5-Star Reader Comment
“This was so good and sooo easy! The marinade is definitely what made this meal! Made this for Father’s Day as a step up from burgers and paired it with some mashed potatoes and your honey drizzled carrots. I find so many great recipes from you!!“
Caroline
The Fancy Steak That’s Secretly Easy
This Easy Marinated London Broil is one of my favorite “looks fancy, cooks easy” dinners. I love how this recipe brings big flavor with almost no effort—just let the marinade do its thing, and you’ll have a tender, juicy steak packed with bold, savory goodness. It’s also great for meal prep since you can marinate ahead of time and cook it in under 30 minutes. Plus, London Broil is an affordable cut that works in so many dishes, like my Roast Beef Sandwiches or Easy Steak Salad.
Enjoy!
The #1 Question People Ask Me…How to Cook London Broil So It’s Juicy, Not Tough?
When it comes to London broil, everyone wants the same thing: big steakhouse flavor without a tough, chewy bite. The beauty of this recipe is that it takes a lean, budget‑friendly cut and turns it into tender, juicy slices with just two simple steps—soaking it in a bold, flavorful marinade and then slicing it thin across the grain right before serving.
Quick London Broil Ingredients
- London Broil – This can be any lean cut of beef that’s affordable to you. I usually use flank steak or a top round.
- The marinade sauce – This is simply olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar), lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard.
- Spices – To season the marinade, I use Montreal steak seasoning, garlic, and dried thyme.
- Lemon – Charred lemons take this recipe from good to great!
- Onion – Red onion adds just the right amount of savoriness, but broiling helps bring out its natural sweetness.
Switch It Up: Delicious Variations
- Make it smoky: Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or chipotle powder to the marinade for extra depth.
- Swap the protein: This marinade works beautifully with flank steak, skirt steak, or even chicken.
- Add a touch of sweetness: A tablespoon of honey, hot honey or brown sugar balances out the acidity in the marinade.
Step-by-Step Directions:
- Mix and Marinade – Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup. Place the London broil in a zip‑top bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over it, turning to coat. Press out extra air, seal, and refrigerate for at least a few hours, preferably overnight, turning once or twice.
- Bring to room temperature – Take the steak out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking so it cooks more evenly.
- Cook under the broiler or on the grill – For the broiler: Preheat and place the steak on a broiler pan or rack over a sheet pan. Broil, flipping once, until it reaches your desired doneness. For the grill: Preheat to medium‑high, then grill, turning once, until browned on the outside and cooked to your preferred temperature.
- Rest and slice – Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and rest for about 10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain at a slight angle for the most tender bite.
- Char the Lemons & Onions: While the steak rests, place the lemons and red onions in the cast-iron skillet and broil until charred. Squeeze the roasted lemon juice over the steak before serving, then drizzle with olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and fresh-cracked pepper.
Donya’s Best Tips for Juicy London Broil
- Don’t skip the lemons and onions in the pan—they pick up all those drippings and add big steakhouse flavor with almost no extra work.
- Give the steak plenty of time in the marinade—overnight really pays off in flavor.
- Pat the meat dry before cooking so you get a deep, caramelized crust.
- Use an instant‑read thermometer instead of guessing so you don’t overcook it.
- Let the steak rest before cutting so the juices have time to settle back into the meat.
- Always slice thinly against the grain for the most tender bite.
What Temperature Should I Cook The Meat To?
I generally like my London broil cooked medium-rare, but here are the specific cooking temperatures for a range of doneness levels.
- 125-130°F – Rare
- 135°F – Medium Rare (Recommended)
- 145°F – Medium
More Main Dish Recipes You’ll Love
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 2-pound London Broil Beef Steak
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon quartered
- 1 small red onion, quartered
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Worchestershire sauce, dijon mustard, Montreal steak seasoning, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Whisk together. Add the beef steak to a gallon-size ziplock plastic bag and pour marinade over. Seal and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Take London Broil out of the marinade and let rest on the counter for 30 minutes. Heat oven broiler to 500 degrees. Take the beef out of the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade. Place meat in a cast-iron skillet or broiler pan. Broil for 12 minutes, flip and broil for another 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove meat from pan, place on a cutting board, and rest for 10 minutes. Slice beef against the grain. Season with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and fresh cracked pepper. Serve with roasted red onions and a drizzle of lemon juice from seared lemons.
Meat Temperatures
- 125 – 130 Rare, 135 Medium Rare, 145 Medium
Seared Lemons and Onions
- While meat is resting on the cutting board, place lemons and onions in the bottom of the cast-iron skillet or roasting pan. Place under broiler and cook for 3-5 minutes until charred.
Video
Notes
- Make it smoky: Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or chipotle powder to the marinade for extra depth.
- Swap the protein: This marinade works beautifully with flank steak, skirt steak, or even chicken.
- Add a touch of sweetness: A tablespoon of honey or brown sugar balances out the acidity in the marinade.
Nutrition
What Is London Broil?
London broil isn’t actually a specific cut—it’s usually a larger, lean cut of beef like top round or flank steak that’s marinated, cooked quickly, and sliced thin across the grain. Because the meat is lean, the marinade and the way you slice it are key to getting that tender, juicy bite instead of something tough and chewy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Each cut of London Broil steak is different in thickness and size, so the cooking times will be different. The BEST way to get the perfect “doneness” to suit your taste is by using an instant-read thermometer.
After the meat has rested, slice the London Broil across the grain. I like to serve it on the cutting board with roasted lemons and red onion. Add a last drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and you’ll be ready to dig in.
What To Serve With Marinated London Broil
I think that this beautiful beef is so impressive and should be the star of the meal with Stuffed Baked Potatoes and Sauteed Mushrooms. When I serve it, I keep the sides classic and simple with an Easy Caprese Salad, Green Bean Salad, or Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes.
If you tried this Marinated London Broil Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
My New eBook!
Top 25 Viral Recipes
Whether you’re cooking for two, feeding a busy family, or filling your home with friends, I’m cheering you on from my kitchen. I hope this eBook brings you comfort, creativity, and plenty of delicious moments around your table.
Southern Traditions: Timeless Recipes to Make, Share, and Love!
GET THIS FREE GUIDE: Southern dishes with easy prep and timeless flavor in every bite.
So delicious and easy! Just wondering can you make a gravy or sauce with the pan drippings? If so, how would you do that?
Sure! Go for it.
Enjoy,
~Donya
Hi! I’m very excited to try your marinade! It’s in the refrigerator now, but I just realized that it was only supposed to marinate for two hours? I’m used to marinating all day or overnight. Am I going to destroy this meat by marinating it too long?
You should be just fine, Patti. Keep me posted.
~Donya
Should I heat my cast iron first?
Hey there Diana!
Thank you for your interest in this recipe, that’s a terrific question! I don’t typically heat my pan before placing the London Broil in it, but you can if you want to, it’s all about personal preference. I hope this helps, let me know how everything turns out if you give it a try, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya
Mmmarvelous, Donya, such appealing flavor! The meat ended up soaking for 2 days in the marinade and wow! Hard to stop stuffing ourselves, haha! I threw it on the grill plate of our Ninja foodi (still hot hot hot here in NM for running ovens/broilers) and it came out great. Had with your air fryer baked potatoes; a terrific dinner with a glass of Cabernet. We really enjoy your recipes and are thankful that you share them. Thank you, Donya!
Hey there Jackie!
Wow! I am absolutely thrilled to hear that y’all enjoyed this recipe, I completely agree with you that the marinade makes all the difference. I’ve never actually let it marinate that long, but I bet it gave the dish wonderful deep flavors. Thank you so much for your kind words and phenomenal rating, I really appreciate all your support! If you ever have any questions about a recipe, I’d be more than happy to help out!
~Donya
You say to put it under the broiler but not how far from the heat source. Any tips ? Just marinating for the ver night now.
Hey there Eurasia!
Thank you for your interest in this recipe, that’s a good question! I would recommend placing your oven rack somewhere between the middle and the highest level, you don’t want it right under the broiler but still relatively close. I hope this helps, let me know how it turns out! I appreciate your support!
~Donya
How would this marinade do on a grill instead of the broiler?
Hey there Barbara!
That’s a great question! I think this marinade would taste fantastic on any meat you grill. I will say, I’ve never personally made a London Broil on a grill instead of in the oven broiler, so I am not sure about the timing. I would heat the grill to 500 degrees and follow the same process that is detailed in the recipe. Let me know how it turns out, I’m curious. Thank you for your support, have a great day!
~Donya
This was so good and sooo easy! I overbooked just barely (I lost more of my pink middle) because I waited an until 10-11 minutes on the second side. The marinade is definitely what made this meal! Made this for Father’s Day as a step up from burgers and paired it with some mashed potatoes and your honey drizzled carrots. I find so many great recipes from you!!
Hey there Caroline!
Wow! What a heart warming comment to read! Thank you so much for your kind words and your fantastic rating. I am so glad to hear your family enjoyed this on Fathers Day, it sounds like y’all had a beautiful meal. I really appreciate all your support, have a great day!
~Donya
I made this with a round steak, maybe not quite an inch thick, and under the broiler. The marinade is probably one of the best I have ever had, and I will use this again and again! I don’t have much luck cooking steak the “normal” way, so I will try this marinade on my tried and true way of cooking steak. The steak was tasty, and not hard as a rock, but definitely too thin. Oh, and I didn’t get to the onions and lemons because I was already running late for dinner. I will have to try them next time!
Hey Diane!
Wow! Thank you so very much for that incredibly kind comment, “best one I’ve ever had” is an incredible compliment so thank you for that! I am so happy you tried this recipe, it’s one of my favorites, so I’m glad you enjoyed it as well! Thank you for your support Diane!
~Donya
I made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious! The marinade added a lot of great flavor.
Hey there Tammie!
I am so glad you tried this recipe, it’s been my new favorite too. I completely agree that the marinade adds a fantastic flavor. Thank you so much for your support and your rating!
~Donya
I look forward to trying this (it looks absolutely delicious!), I love London broil.
Hey Mary!
Thank you so much, what a lovely comment! I’m so glad to hear it, I hope you like the recipe. Let me know how it turns out, enjoy!
~Donya