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Grilled Skirt Steak

Updated August 21, 2025 / By Natalie Mortimer

The simplest soy sauce marinade makes this quick, easy grilled skirt steak recipe a total umami bomb.

sliced grilled skirt steak on a platter topped with Chimichurri sauce
Photography by Gayle McLeod

Does it get any better than a tender, meaty bite of grilled steak? More affordable than most steaks, skirt steak can be tough, but it tastes beautifully tender and intensely meaty when cooked over super high heat. It was made for grilling season! Crank that grill, and soak the steak for 30 minutes in a quick, tenderizing garlicky soy sauce marinade, and dinner is done. 

I love to top this tender grilled skirt steak with fresh Chimichurri Sauce and serve it with a big Caprese Salad on the side for the kind of gloriously easy summer dinner I spent all winter dreaming about. Need more steak dinner ideas? Try this Grilled Skirt Steak with Blistered Tomatoes and Burrata, or I often use skirt steak in this simple Grilled Steak Salad.

2 pounds skirt steak, salt, pepper, olive oil, tamari, garlic, red pepper flakes and chimichurri prep bowls

Skirt Steak Ingredients

  • Skirt steak. Thin, with some nice milky marbling, ask for skirt steak at the butcher counter and they should know what you need. You could also use flank steak for this recipe. 
  • Salt and pepper. Of course! 
  • Extra-virgin olive oil. I love extra-virgin, but you could use regular olive oil in this marinade if you want.  
  • Soy sauce or tamari. If you’re serving this to someone who can’t have gluten, opt for tamari, and make sure that it is labeled gluten-free. 
  • Fresh garlic. To grate the garlic, you’ll need a microplane grater. It will liquify as you grate it, allowing the garlic to meld into the skirt steak marinade. If you don’t have a microplane, you can chop the garlic finely. 
  • Crushed red pepper. Sometimes labeled “red pepper flakes,” these add just a hint of heat. 
a skirt steak being seasoned with salt and pepper
skirt steak being marinated in soy sauce, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes

How To Grill Skirt Steak 

  • Check for doneness using an instant-read thermometerWhen you see 130°F on that thermometer, pull the steak off the heat for a nice medium rare steak. That number may go up slightly as the steak rests, and that’s OK.  
  • Skirt steak is thin and rather lean, and to make it tender, cook it hot and not cook it for too long! That means that you need to pay close attention to the steak as it cooks. Cook the steak for about 3 minutes per side, and dinner is done.  
  • Some people can check for their preferred level of doneness using various kinds of touch tests, but that’s a skill learned over time. If you’re new to cooking steak, stick with the instant-read thermometer. 
skirt steak marinated in soy sauce, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes being grilled
grilled skirt steak being sliced thinly on a cutting board

How To Slice Skirt Steak 

Skirt steak is only tough if it isn’t cooked and sliced correctly. For tender, buttery skirt steak, it’s really important to slice it against the grain. Here’s how: 

  1. Look closely at the grilled skirt steak and figure out which way the muscle fibers run. Those muscle fibers are the ‘grain’ you’ll be slicing against. 
  2. Let the meat rest after grilling for 10 minutes to ensure the steak is tender and juicy. 
  3. Take your nice sharp chef’s knife, and slice across those grains, or muscle fibers. 
  4. Slice the skirt steak thinly. Thin pieces of steak, cut across the grain will not be tough!
grilled skirt steak being sliced thinly on a cutting board

What To Serve With Grilled Skirt Steak

Grilled skirt steak can be dressed up or down, it can anchor a summer party or make for a simple, special weeknight dinner. Since you’ve got the grill nice and hot, I like to serve it with other grilled dishes on the side, like:

sliced grilled skirt steak on a platter topped with Chimichurri sauce

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Grilled Skirt Steak Recipe

  • Serves:  8
  • Prep Time:  30 min
  • Cook Time:  10 min
  • Calories:  263
Print Recipe

Description

The simplest soy sauce marinade makes this quick, easy grilled skirt steak recipe a total umami bomb.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds skirt steak
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • ⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 teaspoons grated garlic, (from 4 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup Chimichurri, store-bought or homemade, for serving

Method

  1. Pat the steak dry and season all over with the salt and pepper. In a shallow baking dish, combine the olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add the steak and turn to coat. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

    2 pounds skirt steak, salt, pepper, olive oil, tamari, garlic, red pepper flakes and chimichurri prep bowls
  2. Preheat the grill on high. Brush the grates with olive oil.

    skirt steak being marinated in soy sauce, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes
  3. Remove the steak from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off, and place on the grill. Cook until charred and the internal temperature of the steak reads 130°F on an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side. 

    skirt steak marinated in soy sauce, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes being grilled
  4. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice the steak against the grain. 

    grilled skirt steak being sliced thinly on a cutting board
  5. Arrange the sliced steak on a platter and serve with the chimichurri alongside. 

    sliced grilled skirt steak on a platter topped with Chimichurri sauce

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories 263
  • Protein 21 g
  • Carbohydrates 1 g
  • Total Fat 19 g
  • Dietary Fiber 0 g
  • Cholesterol 65 mg
  • Sodium 522 mg
  • Total Sugars 1 g

Grilled Skirt Steak

Questions & Reviews

Rated 5 stars by 3 readers

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  • Carrie

    Hi- just wondering if you use inside or outside skirt steak?? I read that outside is more tender but its impossible to find in Seattle thanks!

    You can honestly use either.

  • Amy

    Hi! Could you please share the link for the indoor grill shown in the pictures? Love your recipes!! Thanks so much 😀

    It is the cuisinart venture portable gas grill.

  • Andrea

    5-star rating

    Perfection! So easy, very tender, and extremely flavorful. My new go to!

    Thanks Andrea, we are so glad you loved it!

  • Jessica

    5-star rating

    Very good

    Thanks Jessica, glad you loved it!

  • Jared

    5-star rating

    BOMB! The wife and I loved it.

    Thanks Jared, so glad you loved it!

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