Air Fryer Steak Bites
Published March 18, 2023 • Updated March 10, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
I love air fryer steak bites because you get juicy, perfectly cooked beef in bite-sized form without babysitting a steak on the stove. Toss them in garlic butter sauce, air fry for 6 minutes, and dinner is done. They're one of my go-to keto steak bites when I want something fast, low carb, and satisfying.
My family goes through these fast. Juicy, tender chunks of beef coated in a buttery garlic sauce with crispy caramelized edges and barely any cleanup. Just like my salmon or pork chops, these garlic butter bites come out incredibly juicy without needing a ton of fat.
Between the steak, butter, garlic and salt, these bites are packed with flavor on their own. But I always set out ranch dressing, horseradish sauce or extra melted garlic butter with parsley for dipping. Sometimes I throw together a quick chimichurri if I have fresh herbs on hand. When I want something different alongside them, garlic butter shrimp makes it a full surf-and-turf dinner.
I started making this recipe because I got tired of the splatter from pan-searing. The air fryer gets the same crispy sear on the outside while keeping the center juicy and pink, and my stovetop stays clean. I cut my sirloin into 1-inch pieces, toss them in the garlic butter mixture, and spread them in a single layer in the basket. That single layer part matters. Every time I’ve gotten lazy and piled them up, the bites steam instead of sear and the texture suffers.
The garlic butter is what sets this recipe apart. Melted butter with fresh minced garlic coats every piece before it hits the basket, and the high heat caramelizes it into a thin, savory crust. I’ve tried olive oil and avocado oil as substitutes for dairy-free batches, and both crisp up the same way. You lose that buttery richness, but the garlic flavor still comes through.
If you have kids, these are perfect because they’re bite-sized and great for sharing. My son will eat the entire bowl if I don’t portion it out first. I also love making a double batch on Sundays. Two minutes at 350 degrees the next day and the garlic butter flavor comes right back like they’re fresh. Reader Keisha confirmed the same thing (she also noted thicker cuts need closer to 7 minutes at 400, which is accurate).
These fit perfectly into a dinner rotation. I pair them with roasted carrots or a simple side salad, and the whole meal comes together in under 15 minutes. They also work as an appetizer if you’re hosting. I’ve brought a platter of these garlic butter bites to a few get-togethers and they disappear before anything else on the table.
How long to cook steak bites in the air fryer
Once you’ve cut your sirloin, strip or ribeye into 1-inch chunks and tossed them in the garlic butter sauce, it’s time to cook.
Place the bites in the basket or tray in a single layer. I leave at least 1/2 inch of space between each piece so hot air can circulate and you get those crispy edges on all sides. Do not pile them on top of each other.
Cook at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway through.
I pull mine at the 5-minute mark and check with an instant-read thermometer. For my family, 145 degrees gives us a perfect medium with a warm pink center. Let them rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. They’ll carry over a few degrees while resting, so pulling them slightly early gives you a better result.
Explore 683+ keto recipe videos with step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks to make keto easy.
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds sirloin steak -
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
-
4 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 teaspoon garlic salt
-
1 teaspoon black pepper
-
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Cut into morsels
Pat dry steak with a paper towel. Cut steak into bite sized chunks (about 1 inch squares). Transfer to a large bowl.
- 1 ½ pounds sirloin steak
Season for flavor
Add melted butter, minced garlic, garlic salt and pepper to the steak bites. Stir to evenly coat.
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Air fry steak bites
Cook in a pre-heated air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-6 minutes, tossing or flipping halfway through if needed.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
Your Macros. Your Recipes. Calculated in 60 Seconds.
Get personalized keto macros and instantly see which recipes fit your targets. No more guessing what to eat.
Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook mushrooms alongside the steak?
I do this all the time. I halve cremini or baby bella mushrooms and toss them in the garlic butter right alongside the meat. They cook in the same amount of time and soak up all that garlic butter flavor. The key is keeping a single layer (mushrooms included) so everything gets that sear. If my basket is full, I cook the mushrooms on a second tray or do them right after while the meat rests.
How do I tell when the bites are done?
I always use an instant-read thermometer. For my family, I pull at 145 degrees Fahrenheit for a perfect medium with a warm pink center. If you don't have a thermometer, I'd say get one. With small pieces of meat cooking at 400 degrees, the difference between medium and overdone is about 60 seconds.
Should I sear the meat before cooking?
I skip searing entirely. Cooking at 400 degrees gets the outside crispy and brown on its own, as long as you give the pieces room in the basket. Searing first just means extra dishes and a greasy stovetop, which is exactly what I'm trying to avoid by using this method.
Do I need to preheat before cooking?
I always preheat to 400 degrees before adding the meat. It takes about 3-5 minutes depending on your model. Skipping the preheat means the first couple of minutes are just warming up instead of cooking, and you lose that immediate sear on the outside. I've tested both ways and preheated batches consistently have better edges.
Can I use frozen steak for this recipe?
I've done this in a pinch. I thaw the steak in the fridge overnight first because cutting frozen meat into even pieces is nearly impossible. If you're starting from fully frozen, you'll end up with uneven bites that cook at different rates. I always thaw, pat dry, then cut and season.
Can I make these without butter?
I've tested this with olive oil and avocado oil instead of butter. Both work. The garlic flavor still comes through, and the edges get crispy just the same. I use about 1 tablespoon of oil where the recipe calls for butter. The texture is slightly different (you lose that buttery richness) but the meat itself is still juicy.
Can I add Worcestershire sauce to the garlic butter?
I've tried this and it adds a nice savory depth. I use about a teaspoon mixed into the melted butter with the garlic. The umami flavor pairs well with beef, and it doesn't add any carbs worth counting. Soy sauce or coconut aminos work too if you want that same depth.
Should I marinate the meat before cooking?
I usually skip a full marinade because the garlic butter sauce coats the meat well enough in the time it takes me to preheat. But for tougher cuts like flank or skirt steak, I let them sit in the garlic butter mixture for 15-20 minutes before cooking. The extra time helps tenderize and pushes the garlic flavor deeper. I wouldn't go longer than 30 minutes though, because the texture starts to change.
Added a teaspoon of Worcestershire to the garlic butter before tossing and it completely changed the sauce. The sirloin still came out tender at 6 minutes, but there was this savory, almost steakhouse-style depth I wasn't getting before. I served them over cauliflower mash and ended up spooning the extra butter over everything. That addition is staying.
My son walked in while these were in the air fryer and just stood there waiting. He'd eaten half the bowl before I got the parsley on.
I've been keto for about 14 months and somewhere around month three I quietly accepted that the food I actually loved, the rich buttery savory stuff, was probably just gone. Not because it's high carb but because I think I associated indulgence with failure somehow. Made these on a Tuesday with sirloin I already had in the fridge and the garlic butter smell alone stopped me mid-prep. Six minutes in the air fryer and they came out with this soft, almost melting center that I really wasn't expecting. I ate them standing at the counter before I even sat down. Four stars only because I spent 14 months without them. Grateful is the right word for a steak bite recipe but I genuinely mean it.
Double batched these Sunday and they've been my go-to all week. Two minutes at 350 in the air fryer and the garlic butter comes right back like they're fresh. Only note is thicker cuts needed closer to 7 minutes at the 400 setting, so worth checking before you pull them.
Yeah, 7 minutes for thicker pieces is accurate. I try to cut mine to about 1 inch so the 6-minute mark holds, but the sirloin you pick up makes a difference.
My husband said he didn't think sirloin could be this tender in an air fryer.
The single layer thing really matters. I pull mine at 145 and they come out with that perfect pink center every time.