Put down that steak knife! Air Fryer Steak Bites are ready to eat as soon as they hit the plate. Tender, juicy, and packed with flavor (thanks, sweet and savory marinade!), they’re done cooking in about 5 minutes.
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Steak in convenient bite-sized form.
Remember when you were a kid and your parents would cut your steak on the plate for you? If you miss those days, you get the appeal of these air fryer steak bites. Basically: steak in mouth that much faster.
While there is some marinating time, the hands-on prep is light and the cooking time is ridiculously fast. Like Air Fryer Salmon Bites, these steak bites will go on heavy rotation for busy weeknights. The air fryer cooking method helps to seal in the juices of the steak because it’s so dang fast. (That’s why I love Air Fryer Steak too!)
Serve air fryer steak bites as a main dish with sides like Crock Pot Baked Potatoes or Sauteed Spinach, or you can serve them on toothpicks as an appetizer for your next party.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Sirloin Steak. Or you can use NY strip, ribeye, or a similar cut.
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce. Using low-sodium puts you in control of how salty (or not) the steak bites are.
- Brown Sugar. Either light or dark will work here.
- Spices. Garlic powder and ground black pepper give the marinade for these air fryer steak bites some oomph.
5 Star Review
“These are so good. Like. REALLY good. And FAST! I am always looking for recipes without a lot of ingredients yet have great flavor! This one fits the bill!”
— Catherine —
How to Make Steak Bites in the Air Fryer
Marinate. Toss all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
Arrange. Place the steak bites in the air fryer basket in an even layer.
Cook. Air fry steak bites at 400 degrees F for 4 to 6 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through the cooking time. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes before serving. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Make Them Low Carb. Simply leave out the brown sugar or replace it with a low carb brown sugar.
- Add Some Heat. If you like things spicy, add some red pepper flakes or cayenne to the marinade.
- Try Another Marinade. This Marinade for Flank Steak would also work well with these steak bites, or use your go-to option.
- Use Teriyaki Sauce. To make these easy air fryer steak bites even easier, use teriyaki sauce to marinate them.
- Make Garlic Butter Steak Bites. After air frying the steak bites, toss them in melted butter and crushed garlic for rich finishing touch.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Steak Bites
- Potatoes. From Mashed Potatoes to Oven Roasted Potatoes, any potato side would work.
- Vegetables. I always like Sautéed Mushrooms with steak, but Roasted Green Beans would also be excellent.
- Salad. For a lighter option, serve the steak bites over a bed of fresh greens or this Arugula Salad.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Skip the Marinating If You Must. I highly recommend marinating the steak for 30 minutes, or less if you’re in a time crunch. (Seriously, even 5 minutes is better than nothing!) But if you absolutely don’t have even a minute to spare, just give the steak bites a quick toss in the marinade.
- Cook in Batches If Needed. It’s not a big deal to break this recipe up into batches since the steak cooks so quickly. Avoid crowding the basket because this steams your steak bites.
- Use an Instant-Read Thermometer. This is the surest way to know when the steak is ready. Keep in mind that the carryover cooking means the temperature will rise during the 5 minute rest.
- Don’t Skip the Resting Time. Speaking of that rest! It might be tempting to devour your steak bites the moment they come out of the air fryer, but letting them rest for a few minutes allows the juices to redistribute, keeping them super tender.
Air Fryer Steak Bites
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Ingredients
- 1 pound sirloin steak cut into 1-inch cubes (or NY strip, ribeye, or similar)
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar light or dark
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the steak in a large mixing bowl. Top with the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir to combine, making sure all the cubes are evenly coated.
- Let the steak marinade at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes (you can skip this step if you’re short on time, but marinating does result in more flavorful meat).
- When ready to cook, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Arrange the steak bites in the air fryer basket in an even layer. Don’t overcrowd the basket and cook in batches if needed—the steak bites shouldn’t touch.
- Air fry steak bites at 400°F for 4 to 6 minutes, depending upon how well done you like your meat, shaking the basket halfway through (I remove mine at 135°F for medium—note the steak bites’ temperature will rise as they rest).
- Remove the steak bites to a plate and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batches.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F or in a skillet. It can also be reheated in the microwave, but only as a last resort.
Nutrition
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I have a very small kitchen with limited counter and storage space. So many recipes these days are calling for instant pots or air fryers. 😥 I don’t own those and even if I did, would have nowhere to keep them. I wish some of the recipes would give alternate methods of cooking…like these steak bites sound amazing.
Hi Jill! Thanks for your feedback, unfortunately we are not able to test all of our recipe in various ways but we do have similar recipe that might help with figuring out timing and temperature: https://www.wellplated.com/steak-sandwich-recipe/ Hope this helps!
Oh my word!!THIS is the recipe I need to make for my sister’s birthday, but there is a catch.
I don’t own an air fryer. Due to the size of my kitchen, a small galley, with limited storage space, I can’t buy anymore appliances
Can you suggest another method?
Thanks so much
Hi Rosalee, I’d try on the stovetop, just watch the cook time so your steak doesn’t over cook. Enjoy!
These are so good. Like. REALLY good. And FAST! I am always looking for recipes without a lot of ingredients yet have great flavor! This one fits the bill!! Seasonings you have around the house and you can whip this up in no time in the air fryer and the taste is just delish!
Thank you Catherine! So glad you enjoyed it!
This is a new family favorite. My husband does not do brown sugar, so I leave it out on his. Tender, juicy, and delicious. Our 5 year old son requested it again for dinner. I roast potatoes and asparagus in the airfryer to go with it. So yummy. Thanks Erin, this recipe is 10/10.
Made these delicious bites of goodness last night. Very quick and simple to make. Not complicated recipe and ingredients. I paired it with a little broccoli with lemon juice and a baked potato and it’s the perfect meal!
Thank you Suzanne!
My new oven has an air fryer mode. Do you happen know if the time or temp would change in a full-size oven? Thank you.
I’m actually not sure, but definitely keep an eye on them. Would love to hear how it turns out for you!
These turned out wonderfully! They started out a little slower than in my air fryer. That caused me to cook them a bit longer than I should have. No real harm done. They were so good! Made them for my husband, daughter & son in law. They all raved despite being a little more done than we prefer. The recipe is so simple yet loaded with flavor. I don’t eat much beef, but these are definitely on repeat in my home! Thank you, Erin, for another winner!
Yay! Thank you for reporting back!
Loved every bite. Easy and quick!
Thank you!
I wasn’t sure how air fryer steak would turn out, but it was great! I marinated the steak all day, and as the recipe said, 5 to 6 minutes was enough. I like my steak more well done than my husband, so I just cut my pieces a little bit smaller so that all the steak cooked for the same amount of time but my pieces were a little more well done. Served with rice and a veggie and my husband has now requested that I make it every weekend. So easy to prep, and came out tender and flavorful – going to try the air fryer salmon bites next.
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Amy! Thank you!
If you have a convection oven and a grill pan, you can simulate the air fryer. I do mine in the oven using the convection feature and they turned out great! I have a large family and most air fryers are too small for the amount I need. Then I have to split the food into batches which is a whole lot of work!
Great to hear! Thanks for the tip, Christine!
The first few times I made these per the recipe. Tried a new way and it’s a favorite! I toss the bites with olive oil, salt and pepper. Air fry per your instructions then toss them with melted butter and Franks hot sauce. Bingo! Buffalo style steak bites!
So glad to hear you enjoyed them, Darby! Thank you!