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Easy Air Fryer Steak Bites are tender, flavorful, and ready in 15 minutes or less with a side of cowboy butter dipping sauce! Serve them as an appetizer, lunch, or dinner. This simple recipe for air-fried steak bites is one you'll want to make time and time again!
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Steak Bites in Air Fryer
Haven't tried steak in the air fryer yet? Prepare to be impressed! Steak bites are a hit in our household, especially during game days. Pair them with your favorite dipping sauce, and watch as they quickly disappear!
The highlight of this air fryer steak bites recipe is its quick and easy preparation. In no more than 15 minutes, you can cook savory, bite-sized pieces of steak that pair perfectly with a variety of dips and sides.
I'll also offer some pairing suggestions to complete your meal!
Air Fryer Steak Bites Ingredients
Steak
- Steak: You can use a variety of different cuts of steak for this recipe, including sirloin steak, ribeye, tri-tip, or even London Broil, which offers versatility in flavor and texture. See my Steak Cuts chart to choose your favorite.
Cowboy Butter Sauce Ingredients
I'm pairing my Cowboy Butter recipe with these steak bites, but you can also use other dipping sauces, if you prefer. See my suggestions below for more ideas of what to pair with these steak bites. Note: If you don't use cowboy butter for this recipe, make sure to toss the steak in seasoning before air frying.
- Salted Butter: Forms the base of the cowboy butter sauce, adding a creamy, rich flavor that complements the steak bites. You'll want to melt butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until completely melted.
- Lemon Zest: Adds a fresh, citrusy brightness to the cowboy butter sauce, which cuts through the richness of the butter.
- Lemon Juice: Brings acidity to the sauce, enhancing flavors and balancing the butter's richness.
- Garlic Powder: Provides a mild, savory depth to the cowboy butter sauce, which enriches its taste without overpowering the other flavors. You can use fresh garlic, too, but this will give the sauce a stronger garlic flavor. Use about 1 clove per ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Introduce a subtle spicy kick that contrasts with the savory steak. If you'd rather have no spice, simply leave this out.
- Sea Salt: Enhances the natural flavors of the steak and the sauce, highlighting the individual ingredients' nuances. I use Maldon sea salt flakes; they're my favorite! If you don't have sea salt, kosher salt is your second best choice for this recipe.
- Black Pepper: Adds a sharp, peppery flavor to the sauce. White pepper could also be used.
- Dijon Mustard: Contributes a complex, tangy flavor and creaminess to the sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Imparts an umami-rich flavor that highlights the other ingredients.
- Fresh Parsley: Provides a final touch of freshness to the dish, adding a light and earthy flavor.
Other Ingredients
- Cooking Spray: Used to prevent the steak bites from sticking to the air fryer tray or air fryer basket, ensuring they cook evenly and maintain their texture.
How to Air Fry Steak Bites
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Combine all cowboy butter ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Pat steak dry with a paper towel. Cut the steak into ½-inch cubes, then add the steak cubes to a large bowl with cowboy butter. Toss or stir well to coat each piece of steak in the butter sauce, then remove from the bowl using a slotted spoon or tongs.
- Cover your air fryer tray with aluminum foil, then spray with cooking spray. Never spray cooking spray directly on the air fryer tray, as this can damage the non-stick surface. Spread steak on the tray in a single layer. Don't overcrowd the trays; cook in batches if necessary.
- Air fry at 400°F for 10-15 minutes depending on your desired degree of doneness (approximately 10 minutes for medium-rare). Check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer if you aren't certain and follow our Beef Temperature Chart for more info.
- Place the cowboy butter back into a pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 15 minutes. This will make it safe to enjoy as a dipping sauce. Do not serve the sauce you tossed the steak in without cooking it down in this way!
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with reserved cowboy butter sauce. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Steak Recipe Tips
- When combining your air fryer steak bites with the cowboy butter, remove them from the bowl with a slotted spoon or tongs so they aren't too wet.
- Leave some cowboy butter to the side for dipping, or boil down the marinade for 15 minutes to serve it as a sauce.
- Preheat your air fryer before cooking the steak bites.
- Cook in batches if you have to - don't overcrowd your air fryer!
- Place the cowboy butter back into a pan and bring to a boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
- See What to Serve with Steak for side dish ideas!
Serving Suggestions for Air Fryer Steak Bites
- Garlic Butter: Serve steak bites with my favorite garlic butter sauce. This compound butter pairs deliciously with juicy steak bites.
- Potato Wedges: These steak bites are extra tasty when paired with Steak Fries. You can also make Air Fryer Steak Fries!
- Blue Cheese: Blue cheese dressing is one of my personal favorite dips for steak bites, especially when served alongside Steakhouse Mushrooms and Onions.
- Steak Seasoning: If you're not using cowboy butter and simply want to toss your steak bites in seasoning, try my Steak Seasoning Recipe, Montreal steak seasoning, or even Cajun seasoning. Choose your favorite way to season steak - you can't go wrong!
Leftover Air Fried Steak Bites
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Air Fryer Steak Bites FAQ
Sirloin, Ribeye, Tri-tip, and London Broil are typically our favorite cuts of steak for this recipe. But, really, you can use your favorite cut of steak to make it. I have tried London Broil in the Air Fryer with this recipe, and it is not only delicious, but air frying tenderizes the beef perfectly. London Broil bites are amazing!
Pat steaks dry with a paper towel. Trim any excess fat from your steak. Cut into strips ½-inch wide and as evenly as possible. Rotate, then cut into bite-size ½-inch cubes.
Yes! Try my Steak Bites Recipe on the stove top to make this recipe without using an air fryer.
Steak Temperature Chart
Follow this chart and our Steak Temperature Chart to find your ideal degree of doneness!
Tools
- Tongs or slotted spoon
- Air fryer oven
- Mixing bowls
- Aluminum foil
- Cooking spray (Do not use PAM cooking spray in your air fryer, as it can break down the non-stick coating.)
- Meat thermometer
Best Steak Sauces
See all my Best Steak Dinner Ideas!
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Air Fryer Steak Bites with Cowboy Butter
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
Steak
- 1 lb. steak sirloin, ribeye, tri-tip, or London Broil
- cooking spray
- cowboy butter sauce, full recipe
Cowboy Butter Sauce
- 1 stick salted butter melted
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ½ Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. parsley freshly chopped
See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Combine all cowboy butter ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Pat steak dry with a paper towel. Cut into ½-inch cubes, then add to a bowl with cowboy butter. Mix well, then remove from the bowl using a slotted spoon or tongs.Note: Reserve some cowboy butter sauce for dipping!
- Cover air fryer tray with aluminum foil, then spray with cooking spray. Spread steak on the tray in an even layer. Don't overcrowd the trays.
- Air fry at 400°F for 10-15 minutes depending on your desired degree of doneness (we cooked ours 10 minutes).
- Place the cowboy butter back into a pan and bring to a boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with reserved cowboy butter sauce. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- When combining your air fryer steak bites with the cowboy butter, remove them from the bowl with a slotted spoon or tongs so they aren't too wet.
- Leave some cowboy butter to the side for dipping.
- Preheat your air fryer before cooking the steak bites.
- Cook in batches if you have to - don't overcrowd your air fryer!
Nutrition
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Stefan Steiner says
Sounds great! I’ll have to try this soon. Just remember, reserve some of the cowboy butter sauce for dipping later before you put the raw pieces in the sauce.
Em Beitel says
Definitely! You want to have leftovers of that sauce to dip with - it's amazing! Enjoy, Stefan!
Tee says
How long to cook it for medium rare?
Em Beitel says
Hi Tee! I recommend pulling the bites out at 12 minutes and using a meat thermometer to check the doneness. We have a guide here: https://bestbeefrecipes.com/degrees-of-doneness/
Thank you!
W Protheroe says
Very good recipe. I tried it yesterday and it was perfect, even with a lesser cut of steak. The only change I made was that I use the full butter sauce to let the steak marinate in for 2 hours. I made a second marinade without the lemon for dipping. Everybody loved it and as a addition I made mini potatoes with it. I only had a 2.6 quart air fryer and I could put up to 1 lb steak cubed in, but needed to make sure to move the pieces around after 10 minutes with a total cooking time of 15 minutes.
Em Beitel says
That sounds awesome! Thank you so much for your comment!
ANN SWANSON says
LOVE this recipe! I marinated the steak bites in the 'Cowboy Sauce'! I do NOT have an air fryer so instead I put them in a frying pan. After a bit, I drained off most of the liquid and 'fried them up' making sure they were still medium rare....they were to die for! EXCELLENT flavor!
Em Beitel says
That's amazing, Ann! We're so glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for the tips on making them in a frying pan!