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Marinated Flank Steak with Muhammara

Marinated flank steak, cooked medium-rare and served over a cheat's muhammara.
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Flank steak is such an underrated cut. It’s affordable, full of flavour and takes brilliantly to marinades. A hot pan, a good rest and a sharp knife are all it needs. Here, I’m pairing it with a cheat’s muhammara–a smoky red pepper and walnut dip that adds just the right amount of richness and zing.

This recipe is loosely based on an Andy Baraghani recipe from Bon Appétit back in 2019. He used skirt steak, marinated in lemon and garlic, and served it with romesco. I’ve swapped in flank and gone for a shortcut muhammara instead. It’s Syrian-inspired rather than Spanish, but hits the similar notes–smoky, nutty and sharp.

  • Author: zenak
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes (including marinating time)
  • Yield: 2 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the flank steak:

  • 1 x 500g flank steak
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • vegetable oil (or any neutral oil), for cooking the steak
  • small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional, to garnish)

For the cheat’s muhammara:

  • 200g jarred roasted red peppers (drained weight)
  • 30g walnuts
  • ½ garlic clove (or 1 small garlic clove)
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tsp pul biber (aka Aleppo pepper)
  • ½ tsp ground cumin

Instructions

  1. Pat the steak dry on both sides and season generously with salt. 
  2. In a shallow dish just big enough to hold the steak in a single layer, add the olive oil, garlic and lemon slices. Add the steak and turn it to coat in the marinade, making sure both sides are well covered. Leave to sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, place all the cheat’s muhammara ingredients in a food processor with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until mostly smooth–it should still have a bit of texture. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Note: The dip will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
  4. Heat a splash of vegetable oil in a large frying pan (ideally cast iron or stainless steel, but non-stick works too) over medium-high heat. 
  5. Scrape off any bits of garlic or lemon stuck to the steak–they’ll burn in the pan. Cook the steak for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or longer if you prefer it more well done. 
  6. Transfer to a board and let it rest for 5 minutes–don’t skip this or the juices will run everywhere.
  7. To serve, spread the cheat’s muhammara across a large plate. Slice the steak against the grain (this is key–cutting with the grain will make it chewy). Pile the slices on top of the muhammara, scatter with parsley if using, and serve.

Equipment

Notes

If you can’t find pul biber, use half the amount of regular chilli flakes and add a pinch of smoked paprika to bring a similar warmth and smokiness.

Find it online: https://zenaskitchen.com/marinated-flank-steak-with-muhammara/

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