Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Garlic butter steak bites are the ultimate quick and easy dinner! Tender steak bites coated in a rich garlic butter sauce, crisped up to perfection in the air fryer. No more soggy or bland steak bites — this recipe solves that problem with a simple technique that ensures perfect results every time. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips.
📖 Table of Contents
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Why You'll Love This Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Easy to make with just a few ingredients
- Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside
- Ready in under 20 minutes
- Perfect for meal prep or a quick weeknight dinner
Ingredients for Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Full ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below. Here's what you'll need at a glance.
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb sirloin steak, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Seasonings & Flavors
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Optional Toppings
- (Optional) Fresh parsley, chopped
- (Optional) Lemon wedges
- (Optional) Crumbled blue cheese
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Sirloin steak: You can also use flank or ribeye steak. Trim excess fat for better results.
- Butter: For a dairy-free version, use olive oil or vegan butter.
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How to Make Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites Step by Step
- 1Prepare the steakPat the steak dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Toss in 2 tbsp of melted butter to coat.
- 2Cook the steakPreheat the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange the steak in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the steak is cooked to your desired doneness.
- 3Make the garlic butterIn a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, remaining 2 tbsp of melted butter, parsley, thyme, and red pepper flakes.
- 4Toss in garlic butterTransfer the cooked steak to a bowl. Pour the garlic butter over the steak and toss to coat. What to watch for: Be careful not to overcook the steak, as it can become tough.
Pro Tips for the Best Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Ingredient prep: Make sure your steak is at room temperature before cooking for even cooking.
- Common mistake and fix: The most common mistake is overcrowding the air fryer basket. This causes the steak to steam instead of crisp. The fix is to cook the steak in batches if necessary.
- Timing or temperature: For medium-rare steak, cook to an internal temperature of 135°F. Adjust cooking time as needed.
- Texture or flavor enhancement: For extra flavor, add a minced shallot or a pinch of paprika to the garlic butter.
Recipe Success Checklist
Run through this before you start to guarantee cooking success:
- 1. Pat steak dry before seasoning
- 2. Cook steak in a single layer in the air fryer
- 3. Flip steak halfway through cooking
- 4. Cook steak to desired doneness
- 5. Toss steak in garlic butter immediately after cooking
Storing and Reheating Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites
🧊 Fridge
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
❄️ Freezer
Freeze cooked steak bites in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
🔥 Oven Reheat
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the steak bites on a baking sheet and heat for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. Add a little more butter to restore moisture.
📡 Microwave
Microwave the steak bites in 30-second intervals, flipping halfway through, until warmed through. Add a damp paper towel to prevent drying out.
⏰ Make Ahead
The garlic butter can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a one-pan meal, cook baby potatoes in the air fryer at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, tossing with olive oil, salt, and pepper halfway through. Add them to the basket with the steak for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Best substitution: For a lower-fat version, use olive oil instead of butter.
- Make-ahead: The steak can be sliced and seasoned up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge until ready to cook.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the steak is not crisping, increase the air fryer temperature to 425°F. If it's still not crisping, try adding a little cornstarch to the garlic butter.
Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb sirloin steak, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Seasonings
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Optional
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon wedges
- Crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
- 1Prepare the steak: Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Toss in 2 tbsp of melted butter to coat.
- 2Cook the steak: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange the steak in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the steak is cooked to your desired doneness.
- 3Make the garlic butter: In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, remaining 2 tbsp of melted butter, parsley, thyme, and red pepper flakes.
- 4Toss in garlic butter: Transfer the cooked steak to a bowl. Pour the garlic butter over the steak and toss to coat. What to watch for: Be careful not to overcook the steak, as it can become tough.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a one-pan meal, cook baby potatoes in the air fryer at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, tossing with olive oil, salt, and pepper halfway through. Add them to the basket with the steak for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Best substitution: For a lower-fat version, use olive oil instead of butter.
- Make-ahead: The steak can be sliced and seasoned up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge until ready to cook.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the steak is not crisping, increase the air fryer temperature to 425°F. If it's still not crisping, try adding a little cornstarch to the garlic butter.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked steak bites in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the steak bites on a baking sheet and heat for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. Add a little more butter to restore moisture.
- Microwave: Microwave the steak bites in 30-second intervals, flipping halfway through, until warmed through. Add a damp paper towel to prevent drying out.
- Make ahead: The garlic butter can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 320
- Protein: 30g
- Fat: 20g
- Sat. Fat: 11g
- Carbs: 4g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Frequently Asked Questions about Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak Bites
It takes about 15 minutes to make garlic butter steak bites, including prep and cooking time.
Yes, you can make the garlic butter up to 1 day ahead and store it in the fridge. You can also slice and season the steak up to 1 day ahead.
The most common reason is overcrowding the air fryer basket. Try cooking the steak in batches or increasing the temperature to 425°F.
Yes, you can use flank or ribeye steak instead of sirloin. Trim excess fat for better results.
This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd. Just make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket.
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