This Air Fryer Flank Steak Recipe is so easy! A flavorful dry rub turns an inexpensive cut of beef into a juicy and delicious flank steak, in less than 20 minutes, and you don’t even need to marinate it!
Recipe Overview
This easy air fryer flank steak is very well seasoned with a blend of warm, savory spices and just a smidge of brown sugar.
We’ll be air frying a two-pound flank steak perfectly in less than 12 minutes. Let it rest for a bit, then slice it thinly for steak tacos or as your main protein for dinner.
While you’re here, check out our Air Fryer Steak Bites recipe next, and bookmark instructions for making a frozen steak in the air fryer – it might come in handy the next time you forget to thaw the meat for dinner!
What is flank steak?
A flank steak is a very lean cut of beef that comes from the belly muscles of the cow. It’s flavorful but has a tendency to be tough or dry because of how little fat exists within the steak.
The good news is that flank steak is generally inexpensive, and with a little bit of finesse, and a few minutes in the air fryer, it can be a delicious meal too.
In order to cook a flank steak properly, it should be cooked quickly over high heat or slow-braised.
We don’t cook with a crock pot on this recipe site, so of course we’ll teach you how to cook a flank steak in the air fryer, on high heat, and fast!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Flank Steak – While shopping, look for a flank steak that is about 2 pounds in weight, and an inch in thickness. That’s what I used to test the recipe, so your results will match mine. If your steak is differently sized, just adjust the cooking time a bit.
- Brown Sugar – the delicious spice rub for this flank steak recipe starts with brown sugar. This adds sweetness and also gives the steak a beautiful caramelized brown color.
- Garlic Powder and Onion Powder – These two are some of the most used spices in my kitchen. I love how they can impart so much flavor with just a sprinkle!
- Cumin – This warm spice is a must for taco recipes and many Tex-Mex-style spice rubs.
- Paprika – I use paprika mostly for color, but it also gives the meat a very mild amount of heat. If you want your steak spicy, add some cayenne or chili powder too.
- Salt and Pepper – Just to make sure everything is well seasoned.
- Cilantro – I am a huge fan of fresh cilantro! Here, it makes a beautiful and fragrant garnish for our air fryer flank steak once it’s finished cooking.
How to air fry flank steak
- Let the flank steak sit out at room temperature for about a half hour to take the chill off. Then dry the meat with paper towels. Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes, at a temperature of 400°F/200°C.
- Make a spice rub for flank steak by mixing together the brown sugar, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the spice mixture over both sides of the steak.
- Place the flank steak in the air fryer basket.
- Air Fry for 5 minutes, flip the steak over, and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130°F.
- Let the steak rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice against the muscle grain and serve.
what to serve with flank steak
This flank steak recipe has a Tex-Mex flavor, and I love to enjoy it sliced on warm tortillas.
You might also like to include flank steak on Air Fryer Tostadas or with a loaded Mexican Air Fryer Sweet Potato.
To keep things simple, serve flank steak that you made in the air fryer with a tasty potato side dish like air fryer baked potatoes, and your favorite green veggies.
You can also make rice bowls (just like Chipotle!) with brown rice, black beans, and fresh salsa.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to slice flank steak against the muscle grain. That particular muscle has long fibers, so cutting them shorter makes the steak much easier to chew!
- A serving of flank steak should be about 8 ounces. So a two-pound flank steak is perfect for a family of four!
- You don’t need to marinate flank steak to tenderize it. The quick air fryer cooking at a high temperature will keep it juicy.
Air Fryer Flank Steak
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cilantro roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/200°C for 5 minutes. Pat the flank steak dry with a paper towel.
- Mix together the brown sugar, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the flank steak on both sides with the spice mixture.
- Place the flank steak in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 400°F/200°C for 10-12 minutes, flipping the meat over halfway through, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130°F. Top with chopped cilantro.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain to serve. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Video
Notes
- Let the flank steak sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes so that it is not cold when going into the air fryer.
- Be sure to pat your steak dry so that the spices will adhere to the steak.
- At the store, try to get a flank steak that is about 1-inch thick. If your flank steak is thinner than 1 inch it may take less time to cook. If your steak is smaller than 2 pounds it may also take less time to cook.
- I like to cook my steak to an internal temperature of 130°F, which takes about 10-12 minutes in the air fryer for a 2 lb flank steak. I find this is perfect for medium/medium rare flank steak as the temperature will rise a few degrees while it rests from residual cooking. You may need to cook your steak longer for a more well-done temperature.
- Always check the air fryer sooner than you need to and use a meat thermometer to take the internal temperature of the steak to be sure you do not overcook it.
- Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the “Air Fry” function.
- Pro Tip: Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Sometimes airfrying is a trial and error process. Check your food as it cooks to learn your air fryer better! When cooking a new recipe or food items be sure to check your food often to help avoid over/under cooking.
Nutrition
Air Fryers can vary greatly. Please take the time to learn your specific air fryer. You may need to adjust times and temperatures based upon your air fryer. All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.
Delicious recipe! The spices blend perfectly well together and the steak eas perfectly cooked. Thank you so much!
You are so welcome!
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂