Air fryer steak bites are the perfect quick and easy dinner option.
They’re ideal when you want something delicious and filling but don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking.
Including a 30-minute marinating time, they only take about 35 minutes to prepare.
And you can cut down on that by marinating the steak bites in the fridge the night before.
Either way, air fryer steak bites are a crowd-pleasing favorite for the whole family. They’re tender and juicy, with loads of garlicky goodness in every bite!
Ingredients
You need the following ingredients to make air fryer steak bites:
- Olive oil – Olive oil will act as the base for the marinade mixture. Although other oils might also work, they aren’t as safe for your air fryer.
- Seasonings – Use a mixture of salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. They provide just enough spice and tons of earthy, umami flavor. Remember, you add garlic butter at the end, so you don’t want your seasonings to overpower that.
- Steak – You can use whatever cuts of steak you like best. I prefer sticking to sirloin and boneless ribeyes.
- Butter – Butter is the star of the show when it comes to the fragrant and flavorful garlic butter. I always use salted butter because it tastes better. Whatever you do, don’t swap it out for margarine. It won’t work as well.
- Garlic cloves & dried parsley – These are the ingredients you add to the melted butter. The garlic adds flavor, and the parsley provides a pop of color.
How to Make Air Fryer Steak Bites
The complete list of steps for making steak bites is below. For now, here’s an overview:
1. Marinate the steak. Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Then, dice the steak into 1-inch chunks and toss them in the marinade.
Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and set it aside for 30 minutes.
2. Make the garlic butter. While you’re waiting, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add the garlic and parsley and continue to cook, stirring frequently.
Once the mixture is fragrant, remove it from heat and set it aside.
3. Preheat. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 5 minutes.
4. Cook the steak. Cook the steak in an even layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes total, shaking the basket once halfway through.
5. Add the garlic butter. Transfer the prepared steak bites to the skillet with the garlic butter. Toss well to coat. Then, serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
This recipe is simple enough as written. Still, here are a few of my favorite tips to ensure your steak bites turn out perfectly every time:
- Select your steak wisely. As mentioned above, I prefer ribeyes and sirloin. The marbling in them helps ensure they remain juicy and tender.
- Cut the pieces nice and even. The more evenly sized your steak pieces are, the more evenly they will cook.
- Amp up the flavor! Marinate the meat several hours ahead of time. Just be sure to refrigerate it during that time to keep it from spoiling.
- Dip to your heart’s content. BBQ sauce is always an excellent choice for a dipper. You could also opt for your favorite steak sauce or a chimichurri sauce.
- Give them a rest. Just like full-sized steaks, steak bites should rest before you serve them. Give them about 3 to 5 minutes to lock in all the juiciness.
How to Store
Wondering what to do with leftover steak bites? You have a couple of options:
- To Store: Let the leftovers cool. Then, place them in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Place cooled steak bites in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- To Reheat: Let frozen steak bites thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Then, reheat in the air fryer for 1 to 2 minutes or in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Steak Bites
You can serve air fryer steak bites with anything you’d normally pair with steak. Here are some of my favorite options:
- A baked potato, fries, or potato wedges
- Green veggies like broccoli or asparagus
- A side salad
- Beans or bean sprouts
- Rolls or Texas toast
More Air Fryer Recipes
Looking for more easy air fryer recipes to simplify dinner? I have you covered!
- Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
- Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Salmon Patties
- Air Fryer Crab Rangoon
Air Fryer Steak Bites with Garlic Butter
Course: Main CourseCuisine: American4
servings10
minutes10
minutesTry these air fryer steak bites for a hearty meal the family will love! The garlic butter sauce truly takes them over the top!
Ingredients
- For the Steak Bites
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika (or chili powder)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 pound steak (sirloin or boneless ribeye work well)
- For the Garlic Butter
3 tablespoons salted butter
2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large bowl. Whisk together until fully incorporated.
- Dice the steak into 1-inch cubes. Mix it in with the marinade ingredients, ensuring the steak chunks are fully coated. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
- While the steak cubes marinate, prepare the garlic butter. Add the butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once it melts, add the garlic and parsley. Stir gently until the mixture is fragrant. Then, remove the skillet from the stove and set aside.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer the marinated steak bites to the air fryer basket (let the excess drip off). Arrange them in a single layer and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the basket and shake it to toss the bites. Then, return the basket to the air fryer and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the steak bites from the air fryer. Add them to the skillet with the garlic butter. Toss well to coat. Serve while still hot and enjoy!
Notes
- The total cooking time for medium-rare steak bites is about 4 minutes. For well-done bites, cook for a total of about 6 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak. The following lists the readings (in Fahrenheit) for each stage of cooked steak:
Rare: 125 degrees
Medium-rare: 135 degrees
Medium: 145 degrees
Medium-well: 150 degrees
Well done: 160 degrees
how do you make these without an air fryer can you make them in the oven or crockpot since that is all I have.
Hi Michelle! Your best bet to make these without an air fryer is to pan-fry them in a skillet.
Marinade them as instructed, but then sear them in a hot skillet with olive oil for about 4 minutes. Remove them from the pan to rest and make the garlic butter in the same skillet. Add the steak bites back, toss in the butter, then serve!
If you’d prefer the oven, follow the first 3 steps and preheat the oven to 400º F. Bake for about 10 minutes, depending on how well done you want them, then rest for 5 minutes. Toss them in the butter to serve.
Hope this helps!
How is it possible to “fully submerge” a pound of cut up steak in 1 tablespoon of olive oil plus spices? I could understand if the directions said to ensure the meat was fully coated, but to fully submerge the meat, you would need much more liquid than 1 tablespoon.
Hi Tim! Thanks for catching that. It’s a typo.
You just need to toss the steak with the oil and spices until it’s well coated. If you feel you need more oil for better coverage, add 1-2 more tablespoons. Just be sure to let the excess drip off before air frying.
Hope this helps!