Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites - Tender in 20 Minutes

Steak bites go wrong for one reason: the cubes are too small or the heat is too low. Cut them bigger than you think you need, about one inch, and let a hot air fryer do the rest.

I cube the steak in the morning and leave it in the fridge with the seasoning on. At six, it goes straight into the basket. Twenty minutes later there is garlic butter steak on the table and one bowl in the sink.

The butter goes in at the end, never at the start. That is the whole trick, and it is the part most people skip.

About the Ingredients

2 lb (900g) sirloin or flap steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

Ask the butcher for a piece about 1 inch thick. Flap steak and flat iron are cheaper and just as tender here. Skip stew meat, it stays tough no matter what you do.

2 tbsp olive oil

Any neutral oil works, including avocado or canola. Olive oil browns a little faster, so check the basket a minute early.

1 tsp kosher salt

Kosher salt is coarser and easier to scatter evenly. If you only have table salt, use half the amount.

1 tsp smoked paprika

Sweet paprika works too, it just gives less smoke flavor. Chili powder is a fine swap if you want heat.

1/2 tsp black pepper

Fresh cracked is better, but pre-ground is fine. Add it before cooking so it blooms in the hot air.

1/2 tsp garlic powder

This is for the dry rub, not the sauce. Onion powder can stand in if you are out.

4 tbsp unsalted butter

Salted butter works, just cut the salt in the rub to 3/4 teaspoon. Melt it while the steak cooks.

4 cloves garlic, minced

About 1 heaping tablespoon. Jarred minced garlic is fine, use the same amount.

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Flat-leaf or curly, either one. Dried parsley is a weak substitute, use half the amount if that is all you have.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Cut and dry the steak

Pat the cubes dry with paper towel, then cut any pieces larger than one inch down to size. Wet or uneven cubes are the main reason steak bites come out tough.

2. Season the cubes

Toss the steak with the oil, salt, paprika, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl until every piece is coated. Let it sit while you preheat.

3. Preheat the air fryer

Set the air fryer to 400F (200C) and run it empty for three minutes. A hot basket gives you a brown crust instead of a gray one.

4. Cook the first side

Add the cubes in a single layer and cook at 400F (200C) for five minutes. You should hear a steady sizzle, not a quiet hum.

5. Shake and finish

Shake the basket, then cook another three to five minutes. The cubes are done when they are browned at the edges and a thermometer reads 130F (54C) in the middle for medium-rare.

6. Make the garlic butter

Melt the butter in a small pan over medium-low heat, add the garlic and cook thirty seconds until it smells sweet. Do not let it brown or it turns bitter.

7. Toss and serve

Tip the hot steak into a bowl, pour the garlic butter over it, add the parsley and toss. Serve right away while the butter is still warm.

How to Store Tender seasoned steak bites in a luscious garlic butter sauce

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a pound of sirloin in the fridge, you are twenty minutes from dinner. Cook the bites, melt the butter, toss, and eat them while they are hot. Low and slow, friend.

Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites – Tender in 20 Minutes

Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites come out tender and juicy with a rich garlic butter glaze, ready in about twenty minutes with almost no cleanup.

15 minPrep time10 minCook time6Servings285 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 2 lb (900g) sirloin or flap steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

📋 Instructions

1. 1Cut and dry the steak — Pat the cubes dry with paper towel, then cut any pieces larger than one inch down to size. Wet or uneven cubes are the main reason steak bites come out tough.
2. 2Season the cubes — Toss the steak with the oil, salt, paprika, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl until every piece is coated. Let it sit while you preheat.
3. 3Preheat the air fryer — Set the air fryer to 400F (200C) and run it empty for three minutes. A hot basket gives you a brown crust instead of a gray one.
4. 4Cook the first side — Add the cubes in a single layer and cook at 400F (200C) for five minutes. You should hear a steady sizzle, not a quiet hum.
5. 5Shake and finish — Shake the basket, then cook another three to five minutes. The cubes are done when they are browned at the edges and a thermometer reads 130F (54C) in the middle for medium-rare.
6. 6Make the garlic butter — Melt the butter in a small pan over medium-low heat, add the garlic and cook thirty seconds until it smells sweet. Do not let it brown or it turns bitter.
7. 7Toss and serve — Tip the hot steak into a bowl, pour the garlic butter over it, add the parsley and toss. Serve right away while the butter is still warm.

👨🍳 Chef's Note: The butter goes in after the steak leaves the basket, never before. Butter in a hot air fryer burns and smokes long before the meat is done.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: American

Course: Dinner

Easy Recipes for Everyday Cooking15 minutes10 minutes25 minutes

Nutrition (per serving): 285 kcal · 27g protein · 2g carbs · 19g fat