5 from 5 reviews

With just 3 ingredients this Cajun Flank Steak needs to be on your summer grilling menu! The incredible flavor from this super simple recipe will blow your mind! It takes less than 20 minutes to cook to perfection.

cajun flank steak from overhead on a ceramic plate

I originally shared this recipe on April 13, 2012. I have updated the images and some of the text today. This post contains affiliate links.

Table of contents

Why We Love This Recipe For Grilled Flank Steak

What’s better than grilling outdoors when the weather gets too hot to be in the kitchen? If you are looking for a hands-off way of seasoning and preparing grilled flank steak, then you’ll want to check out this recipe.

One of the best things about this method for preparing Grilled Flank Steak is its simplicity.

To make it, simply sprinkle salt over the flank steak, and then let it rest. This acts as a dry brine of sorts that helps to make the steak more flavorful and juicy!

Once you’ve amped the juiciness, next simply sprinkle with store-bought cajun seasoning. It’s a convenient spice blend that makes this recipe quick and easy to prepare, and it helps to balance the strong meaty flavors.

That’s all you have to do to get all of this deliciousness!

So if you are a steak lover, or you just don’t want to spend a lot of time in a hot kitchen, then try out this Cajun Flank Steak. Serve it for your next cookout and you won’t be disappointed!

Key Ingredients for This Recipe

Beef Flank Steak

We recommend using Grass-Fed Beef for this recipe. While we do limit our consumption of beef, it can be a part of a nutritious diet as it is high in protein, B vitamins, iron, and potassium.

What’s more, grazing of grass-fed cows can add carbon and nutrients to the soil so that it can grow healthier crops. This type of grazing also increases the water permeability, so that less water is wasted. This all means that grass-fed beef is better for you and the planet. It’s a win-win!!

Look for grass-fed beef in the meat department at large supermarkets, health food stores (such as Whole Foods) and from your local farmer or farmers’ market.

Kosher Salt

We chose coarse kosher salt instead of table salt here to sprinkle over the steak. You can use regular table salt in a pinch, but note that it is higher in sodium so you will need less of it. Read more about substituting kosher salt here.

Cajun Seasoning

We just used cajun seasoning from the store as it has everything you need to make a delicious steak, including a bit of heat.

Most Cajun blends contain a combination of garlic and onion powder, paprika, pepper, dried thyme and oregano, and a little cayenne or red pepper flakes for a kick.

If you would like more of a kick, you could also add in some extra red pepper flakes or cayenne.

Step By Step Instructions To Make This Cajun Flank Steak

Step 1: Season the steak.

Pat flank steak dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt over both sides of the steak. Lay steak on a baking sheet and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.

Step 2: Grill the steak.

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Remove the steak from the refrigerator, pat dry with clean paper towels, and sprinkle both sides with the Cajun seasoning. Oil grill rack. Grill steak about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, 6 to 7 minutes per side for medium and 8 minutes per side for medium-well.

If you have an instant-read thermometer aim for 130 degrees for medium-rare. The temperature of the stake will rise about 5 degrees as it rests.

Remove the steak to a platter to rest for at least 5 minutes. This helps the steak stay juicy so don’t skip this part!

Cut the steak into strips against the grain.

a close up of sliced flank steak cooked medium rare

FAQs and Expert Tips for Making the Best Grilled Flank Steak

Salting Flank Steak Before Grilling

Make sure you salt the steak ahead of time for the best flavor. I learned this salting trick from Sara Moulton at the IACP conference in New York City. You take a regular raw steak out of the fridge, sprinkle salt on it, and return it to the fridge for an hour or two. Take it out, pat it dry with paper towels, and then grill it.

Salting the beef 1-2 hours before grilling allows the salt to draw out a bit of moisture from the meat creating a brine. This brine then soaks back into the beef which helps to tenderize and flavor the meat. Cool trick, right?!

What is the best method to cook flank steak?

High, dry and direct heat is best for cooking flank steak. Methods of direct dry heat are grilling, pan-searing or broiling. {Try my broiled flank steak with minty slaw.} Dry high heat, like grilling brings out the best flavor and color.

How do you tenderize flank steak quickly?

You can tenderize flank steak by salting it or marinating it before cooking. These will only really tenderize the outer layer of the cut of meat, and the main trick is to not overcook it. For a tender steak you need to regularly turn it over, and also rotate the steak for even cooking. Then once you have reached your desired internal temperature, it is imperative to let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes (10 or even more is better.) This allows the muscle fibers to relax and the juice will not run out of it when it is sliced. It is important to slice flank steak against the grain so that you “shorten” the muscle fibers. This will also contribute to a less chewy bite of steak.

Should flank steak be marinated?

Marinating can be worth it for the flavoring, and it will tenderize the outer layer of the meat. Be careful not to over-marinate flank steak, as this can make the outer layer tough and dry. I would recommend marinating for only 1-2 hours of marinating before cooking. Check out my Grilled Tomato and Herb Flank Steak for more information on marinating. However, in this recipe, the flank steak is salted before adding spices at the time of cooking which I believe is also delicious and much easier!

a table scape with a tray of grilled steak, green beans, a bowl of corn salad and a plate with both from overhead

What To Serve With Flank Steak

Today I served this Cajun flank steak with a super yummy Grilled Corn and Chickpea Salad, but don’t miss checking out a few other side dishes that would also be BFF’s with this awesome steak…

More Flank Steak Recipes

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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a close up of sliced flank steak cooked medium rare

Cajun Flank Steak

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 5 servings 1x
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Description

With just 3 ingredients this Cajun Flank Steak needs to be on your summer grilling menu! The incredible flavor from this super simple recipe will blow your mind! 

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 small grass-fed beef flank steak, 1.5 to 2 pounds
  • 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

Instructions

  1. Pat flank steak dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt over both sides of the steak. Lay steak on a baking sheet and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
  2. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Remove the steak from the refrigerator, pat dry with clean paper towels, and sprinkle both sides with the Cajun seasoning.  Oil grill rack. Grill steak about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, 6 to 7 minutes per side for medium and 8 minutes per side for medium-well. An instant-read thermometer will read 130 degrees F for medium-rare.} Remove the steak to a platter to rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.

Notes

Add in some extra spice with red pepper flakes or cayenne.

Don’t overcook the steak, make sure to turn and rotate it regularly.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Grilling
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3 ounces
  • Calories: 151
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 0 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 20 g

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