Make this easy air fryer London broil recipe a part of your weekly dinner rotation! The marinated top-round steak cooks perfectly every single time.
London broil gets a bad reputation for turning out tough and flavorless if it’s not cooked properly, so I understand why people either love or hate the dish.
However, this air fryer London broil recipe is a game changer for perfectly cooked London broil! You get a bit of a crust from the circulating hot air, and the inside is juicy with a perfectly cooked center. Plus, it’s ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- London Broil: A three-pound London broil feeds my family with leftovers. Look for a roast with some marbling for even more flavor.
- Marinade: Prepare a quick and easy marinade for air fryer London broil using extra-virgin olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon juice, kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and garlic powder. The flavor-packed marinade serves two purposes. The acid from the lemon juice tenderizes the meat, and the other ingredients infuse the beef with a delicious flavor.
Additions and Substitutions
- Use a spice blend. Replace the suggested spices with your favorite seasonings, like Montreal steak seasoning, rib rub, or peppercorn steak rub, and let the air fryer do the rest.
- Swap the acid. Use red wine vinegar to tenderize the beef instead of fresh lemon juice.
Tools You’ll Need
Make the quick and easy dinner recipe with a baking dish for marination and an air fryer with a large enough basket to fit a London broil; I use the Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer. If your air fryer is on the smaller side, cut the top round roast in half and work in batches.
How to Make Air Fryer London Broil
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Place the London broil in a resealable plastic bag or baking dish and cover with salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
Step 2: Preheat the air fryer to 400℉ (204℃). Use the tongs to transfer the meat to the air fryer basket and cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping it halfway through.
Step 3: Remove the meat from the air fryer basket and let the steak rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes before thinly slicing the meat against the grain to serve.
Expert Tips
- Let the beef marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes for the best flavor and even cooking.
- Monitor the cooking time because a thinner top-round steak will take less time to cook at 400°F (204°C) but may take longer depending on the thickness of the steak.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should read 145°F (63℃) for the best results.
- Rest the meat before serving; doing so allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more flavorful steak.
Steak Temperature Guide
The most reliable way to determine whether a top-round roast is done cooking is to check the internal temperature with an instant-read meat thermometer until it reaches your preferred level of doneness.
| Rare | 120℉ (49℃) The outside of the top round steak is brown, while the inside is red. |
| Medium Rare | 130–135°F (54 –57℃) Medium rare top round is pink with a warm red center. |
| Medium | 135–145°F (57–63℃) A medium top round has a warm pink center. |
| Well Done | 155℉ and higher (68℃) The center of the meat is uniformly brown and firm to the touch. |
If you enjoy air fryer London broil, try more steak recipes!
Best Side Dishes for London Broil
Serve the mouthwatering air fryer London broil with a pat of butter or savory bone marrow butter. You can’t go wrong with serving the steak with vegetables like carrots, air fryer red potatoes, green beans, asparagus, or broccoletti.
Classic sides like mashed potatoes, arugula spinach salad, roasted potatoes, risotto allo zafferano, chimichurri rice or a simple rice pilaf are always a great option.
Dipping Sauces for London Broil:
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the beef cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag for storage. Air fryer London broil will freeze for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost frozen London broil in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm the leftovers in a large skillet or oven at 250℉ (121℃) for 5-10 minutes for the best results.
- Repurpose: Add the thin slices of beef to a steak salad or prepare a simple stir-fry with pad pak over rice or noodles. Use the marinated beef to fill tacos, quesadillas, and sandwiches like my air fryer French dip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cut of meat is London broil?
It is a top-round roast (and sometimes flank steak), and it goes by the name London broil in the United States. However, the dish has less to do with a specific cut of meat than its preparation.
Marinate a lean cut of beef to enhance the flavor and tenderize the otherwise tough cut of meat, then broil the beef until it reaches medium-rare or medium doneness.
You can mimic broiling by making a London broil in the air fryer over high heat for a short time, resulting in a similar cook.
Why is London broil tough?
London broil features a leaner cut of meat with low-fat content, so you have to get it just right.
By cooking the London broil in the air fryer, the circulating hot air sears the outside of the beef and keeps it from drying out so it stays tender and juicy.
Oh, and don’t skip the marination step! Leave the top round steak to marinate at room temperature for AT LEAST 30 minutes for flavorful London broil.
More Air Fryer Recipes:
Air Fryer London Broil
- 3 pounds London broil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, optional
- Place the London broil in a resealable plastic bag or baking dish and cover with salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400℉ (204℃). Use the tongs to transfer the meat to the air fryer basket and cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping it halfway through.
- Remove the meat from the air fryer basket and let the steak rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes before thinly slicing the meat against the grain to serve.
- Let the beef marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes for the best flavor and even cooking.
- Monitor the cooking time because a thinner top-round steak will take less time to cook at 400°F (204°C) but may take longer depending on the thickness of the steak.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should read 145°F (63℃) for the best results.
- Rest the meat before serving; doing so allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more flavorful steak.