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This 3 ingredient steak marinade is one of my favorite examples of how simple ingredients can create incredible flavor. Made with balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and fresh garlic, it’s easy to throw together and gives steak a savory, well-balanced flavor without a complicated marinade recipe.
More ingredients doesn’t always mean more flavor. Some of the best steaks I’ve made come from surprisingly simple marinades like this one.
I’ve been making this marinade for years, especially during grilling season when we have steak, chicken, or kabobs on the menu. It’s one of those recipes I never have to look up because I almost always have the ingredients on hand.
A Simple Steak Marinade That Doesn’t Taste Simple
What to Expect: This marinade gives steak a savory, well-balanced flavor with just enough tang from the balsamic vinegar and plenty of depth from the soy sauce and fresh garlic.
One of the things I love most about this recipe is how much flavor it delivers from such a short ingredient list. The soy sauce brings savory umami flavor, the balsamic vinegar adds a little sweetness and acidity, and the fresh garlic ties everything together.
It’s one of those recipes I find myself coming back to every season. Whether we’re making steak, chicken, or vegetables, it always adds great flavor with very little effort. In fact, it’s my husband’s favorite marinade and the one he asks for most often when steak is on the menu.
Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Just 3 ingredients. No long shopping list or speciality ingredients required.
- Big flavor with minimal effort. Each ingredient serves a purpose, creating a marinade that tastes far more complex than it is.
- Works with almost any protein. I’ve used in on steak, chicken, and even vegetables with great results.
- Great for busy weeknights. Even 30-60 minutes of marinating adds plenty of flavor when you’re short on time.
- Helps add flavor to tougher cuts. This marinade works especially well on cuts like flank steak and sirloin.
- Easy to keep on hand. The ingredients are simple pantry and refrigerator staples, so it’s easy to throw together whenever steak is on the menu.
Ingredient Notes
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Steak: This marinade works well with a variety of cuts, including sirloin, flank steak, skirt steak, and filet mignon. You can also use this marinade for chicken, shrimp, or vegetables.
- Balsamic vinegar: Balsamic vinegar brings a little sweetness and acidity to this marinade, helping balance the salty soy sauce. It’s one of the reasons this simple marinade tastes much more complex than its short ingredient list would suggest.
- Soy sauce: It adds salt, savory umami flavor, and helps the marinade penetrate the surface of the steak. If you prefer, low-sodium soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos all work well.
- Fresh garlic: Gives this marinade a bold, freshly-made flavor that dried garlic just can’t replicate. I highly recommend using fresh garlic here. Make your life easier and get this garlic microplane!
While I usually make this marinade exactly as written, you can easily customize it with fresh herbs, Dijon mustard, citrus juice, red pepper flakes, or a little spice if you’d like to change up the flavor.
Best Cuts of Steak for This Marinade
This marinade works well with flank steak, skirt steak, sirloin, flat iron steak, New York strip, ribeye, and steak tips. It’s especially helpful for leaner or less expensive cuts that benefit from extra flavor.
I reach for sirloin, flank steak, or skirt steak most often. They absorb the marinade well, cook quickly on the grill, and deliver great flavor without the higher price tag of premium cuts. If you’re using a naturally flavorful cut like ribeye, you can still use this marinade, but I find it really shines on leaner steaks.
How to Make 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade
- In a small bowl whisk together balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and freshly minced garlic.
- In a medium sized shallow dish or ziploc bag, add your raw steak and marinade.
- Turn the steak to coat, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
- Prepare your marinated steak however you like to and to your preferred level of doneness.
How Long to Marinate Steak
For the best flavor, I recommend marinating the steak for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. Thinner cuts like skirt steak and flank steak take on flavor quickly, while thicker cuts can benefit from a longer marinating time.
In my experience, even 30-60 minutes makes a noticeable difference, which is one of the reasons I love this easy steak marinade recipe for busy weeknights. If I remember to plan ahead, I’ll let the steak marinate for a few hours, but I don’t find that it needs an overnight marinade to be flavorful.
jamie’s tips
Tips for the Best Results
- Don’t over-marinate. While this marinade is great for adding flavor, I don’t recommend leaving steak in it for more than 24 hours. The balsamic vinegar can eventually start to affect the texture of the meat.
- Use fresh garlic if possible. Since there are only three ingredients in this recipe, each one really matters. Fresh garlic adds a much bolder flavor than garlic powder.
- Don’t reuse leftover marinade. Once the marinade has been in contact with a raw meat, it should be discarded. If you’d like the extra marinade for serving, make a second batch or set some aside before adding it to the steak.
Storage Instructions
You can make this balsamic steak marinade up to 3-4 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving the steak with simple sides. Some of my favorites include No Lettuce Salad, Air Fryer Potato Wedges, Elote Pasta Salad, or Mashed Potatoes.
If you’ve made and loved this 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
The Best 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean steak or chicken breast
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and freshly minced garlic.
- In a medium sized shallow dish or ziploc bag, add your raw steak and marinade. Turn the steak a few times during marinating if possible so all sides are evenly coated.
- For best results, marinate for at least 20 minutes in the fridge (not room temperature for food safety!) and then prepare your marinated steak however you like to and to your preferred level of doneness.
Notes
- Avoid marinating for longer than 24 hours. The balsamic vinegar can start to affect the texture of the meat.
- It works with a variety of cuts of steak. Try it with flank steak, skirt steak, sirloin, steak tips, chicken, and vegetables.
- Discard any leftover marinade that has been in contact with raw meat. If you’d like extra marinade for serving, set some aside before adding it to the meat.
- Nutrition facts only include the marinade. It does not include any steak or other meats.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
Will try this ☺️
How long can you marinate steak with or can you marinate it overnight??
my many thanks Stan
You could marinate overnight if you want, but an hour or two is plenty 🙂
What is the ratio or amount for each ingredient?
If you scroll right down to the recipe card, the full measurements are right there for you 🙂
Has anyone used this marinade with chamber vacuum sealer set in the marinade mode?
I’d try it sounds great