Grilled Flank Steak with Salsa Verde

Substitutions & Swaps

🥩 Flank Steak

• Skirt Steak - The closest swap to flank. It has a slightly looser grain and even more beefy flavor, so it takes the marinade beautifully and grills fast over high heat. Always slice against the grain.
• Hanger Steak - Called the butcher's secret for a reason. It has intense, iron-rich flavor that pairs perfectly with the bright, acidic salsa verde. Cook it to medium rare only, it toughens quickly beyond that.
• Tri-Tip - A great California grill staple. It's thicker than flank so you'll need an extra 2 to 3 minutes per side, but the fat marbling keeps it juicy and it slices into gorgeous pieces against the grain.
• Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless) - If you want to skip red meat entirely, boneless thighs soak up the red wine marinade incredibly well and char beautifully on a hot grill. The salsa verde on top is a total natural.

🍷 Red Wine or Balsamic Vinegar (Marinade)

• Red Wine Vinegar - Sharper and more acidic than red wine, it breaks down the muscle fibers in the flank steak efficiently and adds a clean tartness that does not muddy the other marinade flavors.
• Sherry Vinegar - Slightly nutty and less sharp than red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar adds a subtle depth to the marinade that feels a bit more sophisticated without overpowering the herbs.

🌿 Mixed Herbs (Salsa Verde)

• All Flat-Leaf Parsley - If you are not a cilantro fan or just do not have basil on hand, going all-parsley keeps the salsa verde classic and very clean tasting. It is the most traditional Italian base for this sauce.
• Fresh Mint (in place of basil) - Swapping mint for the basil gives the salsa verde a bright, almost cooling lift that works especially well in summer. It pairs really nicely with the char from the grilled steak.
• Tarragon (small amount, replacing oregano in the marinade) - Tarragon has an anise-like sweetness that is surprisingly good with grilled beef. Use it sparingly since it is assertive, about 1 teaspoon to start, so it does not take over the whole herb profile.
• Arugula (blended into the salsa verde) - Adding a small handful of arugula into the food processor with the herbs gives the salsa verde a peppery, slightly bitter edge that cuts through the richness of the steak fat in the best way.

🫒 Capers (Salsa Verde)

• Castelvetrano Olives (pitted and chopped) - Buttery and mild, Castelvetrano olives bring a briny, meaty quality to the salsa verde that replaces the salty pop of capers without making the sauce overly sharp. Chop them finely before pulsing.
• Caper Berries (rinsed and roughly chopped) - The bigger, milder cousin of the caper. They have the same briny flavor but a softer, fruitier note. Chop them before adding so the texture does not become too chunky in the salsa.
• Green Olives (finely minced) - Tangy green olives like Manzanilla mimic the salty, acidic bite that capers bring to the salsa verde. They also add a tiny hint of richness that blends seamlessly with the olive oil base.
• Pickled Jalapeños (drained) - If you want to add heat alongside the briny element, finely chopped pickled jalapeños do the job. They bring both the tang and a kick that plays well off the red pepper flakes already in the marinade.

🥬 Baby Romaine (Salad)

• Little Gem Lettuce - Essentially a smaller, more compact version of romaine with an even crunchier texture. The leaves cup perfectly so they hold the lemon vinaigrette without getting soggy, and they look beautiful on a board.
• Endive (Belgian) - Slightly bitter and very crisp, endive spears stand up to the bold lemon-garlic vinaigrette without wilting. The bitterness is a nice counterpoint to the rich, charred steak slices.
• Radicchio (torn into pieces) - Adds a gorgeous pop of color and a pleasantly bitter bite. Mix it with some romaine if you want to soften the bitterness, and the lemon dressing balances it out nicely.
• Watercress - Peppery and delicate, watercress wilts slightly under a warm vinaigrette and works beautifully as a bed for sliced steak. Its natural spice echoes the red pepper flakes in the marinade.

🥩🌿🔥 Tips & Tricks for the Best Grilled Flank Steak with Salsa Verde

Herb-packed salsa verde on perfectly grilled flank steak is the combo you didn't know you needed all summer long.

• Marinate the flank steak for a full 2 hours, not less. Flank steak is a lean, fibrous cut and needs adequate time for the acid in the red wine or balsamic vinegar to break down the muscle fibers. Less than 2 hours and you won't get the full flavor penetration or tenderizing effect.
• Pat the steak completely dry before it hits the grill. Excess marinade on the surface creates steam instead of a sear. Drying the steak with paper towels ensures direct contact with the grill grates, giving you that caramelized crust.
• Season generously with salt and pepper right before grilling, not before marinating. Salting too early draws moisture out of the meat and can work against the marinade. A heavy hand with salt and pepper just before the grill gives you a flavorful crust without drying out the interior.
• Turn the steak 90 degrees halfway through each side to get proper crisscross grill marks. Rotating 90 degrees mid-cook creates the diamond pattern that maximizes contact with the hot grates, adding more Maillard reaction char and visual appeal at the same time.
• Pull the steak at medium rare (130 to 135 degrees F internal temp) and let it rest a full 10 minutes. Flank steak toughens quickly when overcooked because it has very little fat marbling. Resting allows the juices to redistribute so every slice stays moist rather than pooling on the cutting board.
• Always slice flank steak against the grain and at a slight angle. Flank steak has long, visible muscle fibers running in one direction. Cutting perpendicular to those fibers shortens them dramatically, which is the single biggest factor in whether the steak feels tender or chewy.
• Pulse the salsa verde ingredients only until coarsely chopped, about 20 seconds. Over-processing turns the herbs into a paste and causes oxidation, making the salsa turn dark and lose its bright flavor. You want visible texture and vibrant green color in every bite.
• Stir the olive oil into the salsa verde by hand rather than blending it in. Running olive oil through a food processor emulsifies and can make it bitter due to the polyphenols being agitated. Stirring it in manually keeps the sauce light, grassy, and properly textured.
• Dress the romaine salad right before serving, not ahead of time. The lemon juice in the vinaigrette will wilt the romaine leaves quickly. Tossing at the last second keeps the leaves crisp so you get a proper textural contrast with the steak.
• Make double the salsa verde batch. This sauce keeps in the fridge for 3 days and works on grilled chicken, salmon, roasted vegetables, or as a quick pasta sauce. Having extra on hand is never a bad idea.
• Rinse and drain the capers thoroughly before adding them to the salsa verde. Capers are packed in brine that is intensely salty and can throw off the seasoning of the entire sauce. A quick rinse under cold water removes excess brine while keeping all the briny flavor you actually want.