Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak (Print view)

Tender steak cubes coated in garlic-butter sauce, perfectly cooked for a flavorful bite.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Steak

01 - 1 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

→ Garlic-Butter Sauce

06 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
07 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
02 - In a bowl, toss steak cubes with olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
03 - Place steak bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
04 - Air fry for 4 to 6 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through; 4 minutes for medium-rare, 6 minutes for medium doneness.
05 - While steak cooks, combine melted butter, garlic, parsley, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
06 - Transfer cooked steak bites to a bowl and immediately toss with garlic-butter sauce until evenly coated.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They taste like you spent hours preparing, but you'll actually be eating in under 20 minutes.
  • The air fryer does the hard work while you make the sauce, so there's zero stress about timing.
  • Leftover garlic-butter sauce is gold—tomorrow you'll be drizzling it on anything and everything.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the air fryer basket or the steak will steam instead of developing that golden, caramelized crust you're looking for.
  • The difference between medium-rare and medium is literally 2 minutes, so pay attention to your first batch so you know exactly how your air fryer cooks.
  • Make the garlic-butter sauce while the steak is cooking—if you wait until after, it cools down too much to properly coat the hot meat.
03 -
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, make the sauce in a larger batch and let people dip their steak bites instead of tossing everything together—it's more interactive and looks amazing on a platter.
  • Pat the steak cubes dry with a paper towel before seasoning them; any surface moisture will steam off instead of creating that golden sear you want.
  • A touch of garlic powder mixed into the steak coating (about ¼ tsp) adds a second layer of garlic flavor that makes people ask for your secret.
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