef like bulgogi and galbi, the flavors will feel familiar. You’ll find more of those dishes in my Korean recipes. To balance all that sweet, savory richness, I top the sliced steak with my spicy Asian chimichurri sauce, a sharp, herby sauce I first made with the harvest from my first successful herb garden.

Recipe at a Glance

What it is: Flank steak marinated in soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, avocado oil, ginger, and garlic, seared in clarified butter in a cast iron pan to medium rare, sliced thin, and served with spicy Asian chimichurri.

Why it works: The brown sugar and mirin caramelize on the outside of the steak as it sears. A long marinade (overnight is best) gives you a more tender steak. A cast iron pan holds heat consistently and for longer.

Time: 10 minutes prep, at least 6 hours to marinate (overnight recommended), about 12 to 14 minutes to cook, plus 5 to 6 minutes resting. The chimichurri takes about 15 minutes.

Serve with: Steamed rice plus a vegetable side like garlic butter sautéed mushrooms, stir-fried sugar snap peas, or Chinese garlic green beans.

Key substitutions: Skirt steak or flat iron instead of flank. No mirin? Use white wine, soju or sake, or water or stock with a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar.

More heat: Keep the optional jalapeño and Thai chili in the chimichurri.

Why This Asian Steak Marinade Works

The magic of this marinade is the caramelization. Brown sugar and mirin cook down onto the outside of the steak as it sears, and that sweet, savory crust gets more intense the longer it’s in the pan. Soy sauce brings the salty, savory base, and fresh garlic and ginger give it the same aromatic backbone you’d find in a classic Korean beef marinade.

The marinade also helps with tenderness. Mirin helps tenderize the meat while it marinates, and the longer it sits, the better: 6 hours works, but overnight gives you a more tender steak.

Ingredients for Asian Flank Steak Marinade

• Flank steak: 1½ pounds. Skirt steak or flat iron work too.
• Low-sodium soy sauce: The salty, savory base. Low sodium keeps an overnight marinade from getting too salty.
• Mirin: Sweet Japanese rice wine that helps the outside caramelize and tenderizes the steak. See the FAQ for swaps.
• Brown sugar: The main caramelizer.
• Avocado oil: Rounds out the marinade.
• Fresh ginger and garlic: Grated ginger and minced garlic for a punchy, aromatic marinade.
• Clarified butter: For searing. It’s in the pan, not the marinade.

Best Cuts of Beef for This Marinade

This recipe is written for flank steak, but the same Asian steak marinade works on:

• Skirt steak
• Flat iron steak
• Galbi (Korean short ribs)
• Bulgogi (thinly sliced Korean beef)

The cooking times in the recipe card are for a 1-inch-thick flank steak, so adjust for thinner or thicker cuts. For more ways to cook Korean-style dishes, browse my Korean recipes.

Spicy Asian Chimichurri Steak

I always crave something fresh and green alongside a rich meal, which is why I love chimichurri steak. My spicy Asian chimichurri sauce starts with parsley, cilantro, basil, and mint, then gets an Asian twist from ginger, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, a splash of fish sauce, and fresh chilis. Everything pulses together in a food processor in about 15 minutes.

The recipe makes about 1½ cups, more than you need for one steak, and keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Spoon the extra over grilled vegetables or any other protein.

How to Make Asian Marinated Flank Steak

1. Mix the marinade. Stir together the soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, avocado oil, grated ginger, and minced garlic.

2. Marinate overnight. Put the flank steak in a large zip-top bag, pour in the marinade, and massage the steak to coat evenly. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Overnight is best because it makes the steak more tender.

3. Heat the pan. Add the clarified butter to a cast iron pan over medium-high heat and heat until it just barely starts to smoke. Cast iron holds heat consistently and for longer.

4. Sear the first side. Lift the steak out of the bag, let the excess marinade drip off, and lay it flat in the hot pan. Leave it alone to sear for about 6 to 7 minutes for a 1-inch-thick steak.

5. Flip and finish. Flip and sear the other side for another 6 to 7 minutes. For medium rare, remove from the heat at 125°F to 130°F on an instant-read thermometer. Adjust the time based on how you like your steak and the thickness of your cut.

6. Rest. Move the steak to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest 5 to 6 minutes so the juices redistribute.

7. Slice and serve. Slice the steak thinly against the grain and serve with spicy Asian chimichurri.

Variations and Substitutions

• Swap the cut: Skirt steak and flat iron work with the same marinade.
• Swap the mirin: White wine, soju, or sake, or water or stock with a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar.
• Turn up the heat: Keep the jalapeño and Thai chili in the chimichurri, or add more.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you make it, I’d love to hear how it went. Leave a star rating and a comment below, and let me know which cut you used or what you served it with. For more recipes like this, sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Pinterest and Instagram.

Thanks so much for stopping by!