Air Fryer Steak Bites
Published 8/11/2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Are you ready for a life-changing steak recipe? It’s time to cut up your favorite type of steak into chunks, pull out your air fryer, and cook them until they’re nice and crispy on the outside! When I tell you that this recipe for steak bites in the air fryer is life-changing, I MEAN IT. Plus, the Greek yogurt green sauce is so dreamy.
We made this recipe for game day and served it with just the green sauce, but we’ve also turned them into bowls for a very balanced weeknight meal made with a side salad and crispy potatoes.
These air fryer steak bites are so yummy and perfect for pairing with a simple salad and potatoes (and don’t skip the green dressing!) for the ultimate bowl recipe! This recipe serves 4-6, so it’s great for a quick dinner or individual servings to pop in the fridge and take to work.
A quick rundown: Steak bites in the air fryer are so easy to make. Just marinate the steak and then air fry at 400ºF for around 5-6 minutes or until crispy on the outside and a little pink on the inside.
What kind of meat should I use for air fryer steak bites?
We tested this recipe with New York strip and ribeye steak and were really impressed with how the ribeye came out.
How long should I cook steak bites in the air fryer?
Make sure that your steak bites are all around the same thickness. If using a New York strip or ribeye, cut them into 2-inch chunks. Then, air fry them at 400ºF for 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature is around 140ºF (for medium rare per USDA).
If you’re looking for more well-done pieces of steak, feel free to continue cooking until there is no pink on the inside. For well done, the temperature should measure 160ºF – 170ºF.
How to Make Air Fryer Steak Bites
- Marinate Steak: Add the steak chunks, salt, pepper, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and avocado oil to a large bowl and stir until all the ingredients are combined and coated with marinade. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator.
- Remove Steak from Fridge: Let the steak sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Air Fry Steak: Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Add the steak chunks in single layers. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until crispy on the outside. Repeat until all the steak is cooked. Set aside.
Should I sear the steak before air frying?
You actually don’t need to! The air fryer does a great job of making the outside crispy while keeping the inside super juicy.
Make sure to air fryer steak in batches
You’ll need to cook the steak in batches so each piece gets nice and crispy instead of steaming.
Like when baking veggies, you want to lay the steak in a single layer without stacking them or allowing them to touch. This ensures they’ll be cooked properly.
What if I don’t have an air fryer?
Stove Top Directions for Crispy Steak Bites: Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium/high heat. We recommend making sure the pan is nice and hot before adding the steak chunks. Sear for 2-3 minutes on each side or until crispy on the outside. You can also grill the steak if you prefer.
Making the Entire Bowl Recipe? START HERE:
You’ll want to start with air frying the potatoes because that’s the longest part of the cooking process. Plus, then you’ll have freshly cooked steak when you assemble the bowls — this is how you’ll see the cooking process laid out in the step-by-step recipe card below as well 😃
- MARINATE THE STEAK.
- Season Potatoes: Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Toss the potatoes in oil, sea salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Air Fry Potatoes: Add the potatoes to the air fryer and cook them for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- REMOVE STEAK BITES FROM THE FRIDGE.
- Make the Dressing: While the potatoes are cooking, place all the dressing ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor. Process until smooth and set aside. Remove cooked potatoes from the air fryer.
- AIR FRY THE STEAK BITES.
- Toss Veggies: Toss the romaine, cherry tomatoes, and onions in a large bowl.
- Assemble & Serve: Prepare the steak bowl. Evenly separate the steak, potatoes, and salad into 4-6 bowls. Top with dressing and enjoy!
Customize Your Steak Bowl
This air fryer steak bowl is incredibly versatile and can be customized to your liking. Here are a few ideas to mix things up:
Swap out the romaine for mixed greens or spinach
Add in additional veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms
Experiment with different dressings like ranch, balsamic vinaigrette, or honey mustard
Use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes
Feel free to use a store-bought green sauce such as chimichurri.
Storage Directions
These air fryer steak bites are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. We recommend storing the salad and dressing separately so it doesn’t get soggy.
- Reheat the steak and potatoes in the air fryer or in a pan on the stove before assembling your bowl.
- If meal prepping, store the dressing in a separate container so it doesn’t make the lettuce soggy! You can skip the potatoes and salad entirely and serve these steak bites as an appetizer with the dressing.
More Yummy Bowl Recipes To Try
I just love throwing together a bowl of goodness for quick and easy meals. Try some of these recipes for mixing things up for breakfast, lunch, or dinner:
- Breakfast: Savory Breakfast Bowls, Chia Yogurt Power Bowl, Blueberry Smoothie Bowl
- Lunch: Hodgepodge Protein Bowl, Mediterranean Vegan Buddha Bowl, Fiesta Salmon Rice Bowl
- Dinner: Beef Taco Bowl, California Roll Sushi Bowl, Cilantro Lime Shrimp Bowl
Air Fryer Steak Bites Recipe
Ingredients
Steak
- 2 ribeye steaks, ~2 lbs., cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup Worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Potatoes
- 1.5 lbs. little yellow potatoes or fingerling potatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Green Dressing
- 1 cup packed cilantro
- ½ cup packed parsley
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Salad
- 5 oz. chopped romaine lettuce
- 10 oz. cherry tomatoes
- ¼ red onion, minced
Instructions
- Add the steak chunks, salt, pepper, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and avocado oil to a large bowl and stir until all the ingredients are combined and coated with marinade. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Toss the potatoes in oil, sea salt pepper, and thyme.
- Add the potatoes to the air fryer and cook them for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. Place all of the ingredients for the dressing into a high-speed blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Set aside.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the air fryer.
- Remove the steak from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer (if not heated already) to 400ºF. Add the steak chunks to the air fryer, be sure there is only one layer of steak. Do not stack the steaks on top of each other. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until crispy on the outside. You will need to cook the steak in batches. Repeat until all steak is cooked. Set aside.
- Toss the romaine, cherry tomatoes, and onions in a large bowl.
- Prepare the steak bowl. Evenly separate the steak, potatoes, and salad into 4-6 bowls. Top with dressing and enjoy.
Tips & Notes
- Option to skip the potatoes and salad and serve the steak as an appetizer with the dressing.
- We tested this recipe with both New York strip and ribeye steak. Ribeye steak was the clear winner.
- We use avocado oil, but olive oil can be used instead.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #fitfoodiefinds, we’d love to see what you’re up to!
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
I’m very impressed with the performance of these charging cables. They charge devices quickly and the sturdy construction means they stand up to heavy use. The cables are also available in various lengths, which is incredibly convenient. Reliable and high-quality – exactly what I was looking for!