These air fryer steak bites with garlic butter are one of my favorite quick dinners. Tender, juicy cubes of sirloin tossed in a simple garlic butter that makes everything taste amazing.
The air fryer does all the heavy lifting here. You get that nice sear on the outside while keeping the inside perfectly juicy, and it only takes about 10 minutes.
The seasoning is straightforward – just a few pantry staples you probably already have on hand. Nothing fancy, but the flavor is seriously good.
And then you toss everything in that warm garlic butter at the end. That part right there is what takes these steak bites to the next level.
Whether you serve them as a main dish with some veggies or just snack on them straight from the bowl, these are always a hit.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Incredible Garlic Butter Flavor – The rich garlic butter coating gives every single bite a melt-in-your-mouth savory flavor you will crave again and again.
Perfectly Seared on the Outside – The air fryer gives these steak bites a beautiful caramelized crust while keeping the inside juicy and tender.
Simple Ingredients You Already Have – This recipe uses basic pantry spices and just a few fresh ingredients so you can make it anytime without a special grocery run.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Sirloin Steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
How To Make
Step 1
Pat steak cubes dry and toss with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
Step 2
Preheat air fryer to 400°F and arrange steak bites in a single layer in the basket.
Step 3
Air fry for 7-10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until steak reaches desired doneness (7 minutes for medium-rare).
Step 4
While steak cooks, melt butter in a small pan and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 5
Toss cooked steak bites with garlic butter and fresh parsley, serve immediately.
Tips
Don’t Skip Patting the Steak Dry
This is the single most important step for getting a nice sear on your steak bites. If the surface is wet, the air fryer spends its energy evaporating that moisture instead of browning the meat.
Use paper towels and press firmly on all sides of the cubes before tossing them with the oil and seasonings. You want them as dry as possible.
The difference is huge. Dry steak bites come out with a golden, slightly crispy outside while the inside stays juicy and tender.
Don’t Crowd the Basket
It’s really tempting to dump all 1.5 pounds of steak into the basket at once, but that’s how you end up with steamed, grey steak bites instead of beautifully browned ones.
Leave space between each piece so hot air can flow around every cube. If your air fryer is on the smaller side, cook them in two batches instead.
A single layer with a little breathing room between pieces is what gives you that restaurant-quality browning on every side.
Cut Your Cubes Evenly
Try to keep all your steak cubes as close to 1 inch as you can. If some pieces are tiny and others are big, the small ones will overcook and dry out while the larger ones are still underdone.
A sharp knife helps a lot here. If your sirloin is thick, slice it into 1-inch slabs first, then cut those slabs into cubes. It’s much easier to get consistent sizes that way.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak & Mushrooms
- Air Fryer Filet Mignon
- Air Fryer Bone-In Ribeye Steak
- Air Fryer Beef Kabobs
- Air Fryer Chimichurri Flank Steak
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when the steak bites are done without a thermometer?
A meat thermometer is really the most reliable way to check – 130°F for medium-rare, 140°F for medium, and 150°F for medium-well. If you don’t have one, you can gently press a piece with tongs: soft and springy means medium-rare, while firmer means it’s more well done.
Since these are small cubes, they cook fast, so start checking at the 7-minute mark. It’s always better to pull them a minute early and check, because you can always pop them back in but you can’t undo overcooking.
Air Fryer Steak Bites with Garlic Butter
- air fryer
- 1.5 lb Sirloin Steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
- Pat steak cubes dry and toss with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F and arrange steak bites in a single layer in the basket.
- Air fry for 7-10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until steak reaches desired doneness (7 minutes for medium-rare).
- While steak cooks, melt butter in a small pan and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Toss cooked steak bites with garlic butter and fresh parsley, serve immediately.