Summer’s Ultimate Italian-Inspired Special Occasion Meal!
Chris and I always turn to a classic steak night dinner for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. We used to go out to ritzy steakhouses, but these days we prefer to stay in – especially now that we know how simple and affordable it is to make restaurant-worthy steak at home.
We hit a few bumps along the road to grilling steak perfectly 🙈 – so I get how intimidating it can be.
But I promise – this Tuscan grilled steak recipe is one of the easiest, most delicious places to start!
Tuscany is well-known for its wine and pasta, of course, but it’s also the meat-loving and grill-loving region of central Italy.
This Tuscan steak recipe uses a simple homemade marinade made of lemon zest, garlic, and loads of rosemary and oregano for big, beautiful Tuscan-inspired flavor. Once the steak takes on all the garlicky, herbaceous goodness from the marinade, it sizzles away on the grill over direct heat only for a quick and easy grilling process with perfectly charred and juicy results.
Serve with a glass of wine and some simple sides, and you have yourself a perfect Italian style steak dinner – no passports required! ♡
Love Tuscan-inspired flavor? ⇢ Be sure to try my Grilled Tuscan Spatchcock Chicken. It’s the perfect way to feed a crowd!
Quick Talk ⇢ Is This the Same as Florentine Steak?
Florentine steak (or bistecca fiorentina) is a popular way to prepare steak in Tuscany. It’s named after the city of Florence, the capital of Tuscany, where the dish has been served for centuries.
What makes Florentine steak special is its made from Chianina beef, an ancient Tuscan breed of cattle loved for its super tender meat. Each extra-large T-bone steak is aged for weeks before grilling and traditionally served very rare as a juicy contrast to its charred exterior.
Traditional Florentine steak can really only come from its region of origin – kind of like how legit champagne only comes from the Champagne wine region of France. A recipe isn’t quite a real deal steak Florentine without using Chianina steak, so it’s very different from this particular Tuscan-inspired steak recipe.
Similar to Florentine steak, this grilled Tuscan steak uses simple seasoning and a high-heat grill to get a beautiful charred crust and juicy center. Each bite will remind you of Italy, but you have to travel to Florence to get real deal steak Florentine!
How to Pick the Best Steak for Grilling
This grilled steak recipe epitomizes what we love most about Italian cooking. It takes super simple ingredients and transforms them into a dish with big, bold flavor.
Best steak to use? ⇢ A great steak dinner starts with quality steak! Luckily, there are tons of excellent options out there and it’s hard to choose wrong but in our experience, there are 3 important things to keep in mind when steak shopping…
- Quality. The steak is the star of the show here, so I feel free to splurge and choose the best quality cut you can find and afford. If you’re not sure where to start, head to your favorite local butcher shop and ask the experts what’s best that day.
- Cut. When making steak dinner, Chris and I gravitate towards New York Strip for its tenderness or ribeye for its flavor and marbling. A T-bone, porterhouse, filet mignon, or a nice top sirloin are also all perfect for grilled Tuscan steak. Use what you love!
- Thickness. A nice and thick steak helps ensure it doesn’t overcook as it chars on the grill. I developed this Tuscan steak recipe using 1 ¼ – 1 ½-inch thick steaks (the standard thickness available at most butcher counters). It’s totally fine if your steaks are thicker or thinner – simply adjust the cooking times as needed for desired doneness.
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Step-by-step tutorials (like how to light the grill without burning your eyebrows off) & obsessively-tested tips (for juicy, charred results). Designed for meat lovers & vegetarians alike!
An Easy and Flavorful Tuscan Steak Marinade
The first step to making Tuscan grilled steak is prepping the Tuscan-inspired marinade.
I love this marinade because it’s really, really simple (yet totally packed with flavor).
Here’s what you’ll need…
- Herbs – Plenty of fresh rosemary and dried oregano make the Tuscan marinade burst with herbaceous flavor.
- Aromatics – Tons of garlic (8 whole cloves!) and optional crushed red pepper flakes add a peppery bite and Italian-inspired flavor to the marinade, but feel free to omit if you don’t care for the added heat.
- Olive oil – This Tuscan steak marinade is super simple, so be sure to use the good stuff here. This EVOO is my go-to.
- Lemon – A surprising yet delicious add-in for a rich steak dinner! I use lemon zest to get the most intense bright flavor.
To marinate this Tuscan steak, simply add steaks to an airtight container or resealable storage bag and pour the marinade over the top. Use your hands to rub the spices and herbs into every nook and cranny so the meat takes on as much flavor as possible.
Suggested Marinating Time: Let the marinade do its thing for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days. This may seem like a long time, but steak’s naturally rich flavor means it needs more time to absorb the Tuscan-style marinade.
Meal Prep
Since it’s so easy to throw together, I like to prep the Tuscan steak marinade the night before I plan to make a steak dinner. The steaks can marinate overnight with no extra effort or worrying the day of – easy!
How to Grill Tuscan Steak (Plus, Plenty of Steak Grilling Tips!)
Grilling steak is something that always feels way more intimidating than it actually is – I promise. While I love a good cast-iron steak, there’s something about the charred smokiness of grilled steak that I can’t get enough of.
Whether you’re new to grilling steak or a grilling pro, you’ll love this grilled Tuscan steak recipe because of how easy it is to prepare.
Prep the Tuscan steaks for the grill. About 30 minutes before you want to grill your steaks, pull them out of the refrigerator so they can come up to room temperature. Why? ⇢ A room temperature steak is more likely to cook evenly on the grill, resulting in meltingly tender texture with perfect char!
Prepare your grill. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Once hot, clean the grill grates with a bristle brush so no leftover charred bits interfere with the Tuscan grilled steak. Right before you’re ready to toss the Tuscan steak on the grill, take a paper towel to pat the steak nice and dry. Why? ⇢ Removing extra moisture is another essential step for crispy char! Once dry, generously season each steak with salt and black pepper for added flavor and a simple finishing touch.
Grill the steaks. Place the Tuscan steak on the grill grates directly over the heat, then close the lid and grill 3-5 minutes per side. Why? ⇢ Closing the lid allows the hot air to circulate, cooking the steak until it’s nice and tender. For medium rare grill about 4 minutes per side.
Rest and serve. Pull the Tuscan steak off the grill once it’s cooked to your liking and set it aside to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Resting helps the steak juices settle so it’s even more tender. 🤤 Then it’s ready to go!
*Take It to the Next Level!
Cooking steak over direct heat as directed here is nice and simple, but my all-time favorite way to grill steak is using both indirect and direct heat with the 2-zone grilling method. This easy modification adds extra juiciness and char that’s absolutely perfect, every single time. If you’re intrigued, check out our Perfectly Grilled Steak recipe and give it a try on your Tuscan grilled steak!
Understanding Grill Time and Doneness
Grill cooking times can vary based on the temperature of your grill or the size of your steak.
A general rule of thumb is to add 1 extra minute of grill time per side for one extra level of doneness – e.g. 5 minutes per side for medium, 6 minutes per side for medium-well, etc.
In the end, the most accurate way to gauge doneness is always with an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature.
Tuscan Steak Grill Time Guidelines:
- Rare (red and cool center): Cook to an internal temperature of 105-110 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 120-125 degrees F.
- Medium-rare (red and warm center): Cook to an internal temperature of 115-120 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 130-135 degrees F.
- Medium (pink and warm center): Cook to an internal temperature of 125-130 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 140-145 degrees F.
- Medium-well (slightly pink center): Cook to an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 140-145 degrees F.
- Well done (cooked through with little to no pink): Cook to an internal temperature of 145-150 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 150+ degrees F.
Serving Suggestions
Grilled Tuscan steak is super delicious as-is but if you want to serve your steak dinner with an extra special touch, add a sprinkle of smoky finishing salt and a vibrant sauce like pesto or Italian-style salsa verde, or the charred lemon juice from some grilled lemon wedges.
For serving, pair your steak with Italian-inspired side dishes to bring everything together for a complete meal. We love these Grilled Fries with Lemon Pesto Aioli, a fresh green salad with a tangy vinaigrette, or seasonal grilled veggies for the ultimate Italian steak dinner!
Whatever you do, don’t forget a glass of Italian wine too! 🍷
I cannot wait for you to try this Grilled Tuscan Steak recipe! It’s one of the easiest steak dinner recipes you’ll ever make and a true taste of Italy, made right in your own backyard.
If you give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy grilling!
Print
Grilled Tuscan Steak with Lemon, Garlic, and Rosemary
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Inactive Marinating Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Grilling & Smoking
- Cuisine: Italian, American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
The easiest grilled steak dinner is this Grilled Tuscan Steak recipe! Soak your steak of choice in a simple Tuscan-inspired marinade made with loads of lemon, garlic, & aromatic fresh herbs. Grill over direct heat for 10 minutes until juicy, tender, & beautifully charred. So simple & so flavorful!
Serve with a glass of wine & Italian-inspired sides for a Tuscan-inspired dinner party, Father’s Day dinner, or any other special occasion meal! A taste of Italy, right in your backyard!
Be sure to read through the blog post, above, for plenty of grilling tips and some guidance for steak doneness!
Ingredients
- Two 1 ¼ – 1 ½-inch steaks of choice – ribeye, New York Strip, T-bone, etc. (see Recipe Notes, below)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested
- 8 cloves garlic, smashed open or finely chopped or grated
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, broken in half
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- optional: up to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, as desired
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Prep the Tuscan-style marinade and marinate the steaks: Add the steaks to an airtight container resealable storage bag. Top with the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, fresh rosemary sprigs, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Use your hands to really rub the herbs and spices into the surface of the steaks. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days.
- Prep the Tuscan steaks for the grill: About 30 minutes prior to grilling the steaks, pull them out of the refrigerator to let them come up to room temperature. I typically just pull them out of the fridge right before I preheat the grill (Step 3, below). Just before you’re ready to toss them on the grill, use paper towel to pat the steak as dry as you possibly can, then season generously with kosher salt – a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon per pound of meat – and ground black pepper as desired.
- Prepare the grill: Preheat the grill for medium-high direct heat grilling, 450-500 degrees F. Once preheated, clean the cooking surface by firmly brushing a wire brush over the grates. (If you do not have access to an outdoor grill, you can also preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.)
- Grill the Tuscan-style steaks: Place the steaks on the grill grates, directly over the heat. Close the grill lid. Grill 3-5 minutes per side. For a nice medium rare, I grill 4 minutes per side, until an instant read thermometer inserted in the steak registers an internal temperature of 115-120 degrees F (refer to blog post above for more guidance on different steak temperatures and cook times), transfer the steaks to a plate and set aside to rest.
- Rest, carve and serve: Set the grilled Tuscan-style steaks aside to rest for 5-10 minutes, then carve and serve as desired. We think this grilled Tuscan steak is wonderful as-is, finishing with just a touch of smoky finishing salt, but you can serve it with a vibrant sauce like pesto or Italian-style salsa verde if desired. Pair with your favorite pasta salad and grilled veggies for the ultimate summer dinner! Enjoy!
Notes
- Best steaks for grilling: Whenever you’re making steak at home, buy the highest quality steaks you can find. The steak is really the star of the show here! (Plus, no matter what, I guarantee you’ll spend less on your steak than you would for a steak dinner at a nice restaurant!) We love New York strip or ribeye at our house, as both are tender with great flavor. This method will work for sirloin or tenderloin, too, noting you may need to adjust cook times based on the thickness of the steak.
- Storage and Reheating: Leftover steak will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy leftovers cold from the fridge, or reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, just until warmed through.
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Holy moly!!! Just made these tonight in the air fryer. I’m just getting over a bad illness and haven’t been able to smell of taste anything in quite some time. However, I could smell these babies cooking! And the taste! Out of this world. I will say, I only marinated for 3 hours since I was crunched for time. I can’t imagine marinating these for 24 hours! Can’t wait to make them again!! 10/10 easily
Hi Angie, thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind review, both here and on Pinterest! 🙂 So happy the steak turned out great for you, and glad you’re feeling better as well!
Just made this recipe tonight and it was delicious! Followed her grilling instructions to a T and we had perfectly medium rare ribeyes 😍 highly recommend this recipe for a totally easy, but extra special weeknight dinner.
Thanks Caitlin! We are so glad to hear that the directions were helpful & that you could treat yourself! Try our Herb Butter Basted Cast Iron Steak next!!
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Glad it was a hit!!
Just excellent! So I was tasked with making a steak “side dish” to go aside the headliner, an Italian version of Ratatouille. I grabbed very thin cut (.25″) bottom round steaks, 4oz each and marinaded over 24 hours, knowing that cut might be chewy, even thin. Worked great, the surface area being much more vast, I might have to cut down on the red pepper flakes for the weak at heart types. But I will do this again, and may add lemon juice or vinegar to soften this tougher cut! Thoughts on that? Well done!
LOVE the idea of lemon juice to help tenderize a tougher cut next time, Brett. So glad this recipe worked out well for you – Italian-style raratouille sounds delicious!
I’m looking to make this tomorrow however I don’t see the lemon zest in the directions. Do I just mix it in the rub?
Thanks
Hey Erika! Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention!!! Yes, the lemon zest goes into the Tuscan rub for the steak – I’ve updated the recipe card to reflect this. Hope you loved them!!