Garlic Butter Steak Bites

These 4-ingredient garlic butter steak bites are perfectly seared and drenched in irresistible garlic butter. It’s the best crowd-pleasing appetizer or main course that’s ready in 10 minutes!

My family are HUGE steak lovers, and love a good strip steak or filet mignon. But sometimes, a huge single steak is a little much for a quick and easy meal. Enter- my famous steak bites with garlic butter!

I love to whip these up for quick weeknight dinners. They are such a simple way to cook steak, and they go well with almost everything (we love them with all kinds of potatoes!). Like with my pan seared steak and cast iron steak, My secret trick is to sear them using a cast iron skillet, which traps all the heat and cooks them evenly and quickly.

Table of Contents

1. Recipe highlights
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make garlic butter steak bites 
4. Alternative cooking methods
5. Recipe tips and variations
6. How to store leftovers
7. More delicious ways to enjoy steak
8. Garlic Butter Steak Bites (Recipe Card)

Recipe highlights

• Quick and easy! The 4 easy-to-find and budget-friendly ingredients and quick 10-minute cook time make this one of the best recipes to lean on when you need an appetizer or steak dinner in a pinch.
• One skillet dinner. Yes, you read that right. Like shaved steak, everything is made in one skillet so it’s less clean up for you.
• Perfectly texture and flavor. As mentioned earlier, pan-searing steak in a hot cast iron skillet makes melt-in-your-mouth meat encrusted in a crisp, seared crust every time. It’s flavorful and rich with a subtle garlic butter taste.
• Pan-sear or air fry. While pan-searing is my method of choice, I’ve also tested this recipe in the air fryer, so you choose whichever works best for you (or you can just make my air fryer steak).

Ingredients needed

Besides the steak and some seasonings, there really isn’t much else needed to make this dish. Here is what you’ll need:

• Steak. Always cut the steak into equal-sized pieces so they cook evenly, completely, and at the same time. Avoid buying pre-cubed steak as they often are made up from off-cuts (unless it’s from a butcher).
• Salt and pepper. Preferably coarse salt and fresh cracked black pepper. 
• Butter. Melted butter not only prevents the steak from sticking to the skillet but also infuses each piece with rich flavors and helps them develop a seared crust on the surface. You can sub half of it out with olive oil, but this dish NEEDS some butter.
• Garlic. Use fresh garlic cloves to make the best garlic butter sauce.
• Parsley. For garnish.

How to make garlic butter steak bites 

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Season the steak bites: Slice the steak into bite-sized pieces and pat each one dry with a paper towel. Next, season the pieces with salt and pepper.

Step 2- make the garlic butter sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot and melted, add the garlic and stir until it’s fragrant. 

Step 3- Sear the steak bites: Turn up the heat before placing the steak bites in a single layer in the skillet. Sear on all sides until they’re browned all over.

Step 4- Rest, then serve: Transfer the bites to a cutting board to rest for a few minutes. Move them to a serving plate, garnish with fresh parsley, then serve!

Alternative cooking methods

Did you know that you can cook steak bites in the air fryer? It’s similar to air fryer salmon bites, except swap the seafood for beef. I sometimes do this when I’m already cooking something on the stovetop (usually sides!) or want something a little more hands-free.

To air fry, preheat the air fryer to 200C/400F. Next, prep the steak bites as instructed. Now, Place the steak bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket and air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.

As with any recipe that calls for steak, use a meat thermometer to check its doneness.

Recipe tips and variations

• Use a meat thermometer. A meat thermometer is the most accurate way to check that your steak bites are cooked to your desired temperature. I recommend medium for these steak bites, which have an internal temp of 145F.  
• Flip once. Leave the steak bites alone while they sear and avoid moving them around. This way, they can form a gorgeous brown crust on all sides.
• Rest the meat. Allowing the bites to rest for 3 to 5 minutes after cooking will give the juices a chance to redistribute, leaving you with the juiciest, most tender steak tips.
• Use dried herbs. Before searing, season the steak bites with thyme, rosemary, or oregano, or use an Italian or Greek seasoning blend. I don’t really suggest fresh herbs because they will burn into the meat (remember, we are quick-cooking these steak bites!).
• Add a spice mix. I’ve successfully made this recipe with Montreal steak seasoning and Cajun seasoning. The only change I’d suggest is to increase the butter by 1/2 a tablespoon to compensate for the extra surface area.

How to store leftovers

To store: Once the leftover steak is cool, place them in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. 

To freeze: Let the steak bites cool, then place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. 

To reheat: Reheat the bites in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave in 30-second increments until reheated. 

Leftovers idea: Top this steak over a steak bowl or on a steak salad.

More delicious ways to enjoy steak

• Ranch steak– A cheap cut that needs very little seasoning to make it shine.
• Skirt steak– Simple, elegant, and perfect every single time.
• Flat iron steak– Another cheap cut that works well in salads and on the grill.
• Flank steak– This everyday cut is fast to cook and always juicy.