Juicy Air Fryer Steak Bites coated in garlic butter sauce and ready in 30 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or tuck them into tacos!
We’ve been loving my garlic butter steak bites, so I decided to create air fryer steak bites recipe for the hands off convenience. These are so delicious, you’ll be popping them like steak popcorn.
Perfect for a weeknight dinner or appetizer, and super simple to make. While the air fryer works its magic, you can quickly prep a side and get ready to enjoy!
And if you are looking for a lighter fair, try these chicken bites or air fryer chicken bites. For a restaurant-style steak, this sirloin tip steak recipe is a favorite you can easily cook up at home.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: This 30 minute meal gives you tender, juicy steak bites with barely any prep time needed.
- Less mess: No splattering oil or heavy pans to clean.
- Perfectly cooked: Steak bites in air fryer guarantee even cooking with a crisp outside and juicy inside, no guesswork.
- Flavor packed: The seasonings infuse into the steak, creating bold, mouthwatering flavors.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Steak Bites
These steak bites are seasoned with a combo of spices you’re sure to have in your pantry.
- Ribeye steak: I love using ribeye for this air fryer steak bites recipe. The marbled fat creates a crispy outside and a melt-in-your-mouth inside. You can also use your favorite cut of steak like top sirloin steak, or New York strip steak.
- Olive oil: Works well for air frying and adds a nice flavor.
- Spices: Smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Garlic butter sauce: Melted butter combined with fresh garlic cloves and fresh parsley creates a rich, buttery finish with the perfect garlic punch.
- Cooking spray: To prevent sticking, I use Misto.
How to Make Steak Bites in Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 400 F, toss the steak in, set the timer, and let it work its magic.
- Season the steak: Mix the steak, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl until evenly coated.
- Cook the steak: Lightly coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Working in batches, place steak pieces in a single layer and air fry for 4 minutes for medium-rare or 6 minutes for well-done bites.
- Prepare the garlic butter: Melt the butter in a pot on the stove or a microwave-safe bowl, then stir in the garlic and parsley. For an extra flavor boost, fry the garlic in the melted butter for 30 seconds before adding the parsley.
- Coat the steak bites: Add the cooked steak to the garlic butter, toss until evenly coated, and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
If You Don’t Have an Air Fryer
Season steak cubes with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, then toss to coat. Sear the steak in a hot skillet with olive oil for 1-2 minutes per side and set aside. Melt butter in the skillet, stir in garlic for 30 seconds, and add parsley. Finally, toss the steak bites in the garlic butter until fully coated.
Tips for Best Results
These are my tips for cooking these little bites just right!
- Meat should be dry: To ensure a crispy sear by preventing steam from excess moisture.
- Cut steak evenly: Cut the meat into even 1-inch cubes so each piece cooks at the same rate, and you don’t end up with some pieces overdone and others underdone.
- Cook in batches: Make sure to arrange them in a single layer so they cook evenly. The bonus is you can cook each batch to your preferred doneness which is perfect if some like their steak more rare than others.
- Don’t overcook: Since they cook quickly it’s easy to go from tender and juicy to dry and tough. Keep an eye on the time!
Serving Ideas
Steak bites are the ultimate little bites, best savored fresh and full of flavor! Try serving them up with:
- Mashed potatoes for the perfect creamy and cozy match.
- Simple and fluffy white rice, brown rice, basmati rice, or even zesty cilantro lime cauliflower rice.
- Make steak tacos by tossing them in tortillas with your favorite toppings.
- Roasted vegetables. Think carrots, asparagus, green beans or broccoli.
- A side salad adds fresh greens for a light, high-protein dinner.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: We usually don’t have leftovers because they’re just that good and taste best fresh, but if you do have any, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze: You can freeze steak bites in an airtight container for up to 3 months, then let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: For best results reheat in the air fryer or a skillet. The microwave can make them chewy.
FAQs
Use a meat thermometer to check if your steak bites are done to your liking. For rare, aim for an internal temperature of 120-125 F, medium-rare 125-135 F, medium 135-140 F, medium-well 145-150 F, and anything over 150 F for well-done.
You can get creative with seasonings and add cumin, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, chili powder, cayenne pepper, or Montreal steak seasoning.
Yes, as long as you’re comfortable with the flavor. I’m assuming you are if you’re asking!
A rubbery steak is usually the result of overcooking.
More Beef Recipes to Try
Air Fryer Steak Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds rib eye steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
- Cooking spray, I use Misto
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, add steak, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Spray basket of air fryer with cooking spray and lay steak pieces in a single layer. You will need to cook in batches. Air fry for 4 minutes for medium-rare or 6 minutes for more well done steak bites.
- In the meantime, melt butter in a medium pot on the stove or in a heatproof large bowl in the microwave. Add garlic and parsley, stir. For some extra flavor, fry garlic in the melted butter for 30 seconds, if you wish.
- Add cooked steak to the pot or bowl with the garlic butter mixture and toss to coat. Let steak bites rest for a few minutes.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or use in tacos.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in air fryer at 380 F for 2-3 minutes or in a skillet with a bit of oil. You can microwave them if short on time, but that makes steak chewy.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
