Pesto Steak (Grilled Flank Steak with Burrata & Pesto)

Pesto Steak is the perfect summer meal. Marinated in a soy and honey mix and topped with creamy burrata and peppery arugula pesto, every bite of this grilled steak explodes with flavor!

This Grilled Flank Steak with Burrata and Pesto has the decadent flavors of summer all on one plate. You won’t be able to resist the gorgeous pops of green, slices of irresistible charred steak, and heavenly soft burrata!

This flank steak is marinated in a flavorful blend of sweet, savory, and tangy ingredients before it’s grilled to tender and juicy perfection. To really make this summer meal special, I’ve topped the sliced steak with homemade Arugula Pesto and burrata cheese. All of the flavors come together beautifully and are sure to satisfy every summer lovers’ palate. 

Serve this tender grilled flank steak as the showstopper at barbecues and summer dinner parties. It’s made even better with sweet grilled corn and a refreshing Paloma Cocktail on the side.

What is flank steak?

Flank steak is one of the best cuts of beef for grilling. It comes from the lower abdominal muscles of the cow and has lots of delicious beefy flavors, but it’s also really tough to chew if left on its own. This is why a marinade is key when making flank steak.

Flank steak marinade

Flank steak is a naturally tough piece of meat, so it can really benefit from a great marinade to infuse flavor and help break down the proteins. There’s almost always an acid in flank steak marinade to help tenderize the meat. I used red wine vinegar in this recipe, as well as soy sauce and honey to bring an umami flavor with a hint of sweetness.

I recommend letting the flank steak marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes because it’s so tough. If you have more time, leave it for up to 24 hours for a truly delicious piece of grilled steak!

How to make pesto steak

Whisk the marinade ingredients together and pour it over the flank steak in a baking dish. Let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight.

While your grill is preheating, remove the marinated steak from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Place the room temperature steak on the grill and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Take it off the heat when it’s done and let the steak rest for 5 minutes.

When you’re ready to assemble, slice the flank steak against the grain. Top it with arugula pesto, grilled corn, and a dollop of burrata and serve hot.

How to make it in the oven

Cooking flank steak in the oven is a little more hands-off compared to a grill, and it means you can make this dish year-round:

1. To begin, preheat the oven on broil for 10 minutes and place the marinated steak on a sheet pan. 
2. Cook for about 12 minutes, making sure to flip it at the 10-minute mark. This should give you a medium rare steak but you can always take it out sooner or leave it in longer to achieve your desired temperature. 
3. Let the finished steak rest for 5 minutes, then slice against the grain and enjoy.

Tips and substitutions

• If you can’t find flank steak, skirt steak will also work well in this recipe.
• Chimichurri sauce or mojo sauce can be used instead of pesto to top the steak. 
• Don’t have an outdoor grill? Try using an indoor grill pan to cook the flank steak on high heat.
• If you can’t find fresh burrata, you can use fresh mozzarella or top the steak with crumbled feta or goat cheese.

What to serve with it

• Summer Pasta Salad
• Instant Pot Pinto Beans
• Cherry Tomato Salad with Roasted Lemons
• Sauteed Spinach
• More → 50+ Sides for Flank Steak

Wine pairings

• For a beautiful flavor contrast, serve Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with the hearty flavor of beef. 
• Merlot is a classic choice when serving steak.
• MORE —> pesto wine pairings to try.

More meat recipes to try

• Pork Chops with White BBQ Sauce
• One Skillet Steak & Vegetables
• Lamb Chops with Peanut Sauce
• Grilled Mango Chicken
• Shrimp Skewers with Green Tahini Sauce
• More → 35+ Flank Steak Recipes

Did you try this pesto steak recipe?

If you loved this steak and burrata I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a ⭐️star review⭐️! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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Pesto Steak

Pesto Steak is the perfect summer meal. Marinated in a soy and honey mix and topped with creamy burrata and peppery arugula pesto, every bite of this grilled flank steak explodes with flavor!

4.97 from 26 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Marinating & Resting Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 4 people

Created by Platings and Pairings

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds flank steak

Marinade:

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 cloves garlic (grated or minced)
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Arugula Pesto:

• 2 cups packed arugula
• ¼ cup packed basil
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

For Serving:

• 4 ears corn
• 2 balls burrata cheese (torn into bite sized pieces (4 ounces))
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

• Whisk together the marinade ingredients and pour over the flank steak in a casserole dish or large ziploc bag. Let marinate 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, preheat your grill to high heat.
• While the grill is heating, make the pesto. Process arugula, basil, oil, parmesan, pine nuts, lemon zest, garlic and salt in a food processor or blender until finely chopped; season with pepper, to taste.
• Add the corn and steak to the grill and cook the steak for 3-5 minutes per side for medium rare (132 degrees). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Cook the corn until charred in spots and tender (about 10 minutes).
• Slice the steak against the grain and cut the corn kernels off the cobs.
• Plate the steak with the burrata and grilled corn and top with arugula pesto. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Equipment

Food processor

Blender

Nutrition

Calories: 1084kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 90g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 57g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 1581mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 523IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 367mg | Iron: 4mg

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This post was originally published in 2021. It was updated in 2023 to add new information. The burrata steak recipe remains the same. Enjoy!