Marinating is a form of food preparation. It involves leaving the food for a given time while it is coated in a liquid. The process makes the food tastier, easier to chew and digest , and sometimes it is used as a preparation before other forms of cooking.

The liquids used are typically lemon juice, vinegar, olive or sesame oil, or some combination of these. Foods which are often marinaded include steak, and harder vegetables such as beetroot, aubergine (egg-plant), and courgettes.