This small pan seared Flank Steak recipe makes two servings of tender, herby beef. Make it two different recipes to make back-to-school so easy. Serve once with potatoes and vegetables and another time as an easy snack box.
[This pan seared Flank Steak post is a collaboration with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.]
Table of contents
I'm excited to share this tasty, super easy recipe. It's perfect for back-to-school. If you're a busy college student that wants to cook at home, this recipe is totally for you. Cook dinner the next day's lunch in about 30 minutes or less.
This easy pan seared Flank Steak is a great, versatile meal component. Sticking with 3 ounces for a serving makes eating meat much more affordable and leaves you room for other satisfying side dishes for a plate with variety!
This Flank Steak dinner (and lunch!) makes for great back to school meals, beef is a good source of iron and zinc (and many other vitamins and minerals). Iron and zinc are key for brain health/function.
Deficiencies in both iron and zinc are linked to cognitive impairment and poor academic performance. Zinc deficiency may also affect attention.
Beef is a good source of both, so this easy dinner/lunch can help keep your brain healthy and learning.
One shopping note before we get into the recipe: you may not be able to find a package of ½ pound Flank Steak. That's fine.
Get the smallest package you can and refrigerate for 3-5 days, or freeze the unused beef for meals in the next 6 months.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the small pan seared Flank Steak recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick visual + description of what's in this recipe.
- Herbs: While I prefer fresh herbs, dried herbs work just as well. I used thyme and rosemary in this recipe, but you can use any herbs that you have, and like.
- Salt: A sprinkle of salt brings out the flavor in the beef and herbs.
- Onion Powder: It adds a slight sweetness to the beef. Alternatively, you could add minced onion or shallot.
- Flank Steak: Flank steak is a lean cut of meat and is pretty thin, so it cooks quickly. It's also a cut that loves a marinade.
- Oil: You'll need some neutral oil (see suggestions in Substitutions section below) with a high smoke point to cook the Flank Steak so the herbs (and oil) don't burn. Olive oil isn't the best for this.
- Potatoes: I like to pan fry some small chopped potatoes to go with my Flank Steak. Make extras if you want, or enough for one meal.
- Vegetable: Carrots, broccoli, zucchini are a few easy to cook vegetables that will be great with the steak.
Instructions
Scroll down to the pan seared Flank Steak recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.
You can marinate the Flank Steak for a couple hours, or overnight. This will infuse the herby flavors into the beef. But you can also just add it as a dry rub before cooking. Either works, and both are delicious.
Marinate the Flank Steak
1. Finely chop herbs. Add to storage container with lid or bag. It should be large enough to contain your Flank Steak.
2. Add onion powder and salt to herbs.
3. Pour ½ of the neutral oil (see notes below for suggestions) into container or bag. Mix herbs, onion powder and oil to create your marinade.
4. Add about ½ pound of flank steak to container or bag. Coat steak with ½ of the seasoning mixture and oil on all sides.
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Cook the Flank Steak and Veggies
1. Heat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. While skillet is heating, chop vegetables. Cut potatoes to about ½ inch pieces, or smaller. Other vegetables can be cut into about 1-inch pieces.
2. Add potatoes (and vegetables if you like them softer), pour in about ½ cup water. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are almost fork-tender. Add more water if needed, about 1 Tablespoon at a time.
3. Once potatoes are softened, sprinkle remaining herb mixture over them, and turn potatoes to cover them with seasonings. Move potatoes to the side. Add remaining oil to open section, and place Flank Steak on oil.
4. Cook Flank Steak about 3 minutes on each side, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
5. Remove Flank Steak and let it rest on a cutting board for about 5-10 minutes. Slice against the grain.
6. Enjoy your pan seared Flank Steak dinner. Cold store leftover Flank Steak for another meal. See serving suggestions below.
Repurpose Flank Steak
The purpose of this easy pan seared flank steak recipe is to make two servings (or more) for leftovers. This will save you effort, energy, and planning to just double up on the recipe. Here are a few ways to use the second serving.
- Snack box. For the easiest way to use the leftover flank steak, add crackers, vegetables, and chopped cheese (or a cheese stick). This flank steak is great reheated or cold. I loved eating it cold for leftovers!
- Serve with Mac and Cheese.
- Chop and serve over salad with a grain, vegetables, and an herby vinaigrette.
- Chop and serve over a grain bowl. This Mediterranean Grain Bowl is a good base recipe.
- Chop and serve leftover pan seared flank steak in a burrito or quesadilla
- Check out more 30 Minutes or Less recipes on Beef, It's What's for Dinner website.
Storage/Reheating Tips
Store leftover Flank Steak in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about a week. You can also freeze uncooked Flank Steak in an airtight container for a few months.
To reheat, pan fry or microwave until beef it reaches the USDA recommended internal temperature for reheating- about 165 degrees. You can also enjoy it cold, it's great cold in a snack box or salad.
Substitutions/Tips
- Use fresh or dried herbs and choose a mix of whichever you have on hand. Thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley, etc. are all good options.
- I tested this recipe with a marinade and dry rub with the herbs. Both taste great, the marinade was a bit more flavorful and tender, but they were close. For a faster dinner, rub the herbs, salt, and onion powder on before cooking.
- Neutral oil suggestions: canola oil, safflower oil, avocado oil, coconut oil are all good neutral oils that have a high smoke point and won't burn.
- Other great add-ins: black pepper, peppers, vegetables (you can marinate them too) are great with pan seared Flank Steak.
FAQ
It depends on the size, but likely 5-15 minutes. A ½ pound Flank Steak can cook in about 6 minutes, but a couple pound steak takes double the time.
Yes, Flank Steak is great for pan searing, it's also great on the grill. It cooks quickly and has a slightly chewy texture. It also holds together well after cooking on medium-high heat.
Here are a few recipes that would be great with Flank Steak: Flat Iron Steak Fajitas, Beef and Broccoli over Rice, and Grilled Flank Steak and Potato Salad.
Other good beef recipes
What to do with leftover ingredients
When you're cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It'll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.
- Herbs: Lemon Herb Couscous, Delicata Squash Soup for One, Instant Pot Fish (from frozen)
- Flank Steak: See beef recipes above. You can cook it according to this recipe instructions, and use seasonings in the beef recipes above (except the meatloaf, this recipe won't work with flank steak)
- Potatoes: Instant Pot Potatoes and Carrots, Roast Beets and Potatoes, Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Vegetables
Did you make this pan seared Flank Steak? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Small Pan Seared Flank Steak
Equipment
- Small bag or container with lid
- 2 cutting boards
- knife
- Small bowl
- measuring spoons and cups
- Cast iron skillet
- tongs
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ Tablespoons neutral oil canola, coconut, other with a high smoke point
- ½ pound flank steak
- cooking spray
- 1 cup chopped potatoes cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 cup chopped vegetables like carrot, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, etc
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Finely chop fresh (washed) herbs to get 1 ½ Tablespoon total. Add to small bowl. Add ½-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon onion powder to herbs. Stir.
- Spoon out 1 Tablespoon of herb mixture, add to bag or container to marinade the flank steak. Add 1 ½ Tablespoons neutral oil to herbs. Mix. Add ½ pound flank steak. Coat flank steak with herb and oil mixture. Close bag or container and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight.
- About ½ hour before serving dinner, preheat pan over medium high heat. Prepare potatoes and vegetables on a clean cutting board. Cut potatoes into ½ inch pieces to make about 1 cup of potatoes. Cut vegetables to even size, about 1 inch or so.
- Once pan is hot, add potatoes and ½ cup of water to the pan. The water will help cook the potatoes evenly. Cook, tossing occasionally for about 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Add more water if needed.
- Once potatoes are soft, let remaining water boil off. Push potatoes off to the side and spray bottom with cooking spray. Add marinated flank steak and oil to pan (only add it at beginning of cooking so it cooks through). Add 1 cup vegetables. Spread everything out evenly.
- Cook flank steak about 3 minutes on each side. Until it's 145 degrees F in the center.
- Toss vegetables to evenly brown them, and coat them with herb/oil mixture.
- Let flank steak rest about 5-10 minutes before cutting into it, against the grain.
- Enjoy.
Notes
- You can use 1 ½ Tablespoons of fresh herbs or 1 ½ teaspoons dried herbs.
- Neutral oil suggestions: canola oil, safflower oil, avocado oil, coconut oil are all good neutral oils that have a high smoke point and won't burn.
- If you don't have time to marinate the beef, just sprinkle 1 Tablespoons fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon dried herbs on both sides of the flank steak. Cook it in some oil still, this will help prevent the herbs from burning.
- Serve with potatoes, pasta, or another grain/starch.
- Serve with your favorite vegetables. If you like very soft vegetables, you can add them with the potatoes earlier on.
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