Quick Garlic Butter Steak

This juicy air fryer garlic butter steak recipe transforms simple ingredients into a restaurant-worthy meal with minimal effort. The combination of tender steak bites and crispy potatoes all drizzled with aromatic garlic butter creates a satisfying dinner that feels indulgent without the fuss of traditional methods.

I first created this recipe when my oven broke during a dinner party. What started as a desperate solution has become my family's most requested weeknight meal. My teenagers actually come running when they smell the garlic butter melting.

Ingredients

• Strip steaks: Choose well-marbled cuts for the best flavor and tenderness. The fat content helps prevent the steak from drying out in the air fryer
• Potatoes: Russet or Yukon Gold work beautifully. Their starchy texture creates the perfect crispy exterior while maintaining a fluffy interior
• Olive oil: Use a good quality oil that can withstand high heat. The oil helps the seasonings adhere while promoting browning
• Steak seasoning: This premade blend adds complex flavor without needing multiple spice jars. Look for one with visible herbs and salt crystals for best results
• Unsalted butter: The foundation of our finishing sauce. Using unsalted allows you to control the overall saltiness of the dish
• Fresh garlic: Provides aromatic punch to the butter sauce. Fresh minced garlic offers significantly more flavor than powdered

How To Make Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak

Prepare the potatoes:

Begin by thoroughly washing your potatoes to remove any dirt. Cut them into uniform cubes about 1 inch in size. The consistent size ensures they cook evenly and finish at the same time. Pat them dry with paper towels to promote crispiness.

Season the potatoes:

Place your potato cubes in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and dried parsley. Use your hands to toss everything together until each piece is evenly coated with oil and seasonings. This step is crucial for developing flavor throughout.

Air fry the potatoes:

Preheat your air fryer to 200°C for optimal crispiness. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in your air fryer basket, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook for 20 minutes total, but stop to shake the basket every 6 minutes. This movement ensures all sides get golden brown and prevents sticking.

Prepare the steak:

While the potatoes cook, focus on your steak. Cut the strips into consistent 2.5 cm cubes. Aim for pieces that are roughly the same size to ensure even cooking. Cutting against the grain will result in more tender bites.

Season the steak:

In a bowl, combine the steak cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and steak seasoning. Use your hands to massage the seasonings into the meat, making sure each piece is well coated. Allow the meat to sit at room temperature while the potatoes finish cooking.

Cook the steak:

Once potatoes are done, remove them and set aside. Without cleaning the basket, add your seasoned steak cubes in a single layer. Cook at 200°C for 7 minutes for medium doneness, shaking halfway through. The residual flavors from the potatoes will add extra depth to your steak.

Make the garlic butter:

While the steak cooks, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add minced garlic and dried parsley, warming gently for about a minute until fragrant. Watch carefully to ensure the garlic softens but doesn't brown, which would create bitterness.

Assemble and serve:

Arrange the crispy potatoes on a serving platter, top with the juicy steak bites, and generously drizzle with the warm garlic butter sauce. The butter will melt into both components, creating a luscious finish. Serve immediately while everything is hot.

My absolute favorite part of this recipe is how the garlic butter transforms everything it touches. I discovered this by accident when I had leftover compound butter from another recipe. Now I make extra garlic butter to keep in the freezer specifically for this dish. My husband claims he could identify my garlic butter blindfolded among a hundred others.

Perfect Doneness Guide

Achieving your ideal steak doneness in an air fryer is simple once you understand the timing. For rare steak bites, reduce cooking time to 5 minutes total. Medium rare requires 6 minutes, medium needs 7 minutes, and medium well takes 8 minutes. For well done, cook for 9 minutes total. Remember that smaller cubes will cook faster, so adjust accordingly if you cut your steak smaller than 2.5 cm.

The beauty of cubing the steak before cooking is that you can easily check doneness without cutting into a whole steak. Simply remove one cube at different intervals to find your perfect cooking time for future batches.

Flavor Variations

This recipe serves as an excellent base for countless flavor variations. For an Italian twist, add rosemary and oregano to both the potato seasoning and garlic butter. Create a Mexican version by using chili powder, cumin, and lime zest in your seasonings, then finishing with cilantro in the butter. For an Asian inspired take, incorporate ginger and soy sauce into your meat marinade and finish with a sesame garlic butter.

The seasoning flexibility extends to the potatoes as well. Sweet potatoes make an excellent substitute and pair beautifully with the garlic butter. Just reduce their cooking time by about 3 minutes as they tend to cook faster than regular potatoes.

Make It A Meal

Transform this protein and potato combination into a complete dinner with simple additions. A light arugula salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil provides a peppery contrast to the rich steak. Roasted asparagus or broccoli can be prepared in the air fryer right after the steak for a one appliance meal. For a special occasion, serve with crusty bread to soak up the extra garlic butter.

If entertaining, consider setting up a steak bite bar. Prepare the base recipe, then offer different finishing butters like blue cheese, chimichurri, or horseradish for guests to customize their plates. This interactive approach makes for a memorable dining experience while keeping your cooking process streamlined.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I use a different cut of steak?

Yes, you can use other tender cuts like sirloin, ribeye, or tenderloin. Just ensure they are cut into even cubes for consistent cooking.

→ How do I get the potatoes crispy?

Toss the potatoes evenly with olive oil and seasonings, and don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Shake the basket frequently to promote even browning.

→ Can I make this dish ahead of time?

The dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep the potatoes and steak by seasoning them ahead of time. Cook them right before serving for optimal results.

→ What can I substitute for garlic butter?

You can use a herb-infused olive oil or a simple compound butter with your favorite herbs and seasonings.

→ What side dishes pair well with this meal?

This dish pairs wonderfully with a fresh green salad, steamed veggies, or crusty bread to soak up the garlic butter.

→ Can I adjust the cooking time for medium-rare steak?

To achieve medium-rare doneness, cook the steak bites for about 5–6 minutes instead of 7 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.