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Air Fryer London Broil is one of those recipes that checks every box! It’s a budget-friendly cut that delivers serious steakhouse flavor! Even better, it’s on the table in under 30 minutes, and there’s no marinade required. A simple dry rub and a hot air fryer are all you need for a tender, juicy steak with a perfectly seasoned crust every single time.
Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Bold, beefy crust from a simple dry rub with a juicy, tender center and no marinade needed.
⏱️ Prep time: 5 minutes
🔥 Cook time: 10 minutes + 10 minutes to rest
⏲️ Total time: 25 minutes
👥 Servings: 4
🥄 Tools: Air Fryer
❄️ Freezer friendly: Sure! You can store leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 mo nths.
👩🏻🍳 Tip: Always pull the steak 3–5 degrees before your target temp and rest it 10 minutes before slicing.
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I’ll be honest, London broil was never something I thought to make in the air fryer. It’s always been a grill recipe in our house, full stop. But one evening I had a London broil thawed and no desire to fire up the grill. I found it actually worked better than the grill, because the circulating heat gives you an even cook from edge to edge without the guesswork of managing a flame.
I’ve made it in the oven too, and the air fryer wins there as well — faster, crispier crust, and way less cleanup. Looking for beef recipes to make in the air fryer? You might also enjoy air-frying steak bites or this air-fryer ribeye steak.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No marinade needed. This recipe uses a simple dry rub, so dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes.
- Budget-friendly cut, steakhouse results. Like this air fryer top round roast, London broil is one of the most affordable beef cuts at the grocery store, and the air fryer makes it taste as if it cost twice as much.
- Perfectly cooked every time. The air fryer’s circulating heat takes the guesswork out, especially paired with an instant-read thermometer.
- Great for meal prep. Leftovers slice beautifully for sandwiches, tacos, or a quick steak salad the next day.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- London broil: Look for a piece that’s 1 to 1½ inches thick. Thinner than that and it’ll cook through before you get a good crust; much thicker and you’ll need to add a few minutes to your cook time. A 1½ to 2-pound piece fits perfectly in a standard basket-style air fryer.
- Olive oil: A light coat of extra virgin olive oil helps the spice rub cling to the meat and promotes that nice browned crust in the air fryer. Avocado oil works great here too if that’s what you have on hand.
- The dry rub: Garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper are the backbone of this recipe. It’s a simple combination, but the spices bloom into a flavorful crust that’s hard to argue with. You can add a sprinkle of kosher salt to the rub. If you’re watching your sodium intake, the rub delivers plenty of flavor on its own.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients with quantities.
Variations
- Marinated London Broil: If you have a few hours (or the whole day) to let the meat soak up some flavor, a quick marinade works beautifully on this cut. Combine balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and a few cloves of minced garlic. Let the steak marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavor. Pat it dry before air frying so you still get a good sear.
- Spicy Dry Rub: Love a little heat? Add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon of ancho chili powder, and a pinch of cayenne to the base rub. You can also try some Montreal steak seasoning or this easy BBQ Rub that’s sweet, savory, and has a bit of heat.
- Add Some Herbs: For a more classic steakhouse feel, swap in dried rosemary, dried thyme, and a little dried mustard alongside the garlic and onion powder.
How to Make London Broil in the Air Fryer
To get started, preheat your air fryer to 400° F (200° C) for 5 minutes, and combine the ground black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl.
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels and use a sharp knife to trim any excess pieces off of the steak. Rub all sides of the steak with olive oil and then rub the seasoning mixture all over the steak.
- Place the seasoned steak into the preheated air fryer basket. Cook for 8-10 minutes. You may need to adjust a bit depending on your level of doneness you want.
- Flip the steak and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Use an internal read thermometer to get your desired degree of doneness.
- Remove the cooked London broil from the air fryer and let the steak rest for 10 minutes on a cooling rack. Cut the steak into thin slices and garnish with chopped parsley, a pat of butter or this homemade steak butter, and serve.
Air Fryer London Broil Temperature & Time Chart
All times are based on a 1½ to 2 pound London broil, 1 to 1½ inches thick, cooked at 400°F in a basket-style air fryer.
Always use an instant-read thermometer to confirm doneness, and pull the steak 3 to 5 degrees before your target temperature, as the internal temp will continue to rise during the 10-minute rest.
| Doneness | Pull Temp | Final Temp After Rest | Total Cook Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 115–120°F | 120–125°F | 7–8 min |
| Medium-Rare | 125–130°F | 130–135°F | 9–10 min |
| Medium | 135–140°F | 140–145°F | 11–12 min |
| Medium-Well | 145–150°F | 150–155°F | 13–14 min |
| Well Done | 155°F+ | 160°F+ | 15+ min |
Cook time = approximately 8 minutes on the first side, flip, then check temperature at 1–2 minute intervals on the second side.
Expert Tips
- Pat the steak completely dry. Before you add the oil and rub, use paper towels to thoroughly dry both sides of the steak. Moisture is the enemy of a good crust.
- Don’t skip the resting time. Ten minutes on a cooling rack after cooking isn’t optional; it’s what keeps the steak juicy. If you slice into it right out of the air fryer, the juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
- Always slice against the grain. This is the single most important thing you can do for a tender result with this cut. Look at the steak and find the direction the muscle fibers are running, and then cut perpendicular to them, in thin slices. Cutting with the grain leaves you with chewy, stringy pieces. Cutting against it gives you tender, clean bites every time.
- Don’t cook past medium. I know well-done is in the chart, but for London broil, medium-rare to medium is where this cut shines. Beyond that, the lean muscle fibers contract and the steak gets tough and dry regardless of how well you cooked it. Trust the thermometer and pull it early.
- Air fryer size and wattage matters. I make this recipe in my basket-style 5.8 qt Cosori air fryer. If you have an oven-style air fryer with racks, the cook time may run a minute or two longer since the heating element is farther from the meat. When in doubt, start checking the temperature at the 8-minute mark.
- Storage: Store leftover steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or wrap tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Air Fryer London Broil Recipe FAQ’s
London broil isn’t actually a specific cut of meat; it’s a cooking method that over time became associated with the cut itself. At the grocery store, you’ll most commonly find top round steak labeled as “London Broil,” though flank steak is sometimes used as well. It’s a lean, affordable cut with a tight grain and bold beefy flavor that does best with high heat and a short cook time.
The only reliable way to know is with an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak. For medium-rare, you’re looking for a pull temperature of 125–130°F, as the internal temp will rise another 3 to 5 degrees during the rest. See the temperature chart above for pull temps and final temps across all doneness levels.
The most common culprit is overcooking, so a thermometer is your best friend. If the temperature was right but the steak still felt chewy, check how you sliced it: cutting with the grain instead of against it makes even a perfectly cooked London broil tough. Skipping the 10-minute rest is the third common mistake, since slicing too soon lets the juices run out before they’ve had a chance to redistribute
Set the air fryer to 320°F and place the steak in the basket with a small pat of butter on top. Heat for 3 to 4 minutes, flip, and check. Remember you’re warming it through, not recooking it. The lower temperature and butter help keep the meat from drying out.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your London broil with a decadent cowboy butter sauce, ranch dressing, a velvety homemade cheese sauce, or blue cheese dressing.
At the same time, use your air fryer for making delicious sides like air-fried green beans, and baked potatoes without an oven. It’s also great with grilled roasted vegetables, rice pilaf, or a crisp wedge salad with a bright lemon dressing.
More Air-Fried Steak Recipes
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Air Fryer London Broil
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound London broil
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon parsley, fresh, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400° F/200 C for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the ground black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder together. Set bowl aside.
- On a cutting board pat the steak dry with paper towels.
- Then use a sharp knife and trim any excess pieces off of the steak.
- Rub all sides of the steak with light olive oil. Then rub the seasoning mixture all over the steak.
- Place seasoned steak into the preheated air fryer basket.
- Cooking time is 8-10 minutes at 400°F/200 C. Depending on your level of doneness to get the perfect temperature.
- Then flip the steak and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- To get the perfect cook on your steak use an internal read thermometer to get your desired degree of doneness. (See Notes)
- Let the steak rest for 10 minutes on a cooling rack.
- Lastly cut the steak into thin slices and garnish with chopped parsley, a pat of butter, and then serve.
Notes
- Bring the steak to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before cooking for a more even cook.
- Pat the steak completely dry before adding the oil and rub — this is what gives you a good crust.
- Pull the steak 3–5 degrees before your target temperature — it will continue to rise during the rest.
- Always rest for 10 minutes before slicing and slice against the grain in thin pieces for the most tender result.
- I make this recipe in a basket-style 5.8 qt Cosori air fryer. Oven-style air fryers may need 1–2 additional minutes.
- Cook at 400°F for approximately 8 minutes on the first side, then flip and check the temperature every 1–2 minutes until you hit your target pull temp.
- Use an instant-read meat thermometer or digital thermometer when air frying. For best results, cook your perfect steak to the internal temperature:
- rare 120-125° F
- medium rare 130-135° F
- medium doneness 140-145° F
- medium well 150-155° F
- well done 160° F.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I just bought a London Broil so this recipe is out at the right time. I have not tried to cook this large a piece of meat in my air fryer however I am going to give it the old college try.
Thank you.