Name: Keto Steak Marinade
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 485 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup hot water; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; ¼ cup avocado oil; 2 tablespoons white vinegar; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon ground pepper; 1 teaspoon hot sauce; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon dried rosemary; 2-3 pounds steak (such as New York strip or ribeye)

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If you want a deeply flavorful steak without any added sugar or mystery ingredients, this keto steak marinade is about to become your go-to. It takes 5 minutes to throw together, works on everything from ribeye to filet mignon, and the results are seriously hard to beat. This is my one of the recipe I use every time I cook steak!

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I’ve been making this keto steak marinade on repeat for years and I still can’t believe how much flavor you get from such a simple ingredient list.

Worcestershire sauce, dijon, plenty of salt, a little hot sauce (don’t worry – things aren’t spicy), some dried herbs… it sounds almost too basic, but trust me on this one.

I know how tempting it is to buy a bottle of marinade from the store when you want a restaurant quality steak at home and you want it quickly, but those bottles are full of sugar and weird ingredients.

The secret to a good marinade is balancing a few key elements: fat to carry flavor into the meat, acid to help tenderize it, salt to season it all the way through, and enough herbs and seasonings to make it interesting. This one checks all those boxes without anything weird or hard to find. Yes, it’s keto – but it doesn’t taste like diet food!

Table of Contents

3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:

It works on literally any steak. New York strip, ribeye, filet, flank, skirt… this marinade just works. Even steak bites turn out incredible with just 30 minutes to an hour in the marinade.
The flavor is bold without being over the top. You get savory flavor and depth without taking away from the beef. The marinade doesn’t end up being the star of the show – the steak does, and that’s what we want!
It takes 5 minutes. Whisk it together, pour it over your steak, refrigerate, and walk away. Future you is going to be very pleased.

Ingredients, Swaps, & Tips:

Ingredients for keto steak marinade laid out on counter.

The steak: I’m a New York strip girl, but my husband loves a good filet or ribeye. Any cut is going to work well here – just be sure to go for around 2-3 pounds of beef.

The oil: Avocado oil is my pick because it has a neutral flavor and handles high heat well, but olive oil works fine here too.

The vinegar: White vinegar gives a clean, mild tang. Red wine vinegar is also great if you want a slightly deeper flavor.

The herbs: This is where you can really play around. I love the combination of oregano and rosemary, but a few dashes of Italian seasoning works just as well.

The hot sauce: I use Frank’s and it does NOT make this spicy. I find a dash or two of hot sauce added to just about anything just gives food a little oomph. Try it and see what you think.

Marinating time: For a standard cut like a New York strip or ribeye, aim for 4-8 hours. Thinner cuts (like sirloin) are good at 2-4 hours. For steak bites, 30 minutes to 1 hour is plenty. I wouldn’t go much past 8 hours for thicker cuts because the acid can start to affect the texture and if you go too long on thin cuts, you’ll end up with a pretty salty steak.

Step by Step Instructions:

Ingredients for keto steak marinade in bowl.

Add the hot water and salt to a bowl and whisk until the salt has mostly dissolved. Add in the remaining ingredients.

Whisk well to combine the mixture.

Place the steak in a shallow dish, pour the marinade over the top, cover, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours to marinate.

Helpful Tip!

Storage & Freezing:

The marinade itself: You can whisk it together up to 3 days ahead and store it in a sealed jar in the fridge. Give it a good shake before using.
Marinating steak: Once the steak is in the marinade, plan to cook it within 8 hours for best results.
Leftover cooked steak: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It reheats well in a skillet over medium-low heat, or slice it cold over a salad (honestly my favorite way to use leftovers).
Freezer: You can freeze steak in the marinade before cooking! Just add everything to a zip-top freezer bag, seal it, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook as directed. Use just 2 teaspoons of salt if you use this method.