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These garlic butter steak bites are a quick, easy dinner with big flavor and very little fuss. The steak cooks fast in a hot skillet, gets a rich finish from my homemade parmesan herb garlic butter, and comes out juicy with those browned edges that make every bite so good.
If you already have a flavored butter in the fridge, this is one of the easiest ways to turn it into dinner. Herb Butter for Steaks, Cajun Garlic Butter, and Lemon Garlic Butter all work well here, depending on the flavor you want. Serve these steak bites with Cauliflower Mash, Creamed Spinach, Air Fryer Mushrooms, or Air Fryer Asparagus. Or, try Air Fryer Steak Bites next time when you want a similar idea with a different cooking method.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick enough for busy nights: Steak bites cook fast, so this is a good dinner when you want something filling without a long cook time.
- Big flavor with simple ingredients: Steak, oil, seasoning, and garlic butter do all the heavy lifting here.
- One skillet, easy cleanup: Everything cooks in one pan, which keeps dinner simple from start to finish.
- Easy to pair with steak sides: These steak bites work well with creamy sides, vegetables, sauces, and compound butters. If you want a version with the potatoes already built in, Steak Bites and Potatoes is a great option.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This garlic butter steak bites recipe uses a short list of ingredients. Grab the exact amounts from the recipe card below.
- Sirloin steak: Sirloin is a great choice here because it is flavorful, cooks quickly, and is usually more budget-friendly than tenderloin or ribeye. Cut it into similar-sized pieces so it cooks evenly.
- Avocado oil: Use a high-heat oil so the steak can sear well in the skillet.
- Steak seasoning: my simple steak seasoning helps build flavor quickly before the steak hits the pan.
- Garlic butter: Garlic butter gets stirred in at the end and adds rich flavor to the steak bites. You can use Garlic Parmesan Herb Butter for Steaks for a classic version, or try Cajun Garlic Butter, Lemon Garlic Butter or Blue Cheese Butter if you want to change the flavor a bit.
Best Steak for Steak Bites
Sirloin is one of the best cuts for steak bites because it gives you a good balance of flavor, tenderness, and price. Ribeye and tenderloin also work well if you want a more tender bite. The biggest thing that matters is cutting the steak into even pieces and cooking it in a hot pan so it sears instead of steaming.
How to Make Garlic Butter Steak Bites
These steak bites are easy to make at home and cook quickly, so it helps to have everything ready before the steak hits the pan.
Prep the steak
Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then cut it into bite-sized cubes. Try to keep the pieces close in size so they cook evenly.
Season and sear
Add the steak bites, oil, and steak seasoning to a bowl and toss to coat. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add the steak in a single layer. Cook until browned on the outside and cooked to your liking.
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Finish with garlic butter
During the last minute of cooking, stir the steak bites with the garlic butter until glossy and coated. This will melt the garlic butter. Serve right away.
Other Ways to Make Steak Bites
- If you want the air fryer version: Air Fryer Steak Bites gives you the same flavor with a different cooking method.
- If you want a more complete skillet meal: Steak Bites and Potatoes gives you the same steak bites idea with potatoes cooked right in the pan, so dinner is already built in.
Tips for the Best Steak Bites
- Pat the steak dry: This helps the outside sear instead of steam.
- Use a hot skillet: A cast iron skillet works especially well because it holds heat and helps create browned edges.
- Do not overcrowd the pan: If the pan is too full, the steak will steam instead of sear. Cook in batches if needed.
- Cut the steak evenly: Similar-sized pieces cook more evenly and make it easier to avoid overcooking some bites while others finish.
- Add the garlic butter near the end: This helps the butter coat the steak without burning the garlic.
What to Serve With Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Garlic butter steak bites are easy to build into a full dinner, which makes them especially useful for weeknights.
- Mashed-style side: Cauliflower Mash is a great option if you want something creamy with the steak.
- Classic steakhouse side: Creamed Spinach makes this feel a little more like a steakhouse dinner at home.
- Easy vegetable side: Air Fryer Mushrooms or Air Fryer Asparagus both pair well with the rich garlic butter.
- Fresh sauce: If you want something bright and herby, Chimichurri Sauce is a great contrast.
- Extra butter on top: A little more garlic butter melted over the steak bites is always a good idea. Herb Butter for Steaks is great for a classic finish, Cajun Garlic Butter adds a bolder twist, Lemon Garlic Butter adds brightness, and blue cheese butter is a great option when you want a richer steakhouse-style topping.
Swaps and Variations
- Use a different cut of steak: Ribeye or tenderloin both work well if you want a more tender result.
- Change the butter flavor: Use Herb Butter for Steaks for a more classic steak dinner, Cajun Garlic Butter for extra bold flavor, or Lemon Garlic Butter if you want something a little brighter.
- Add vegetables: Mushrooms, asparagus, or bell peppers can cook in the pan and soak up the garlic butter.
- Add a little extra flavor: A splash of Worcestershire sauce adds savory depth.
- Make it spicy: Red pepper flakes or a drizzle of hot sauce can add heat.
- Finish with herbs: Chopped parsley works well at the end.
FAQs
Sirloin is one of the best options because it is flavorful, cooks quickly, and is usually more affordable than tenderloin or ribeye. Ribeye and tenderloin also work well.
A hot pan, dry steak, and enough space in the skillet help the steak brown well. Finishing with garlic butter at the end adds rich flavor without overcomplicating the recipe.
Use a tender cut like sirloin, ribeye, or tenderloin, cut the pieces evenly, and avoid overcooking them.
Yes. Garlic Butter Air Fryer Steak Bites is a good option if you want a different cooking method. The texture is a little different, but it is still an easy dinner.
Storage & Reheating
- Store: Keep leftover steak bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze them, but the texture is best fresh or refrigerated.
- Reheat: Warm them quickly in a skillet over low heat or in short bursts in the microwave so they do not overcook.
Garlic Butter Steak Bites
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Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Sirloin Steak, cut the steak into similar-sized cubes (about 1 inch)
- 2 tsp Steak Seasoning, click for my recipe
- 1 tbsp Avocado oil
- 3 tbsp garlic butter, click for my recipe
Instructions
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Remove steak from packaging and pat lightly dry. Cut the steak into bite-sized cubes, about 1-inch pieces.
- Add steak bites, oil, and steak seasoning to a bowl. Toss to coat.
- Sear the steak in a preheated cast-iron pan for about 1-2 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until desired doneness.
- In the last minute of cooking, use a spoon to stir the bites in the garlic butter.
SAVE THIS RECIPE
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Recipe Notes
- Pat the steak dry: This helps the outside sear instead of steam.
- Use a hot skillet: A cast iron skillet works especially well because it holds heat and helps create browned edges.
- Do not overcrowd the pan: If the pan is too full, the steak will steam instead of sear. Cook in batches if needed.
- Cut the steak evenly: Similar-sized pieces cook more evenly and make it easier to avoid overcooking some bites while others finish.
- Add the garlic butter near the end: This helps the butter coat the steak without burning the garlic.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into Spoonacular API, a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
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