Air Fryer Steak Bites

At a glance

What stands out: Making steak for dinner has never been easier! Tender, juicy, and ready in minutes, air fryer steak bites are especially rich tossed with garlic butter and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Bite-sized and straightforward to mix, steak bites can be served as an appetizer or main dish.

How long it takes: 35 minutes (includes 15 minutes to marinate)
Equipment you’ll need: air fryer
Servings: 2 as a main dish, 4 as an appetizer

We love these garlic butter steak bites and we also love our air fryer, so naturally, we decided to see if we could make steak bites in the air fryer. The verdict? Success!

We think steak bites might just be the ideal way to cook steak in the air fryer. Because the steak is cut into small bites, there’s more surface area for the air to circulate, which means the steak is cooked to perfection, and quickly!

We enjoy these air fryer steak bites often as a main dish for dinner but we plan on keeping this recipe on our short list for game day get-togethers when football season starts. Steak bites and potato skins sounds like a reliable combination to us!

Juicy Air Fryer Steak Bites

Straightforward to mix. You only need 10 minutes of hands-on effort to put together this air fryer steak bites recipe, and that’s just a matter of cutting the steak and mixing the marinade. Simple!

flavorful. The steak is marinated in a mixture of Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and herbs and spices, so it doesn’t skimp on seasoning. Add the optional garlic butter when you serve them and we’re talking BIG flavor.

Everyone loves them. Okay, maybe not everyone (be sure to try our air fryer salmon bites or air fryer Buffalo cauliflower bites if beef isn’t your thing). Air fryer steak bites are impossible to resist and their bite-size form makes them straightforward to eat!

Cooking Tip

If you’re watching your salt intake, you can skip the kosher salt and simply season the steak to taste at the end of cooking. Since both the Worcestershire sauce and Dijon contain salt, you may not need to add more.

What goes in

For the steak bites

• Steak: Sirloin or ribeye steak both work well for making these air fryer steak bites.
• Olive Oil: An everyday olive oil for cooking is fine; you don’t need anything fancy.
• Worcestershire Sauce: we always keep a bottle of Worcestershire sauce in our fridge. It’s a classic pairing with steak that adds umami and depth.
• Dijon Mustard: Mustard adds a little punch and zip to the marinade, enhancing the overall flavor.
• Seasonings: Our pantry is always stocked with these seasoning ingredients: garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, coarse ground black pepper, and kosher salt. This blend is similar to our steak seasoning recipe. If you prefer other seasonings for steak, feel free to substitute them.

For the optional garlic butter

• Butter: Unsalted butter is best; if you use salted butter, omit the kosher salt from the marinade.
• Garlic: Very finely minced or pressed fresh garlic infuses the butter with flavor.
• Parsley: Fresh parsley should be minced finely, too, so it’s evenly distributed.
• Red Pepper Flakes: Add as much or as little as you like for a kick of heat.

How it comes together

Prep the steak. Cut the steak into uniformly-sized cubes. We find that just under an inch is about the right size. You don’t need to measure with a ruler but the cubes should be all about the same size to ensure they cook evenly.

Make the marinade. In a bowl large enough to hold the steak cubes, whisk together the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and seasonings to make the marinade. (If you prefer, you can use purchased marinades or substitute this flank steak marinade, which has a soy sauce base.)

Marinate the steak. Stir the steak cubes into the marinade, making sure each one is coated well, and let the steak marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature. If you want to marinate the meat longer, refrigerate it.

Put into air fryer. Remove the steak bites from the marinade, discarding the marinade, and arrange them in an even layer in the air fryer basket with space between each piece, if possible. They will shrink slightly as they cook.

Cook. Air fry at 400°F for 5 to 10 minutes, shaking the basket or turning the steak halfway through the cooking time.

Make garlic butter. To make the optional garlic butter, melt the butter (we usually use our microwave oven) and stir in the garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Toss the air fryer steak bites in the garlic butter mixture before serving.

How To Know When Steak Is Done

Just like with steak cooked in the oven, on the stovetop, or grill, “done” depends on your personal preference. A standby way to tell when the steak bites are done is with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat.

Here are the internal temperatures to look for; remember that during the resting time, the temperature will rise 5 or more degrees.

• Rare: 120ºF
• Medium rare: 130ºF
• Medium: 140ºF
• Medium well: 150ºF
• Well done: 160ºF

Ways to serve it

Toppings: Try straightforward sautéed onions or, even better, caramelized onions. Sautéed mushrooms are also fantastic with steak; try sautéed mushrooms with marsala or creamy Tuscan mushrooms.

Potatoes: Any type of potato is always a great pairing with steak! Go with classic (and straightforward!) baked potatoes or if you have more time, make loaded mashed potato casserole or parmesan potatoes. We love crispy smashed potatoes, too.

Vegetables: Keep it light with green beans almondine or lemon roasted broccoli with parmesan.

Salads: Pretty much any type of salad goes well with steak bites. A classic wedge salad or house salad is always a good choice. Try our ranch pasta salad or dill potato salad. For a special occasion, serve this grilled peach salad with burrata. The steak bites can be added to salads, too!

Meal Bowls/Wraps: Serve the steak bites in your favorite meal bowl or wrap.

Storing & Reheating Leftovers

Refrigerate: Air fryer steak bites can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat: A standby way to reheat air fryer steak bites is to put them back in the air fryer briefly until they’re hot. They can be warmed up in a skillet set over low heat. You can also use your microwave but the steak tends to get tougher, especially if it’s overheated.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #74. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly.

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Steak Recipes

• Yield: 2 servings (or 4 appetizer servings)
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 10 minutes
• Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the steak bites:

• 1 pound sirloin or ribeye steak
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Optional Garlic butter:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste

Method

1. Cut the steak into bite-sized cubes (slightly smaller than 1-inch). The cubes should be relatively uniform in size for even cooking.
2. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, black pepper, and salt.
3. Add the steak cubes to the marinade, stirring to make sure each piece is coated in the marinade. Allow the steak to marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature (if it’s going to be longer than that, put it in the fridge).
4. Place the marinated steak bites in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between each piece.
5. Air fry at 400°F for 5 to 10 minutes (see note), shaking the basket or tossing the steak halfway through, or until the steak reaches the desired level of doneness.
6. Optional : Melt butter and stir in garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Toss cooked steak bites in garlic butter and serve immediately.

Notes

Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard both contain salt, so you may not need to add additional salt to the recipe.

Cook time will vary depending on size of the bites, starting temperature of the steak, and cooking preference. If you have an instant read thermometer, look for the below temperatures when cooking steak. Keep in mind that the internal temperature of the meat will rise 3 to 5ºF after cooking. 120ºF – Rare

130ºF – Medium rare

140ºF – Medium

150ºF – Medium well

160ºF – Well done

Skillet Method: If you prefer to use your stove, try our garlic butter steak bites. They’re similar and are cooked in a skillet.