These easy to make italian steaks are marinated and cooked perfectly on the grill. Juicy and flavorful, these steaks are the perfect summer dinner or even great for salad.
This post was originally published in August 2020 and has been updated for content.
Cooking on the grill is a must in our house during the Summer and who doesn't love a tasty steak, fresh off the grill. The marinade for these italian steaks just uses a few simple ingredients to help make them tender and delicious. Plus, you can use it with your favorite cut of steak. I love serving this juicy steaks with white cheddar mac and cheese, summer panzanella or grilled broccolini!
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🥩 Ingredient notes
- Steak - There are a few different types of steaks that are best for grilling. My go to cuts are usually strip, sirloin or ribeye. Strip steak or sirloin steaks are leaner cuts of meat that tend to be less expensive. Ribeye steaks are usually bone in and have more fat marbled throughout, making them more tender and flavorful. They also carry different price points, so it's best to choose which cut is best for you.
- Steak Marinade - This simple marinade is made up of olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, fresh oregano, crushed red pepper and salt. Marinating steaks before grilling not only helps to infuse flavor into the meat but also helps to tenderize it. I recommend marinating these italian style steaks for a minimum of 1 hour before grilling, but no longer than 8 hours.
📋 Substitutions and Variations
- Oregano - If fresh oregano is not available, one teaspoon of dried oregano may be used instead.
- Red pepper flakes - This can be optional or adjusted based on how much spice you like. I suggest anywhere from ¼ to ½ teaspoon for a nice spice that is not too overwhelming.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, place your steaks in a shallow container and then cover them with the marinade ingredients. You can also use a zip top bag for this if you like. Cover or zip up the bag and allow the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour, but no more than 8 hours.
Grill marinated steaks on a preheated grill over medium high heat for approximately 4-7 minutes on each side until the desired doneness is achieved. Using a meat thermometer will help you achieve the perfect temperature steak while keeping it tender.
Lastly, allow the steaks to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
🌡️ Cooking temperatures
Every grill is different and so it's best to use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your meat. List below are the temperatures for degrees of doneness for grilling steaks.
- Rare (cool red center) - 125°
- Medium rare (warm red center) - 135°
- Medium (warm pink center) - 145°
- Medium well (slightly pink center) - 150°
- Well (little or no pink) - 160°
⭐ Expert tips
- Make sure to preheat your grill, just like you would your oven. I like to preheat my grill on high and then bring it down to medium high to cook the meat. This will make sure it is nice and hot to get a proper sear on the outside of the steaks.
- After grilling, its best to let your meat rest for 5-10 minutes off of the heat before slicing and serving it. Resting the meat gives it time for the juices to absorb back into the meat so it doesn't run out and make the steak dry.
💭 Frequently asked questions
To prevent your steaks from drying out on the grill, first marinate them. Second, use a meat thermometer to insure the steaks are not cooked too long. The third way is to use a cut of meat with more fat marbled through it, such as a ribeye or T-bone.
You can grill steaks from frozen, however they will take longer to cook. They will also not be able to absorb a marinade when frozen so simply just season them with salt and pepper.
Closing the lid on the grill helps to cook the meat faster. If you are cooking a thicker steak, I recommend closing the grill for a few minutes to speed up the cooking process. If the steak is on the thinner side, leave it open, especially if you are wanting medium or medium rare doneness. Thinner steaks won't take that much time to cook and you don't want to overdo it.
🥘 Alternative cooking methods
- Indoors - If grilling outside isn't an option, you can make these italian steaks indoors using a cast iron skillet or a grill pan. Preheat the skillet or pan over medium high heat on the stovetop and then add your steaks. Cooking times will be similar to grilling, but it's best to keep a close eye on them and use a meat thermometer to make sure your desired doneness is achieved.
🥡 Storage instructions
Grilled steaks will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The best way to reheat steaks is in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a little bit of olive oil and cook the steak over medium heat, flipping every minute or so, until the steak reaches the desired temperature. This should take about 2-4 minutes, depending on your desired degree of doneness.
♨️ More grilling recipes
Don't forget! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Tag me on Facebook and Instagram as well! It makes my day to see all of your photos of the food you have made.
Print📖 Recipe
Easy Grilled Italian Steaks
These easy to make italian steaks are marinated and cooked perfectly on the grill. Juicy and flavorful, these steaks are the perfect summer dinner or even great for salad.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Marinating/Resting Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds sirloin, ribeye, strip or T-bone steak
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 stems fresh oregano, leaves only
- ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Place steaks in a shallow container or zip top bag. Add the remaining ingredients evenly over the steaks and cover or close the bag. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour, but no more than 8 hours.
- Remove steaks from the fridge and preheat the grill to high heat.
- Once the grill is preheated, turn the temperature to medium-high heat and place the steaks on the grill. Cook for 4-7 minutes on each side, depending on desired doneness. (see notes for cooking temperatures)
- Once steaks are finished cooking, remove from the grill and let rest on a clean plate for 5-10 minutes. After the steaks are finished resting, slice and serve or serve whole.
Notes
Cooking Temperatures for Steak
- Rare (cool red center) - 125°
- Medium rare (warm red center) - 135°
- Medium (warm pink center) - 145°
- Medium well (slightly pink center) - 150°
- Well (little or no pink) - 160°
Substitutions
- Oregano - If fresh oregano is not available, one teaspoon of dried oregano may be used instead
- Red pepper flakes - This can be optional or adjusted based on how much spice you like
Keywords: italian style steaks, italian steaks, grilled steaks, marinated steaks
Linda says
Love how easy it is to make this steak and how delicious when it's done cooking
Amanda says
Thank you for trying the recipe Linda, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Lilly says
So delicious!! I can't wait to make it again!
Amanda says
Thank you Lilly! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Brianna says
These steaks turned out perfect!
Amanda says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for trying it!
Amy B. says
I’m new to grilling and I loved the step by step instructions! Easy to follow and delicious!
Amanda says
I'm glad you found the post helpful!
Chef Dennis says
I am so excited to have this! We are planning to have some grill on weekend.
Amanda says
Excellent! Let me know how you enjoyed the recipe.
Rob says
These steaks are delicious, and thank you for including the internal temperature list to when they are done!
Amanda says
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed them.
Amanda Dixon says
These came out perfectly! The marinade was super easy and made for some seriously flavorful steaks.
Amanda says
Thank you for trying the recipe, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Emily says
This steak turned out perfect, we loved the combo of flavors!
Amanda says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Luca - Ruoka on valmis says
Approved by an Italian guy! 😀
Amanda says
Yah! This is awesome!
Kayla DiMaggio says
These steaks turned out so amazing! I loved the Italian flavor from the red wine vinegar and oregano! It was so delicious!
Amanda says
Thanks Kayla! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe!