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Air fryer steak bites are a quick and easy way to enjoy juicy, seasoned steak with a rich garlic butter sauce for a fun dinner or appetizer.
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The fuss-free air fryer method
I used to laugh at the idea of air-frying steak. I'm no food snob, but after conquering classic methods, I wasn't convinced I would find appreciation for steak cooked in a countertop oven.
But air fryer steak bites hit differently. So much so that I had to create this blog post, especially for my steak-intimidated readers. Just cube and season the beef, toss it into the air fryer and enjoy perfectly cooked steak bites in minutes. There's no fretting over internal temperatures or flying grease. The truth is, air fryer steak bites are delicious, easy ... and fun to serve!
Since it's so hands-off, you can assemble ingredients to turn your delectable nuggets into steak salad or pair them with roast mushrooms and easy roasted asparagus for a whole meal.
Ingredients you'll need
- Beef - Use any cut of beef you enjoy eating as a steak and avoid cuts that require long cooking time.
- Butter - or olive oil
- Worcestershire Sauce - This is the secret ingredient that adds delicious umami flavor to steak.
- Granulated Garlic - Use this with the steak seasoning mixture before air frying the steak bites.
- Minced Garlic - I prefer fresh garlic (not the jar stuff) since this is used in the garlic butter dipping sauce.
- Parsley - Optional but recommended for a pop of color and flavor.
- Salt and Pepper
How to make air fryer steak bites
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Pat STEAK dry with paper towels and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a mixing bowl, toss the steak cubes with BUTTER, WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, GARLIC POWDER, SEA SALT, and BLACK PEPPER to coat the surface.
Make sure the cubes are well-coated and place them in the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer.
Air fry for about 6 minutes (for a slightly pink center), shaking halfway through to ensure even heat distribution. Note: Add a few minutes for well-done steak cubes or reduce the air fryer time for a pinker center. Test the steak for doneness as needed. You are welcome to use a meat thermometer and follow this temperature chart:
- Rare: 120°–125°F
- Medium Rare: 130°–135°F
- Medium: 140°–145°F
- Medium Well: 150°–155°F
- Well Done: 160°–165°F
While the steak cubes are air-frying, melt the remaining BUTTER with MINCED GARLIC in your microwave or stove. Stir in the parsley.
Serve the cooked steak bites with the melted garlic butter sauce and devour! Or check out my list of ideas below for how you can use them as a main ingredient for other entrees!
What's the best beef for air fryer steak bites?
When selecting beef cuts for this recipe, I recommend going for the ones you enjoy eating as a traditional steak, including tenderloin, sirloin, strip steak, ribeye, or top sirloin (this is what you see in my photos). All of these cuts cook quickly, remain tender, and offer a delicious flavor profile. You would not want to use beef that requires long cooking time, such as a roast.
How to serve steak bites
Turn your delicious bites into a whole meal by pairing these with green vegetables such as air fryer asparagus or air fryer Brussels sprouts. You can never go wrong with tried and true comfort sides like sour cream mashed potatoes or loaded potato salad. Serving them with toothpicks and garlic butter always wins at gatherings alongside these savory sauteed mushrooms and onions. Here are some ideas to build meals around them:
- Steak and Eggs: Serve steak bites alongside scrambled or fried eggs for a hearty breakfast or brunch option.
- Salad Entree: Toss the steak bites with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and your favorite dressing for a hearty salad.
- Tex-Mex Meals: Make the whole family happy by adding taco seasoning to steak bites and using them in this delicious taco bowl recipe.
- Steak Bites Bowl: Create a bowl with brown rice or quinoa, sautéed vegetables, and a generous serving of steak bites sprinkled with Italian seasoning.
More recipes to love
- Steak Nachos
- Steak Fajitas Recipe
- Air Fryer Sausage
- New York Strip Steak Recipe
- How to Cook Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
- Pulled Pork Nachos
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Steak Bites
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Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Boneless Steak, any thick cut variety
- 2 tablespoons Melted Butter, or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
For the garlic butter finishing sauce:
- 2 tablespoons Butter, or olive oil
- 1 clove Garlic, finely grated
- Fresh Parsley, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Pat STEAK dry with paper towels and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the steak cubes with BUTTER, WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, GARLIC POWDER, SEA SALT, and BLACK PEPPER to coat the surface.
- Place the cubes in the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air fry for 6 minutes (for a slightly pink center), shaking halfway through to ensure even heat distribution.Note: Add a few minutes for well-done steak cubes or reduce the air fryer time for a pinker center. Test the steak for doneness as needed.
- While steak cubes are air frying, melt the remaining BUTTER with GARLIC using your microwave or stove. Stir in the PARSLEY.
- Serve the cooked steak bites with the melted garlic butter sauce and devour!
- To store, refrigerate leftover steak bites in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Equipment
- 5.8 quart basket air fryer (Cosori XL) or other model air fryer
- heat-safe mixing bowl to melt butter
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Paula says
Has to be the easiest way to make steak! I used it for steak alfredo last night and it was epic.
Traci says
Yes!!! Steak alfredo sounds epic and I love that you used it that way. YUMMMM - thanks for the feedback! Enjoy!
dana says
These turned out beautifully! So juicy, tender, and flavorful. Never thought steak would be this amazing from the air fryer!
Traci says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed! You can never go wrong with juicy nuggets of steak. Thanks for the feedback!
DK says
What a great steak bites recipe! The Worcestershire sauce really made a difference and the steak bites came out so tender!
Traci says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed! You can never go wrong with steak bites lol. Thanks for the feedback! Enjoy!
Anjali says
I couldn't believe how well these steak bites turned out in the air fryer!! They were super tender, juicy, and flavorful. I'll definitely be using this method often!
Traci says
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed them! I love how quick these are too!! Thanks for the feedback.
Beth says
These steak bites are really good! The flavor was so satisfying, and it came together so quickly. Love it.
Traci says
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed them! I love how quick these are too!! Thanks for the feedback.
JB says
These are so great for a game day appetizer. Great idea and I love how the air fryer zaps them in minutes! So good!
Tia says
Where were these delicious steak bites when I was a kid?! I would have been excited about steak and I definitely would have been dipping these in all the things. Perfect for grown ups too - great party food! Thanks for sharing!