Garlic Butter Steak Bites
This post may contain affiliate links.
Make the most juicy, tender, and flavorful Garlic Butter Steak Bites on the stove, or in an air fryer, using this easy recipe! My trick for making sirloin steak bites that are incredibly tender is velveting the meat. This quick and easy technique will give you melt-in-your-mouth steak bites in just 30 minutes.
Why you’ll love these steak bites
When I first saw the viral TikTok recipe for air fryer garlic butter steak bites, they looked too good not to try. After making them for the first time, I found the taste to be flavorful, but I knew that I could make them better and this is how I did it.
Here’s why you’ll love this recipe!
- They’re so tender from velveting. This is a traditional Chinese technique where beef is tossed with baking soda to “velvet” the meat. This is why the beef at Chinese restaurants is always so tender, and it works perfect on these sirloin steak bites! The baking soda tenderizes the meat by breaking down the muscle fibers. It also helps trap moisture in the meat, so when the steak bites are cooked quickly on the stove, or in the air fryer, they maintain their moisture and come out with a melt-in-your-mouth tender texture.
- They’re still super quick to make! The great news is, you only need an extra 20 minutes of hands-off time to velvet the meat, before you season it and quickly cook it on the stove or in an air fryer. Trust me, this extra time will be well worth it for the most tender steak bites! The total time to make the recipe is still only 30 minutes.
- They’re so flavorful! I added my homemade Italian seasoning to salt and pepper to season the steaks, which adds bold and delicious flavor to the recipe. After they’re cooked, the steak bites are covered in garlic herb butter, adding more great flavor to the dish.
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Top sirloin steak – this is my preferred cut of beef for these steak bites. Since the meat is sliced into bite size pieces, you don’t want a lot of fat on the meat, or else the bites will fall apart. Top sirloin is a lean cut of meat and holds together well in this recipe, but still has great flavor. It’s also less expensive than other cuts like ribeye or filet mignon, which makes it an economical choice for these steak bites. And after using the velveting technique, the steaks will be just as tender as if you were using filet mignon! A great second option is a New York strip steak.
- Baking soda (optional) – while velveting the meat in baking soda is optional, I highly recommend it for the most tender sirloin steak bites.
- Italian seasoning – I highly recommend spending 5 minutes to mix up my homemade seasoning blend. (Linked above.) It’s full of pantry staple herbs and spices, like dried oregano, thyme and rosemary. It adds so much flavor to these steak bites and so many other recipes. I always keep some in my pantry! You can also use store-bought Italian seasoning found on the spice aisle at the grocery store.
- Salt and pepper – to season the steak bites.
- Olive oil – to cook the steak bites.
- Butter – melted and combined with garlic, parsley and Worcestershire sauce, to add a flavorful finish to the dish.
- Worcestershire sauce – this condiment adds wonderful umami flavors to the melted butter. If you don’t have any Worcestershire sauce in the kitchen, you can omit it, or use soy sauce instead.
- Garlic – I recommend fresh minced garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Fresh Italian parsley – to finish the dish. You could also use fresh basil, if you prefer the flavor.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Velvet the steak (optional). Slice one pound of top sirloin steak into ¾ inch cubes. Toss the cubes of steak with baking soda until they’re fully covered. Let them sit in a large bowl for 20 minutes. The steak will turn bright red, this is part of the velveting process. After 20 minutes, rinse the cubes of steak under cold water, then pat them dry.
- Season the steak. Toss the cubes of steak with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to season on all sides.
- Cook the steak in a skillet. Heat a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the skillet. When the skillet is hot, add the steak bites and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure they get brown on all sides. Remove the steak bites from the skillet and set them aside.
- Make garlic butter. In the same skillet, melt butter, then add Worcestershire sauce and minced garlic. Cook for 60 seconds, then return the steak to the skillet and toss to cover it in the garlic butter sauce. Toss in chopped fresh parsley, then remove the steak bites from the skillet and serve immediately.
How to make them in an air fryer
- Follow the instructions above for velveting and seasoning the steak bites.
- Preheat an air fryer to 400°F. This is important, as you want the steak bites to sizzle and sear immediately when you add them to the air fryer.
- Add the steak bites in a single layer in an air fryer basket. I could fit one pound of steak bites in an even layer in my 5.8 quart air fryer. Cook for 4-6 minutes at 400°F.
- While the steak bites are in the air fryer, add butter and crushed garlic to a small bowl. Microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until the butter is melted. Remove from the microwave and stir in Worcestershire sauce and chopped fresh parsley.
- After the steak bites are cooked, transfer them from the air fryer to a large plate or bowl. Pour the garlic herb butter over the steak bites, toss to coat and serve immediately.
What to serve with them
In addition to being really delicious, the great thing about these steak bites is that they’re super versatile! In testing this recipe, I made a lot of steak bites. We ate them on salads, with pasta, with potatoes, and I even served them as an appetizer at a party.
The bites should be small enough that they’re bite-sized, meaning you don’t need a fork and knife to cut them. This is one of the other benefits to velveting the beef, it makes them super tender, so you can easily serve them on toothpicks as an appetizer!
If you want to make them into a meal, I recommend pairing them with any of these side dishes.
- Potatoes: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Rosemary Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Baby Potatoes or Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Salad: Grilled Caesar Salad, Chopped Wedge Salad, or Italian Salad
- Vegetables: Sauteed Mushrooms, Bacon Maple Brussels Sprouts, Garlic Lemon Green Beans or Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower
- Rice or pasta: Garlic Parmesan Orzo, Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto, or Mac and Cheese
And if you want to serve these steak bites with a dipping sauce, I highly recommend this creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce. The flavors pair just perfectly!
Storage and reheating
If you have leftover steak bites, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend reheating them in the air fryer for 2 minutes at 400°F.
You can also reheat them on the stove using either of these methods. The first method is to bring a cup of beef broth to boil in a saucepan on the stove. Dunk the steak bites in the broth for 30-60 seconds. This will reheat the steak bites and keep them moist and juicy. You can also just add them to a skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and reheat them for 2-3 minutes.
More beef recipes
Add more beef to your weekly menu with all of these delicious steak recipes!
Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Ingredients
- 1 pound top sirloin steak
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, optional
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, click link for the recipe
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
Velvet the steak (optional)
- Slice the steak into ¾ inch cubes.
- Toss the steak cubes in the baking soda until they're fully covered. Let them sit for 20 minutes.
- Rinse with cold water then pat dry.
Season and cook the beef on the stove (skip to the next section for air fryer instructions).
- Season the cubes of steak with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- When the skillet is hot, add the steak bites and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until all of the steak is browned on the outside. Remove the cubes of steak from the skillet and set them aside on a clean plate or cutting board.
- Add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Cook for 60 seconds, then add the steak back to the pan. Toss everything together and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the fresh chopped parsley, then remove the skillet from the stove and serve the steak bites.
Or cook the steak in an air fryer
- Preheat an air fryer to 400°F. Follow the instructions above for velveting and seasoning the beef.
- Add the seasoned steak bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket. I could fit one pound of steak bites in an even layer in my 5.8 quart air fryer. Cook for 4-6 minutes at 400°F.
- While the steak is cooking in the air fryer, melt 2 tablespoons butter with ½ tablespoon crushed garlic in a small bowl in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until the butter is melted. Stir in 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley.
- After the steak bites are cooked, transfer them from the air fryer to a large plate or bowl. Pour the garlic herb butter over the steak bites, toss to coat and serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe will serve 2-4 people as a meal, depending on what else you’re serving with it. When serving the recipe as an appetizer, it will serve 6-8 people. You can easily double the recipe by clicking the 2x button above. The ingredient amounts will automatically double. If doubling the recipe, you will have to cook the steak in two batches on the stove, or in the air fryer, as to not crowd the steak bites and alter the cook time.
- It’s very important to pre-heat the skillet and air fryer before adding the steak bites. You want them hot when you add the steak bites so they brown on the outside and cook quickly.
- If you have leftover steak bites, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
