These garlic butter steak bites are juicy, tender, and seared until beautifully browned before being tossed with plenty of butter and fresh garlic. Ready in about 20 minutes, they make an easy steak dinner or appetizer with simple ingredients and big flavor.
Serve these steak bites with Baked Potatoes for an easy dinner, add Honey Roasted Carrots on the side, pair them with Fresh Cucumber Lemonade for something refreshing, or try my Beef Stew when you want another comforting beef recipe.
The key is using a hot pan, cooking the steak in batches, and adding the garlic butter near the end so the beef develops a good sear without the garlic burning.
Table of contents
What You Need
How to Make Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Cut the steak into bite-size pieces and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Season the steak pieces with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high to high heat.
- Add part of the butter to the hot skillet and let it melt.
- Add the steak bites in a single layer. Cook without moving them too much so they can brown well.
- Flip the steak pieces and sear the other sides until browned and cooked to your liking.
- Remove the steak from the pan and set it aside.
- Add the remaining butter and chopped garlic to the skillet.
- Cook briefly until the garlic smells fragrant, but do not let it burn.
- Return the steak bites to the pan and toss them in the garlic butter.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
- Serve warm with your favorite sides.
What Is the Best Steak for Steak Bites
The best steak cuts for steak bites are naturally tender cuts that cook quickly.
Good options include:
- Top sirloin
- Ribeye
- New York strip
- Tri-tip
- Beef tenderloin
Top sirloin is especially useful because it gives you good beef flavor without the higher cost of ribeye or tenderloin.
Ribeye has more marbling, which creates richer and juicier steak bites.
How Big Should You Cut Steak Bites
Cut the steak into pieces around 1 to 1 1/2 inches.
Keeping the pieces similar in size helps them cook at the same rate.
Very small cubes can overcook before they develop a good crust, while very large pieces take longer to cook through.
How to Get a Good Sear on Steak Bites
There are three important steps:
Dry the steak well. Surface moisture creates steam and prevents browning.
Use a hot skillet. The pan should already be hot before the steak goes in.
Do not overcrowd the pan. Leave space around each piece.
If necessary, cook the steak in two batches rather than crowding everything into the skillet.
How Long Should You Cook Steak Bites
Small steak bites cook very quickly.
For approximately 1-inch pieces, start with around 1 to 2 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook briefly on the remaining sides.
Exact cooking time depends on the size of the pieces, the cut of steak, pan temperature, and your preferred doneness.
A food thermometer is the most reliable way to check doneness.
How Do You Keep Steak Bites Tender
Start with a tender steak cut and avoid cooking the pieces for too long.
Removing the steak from the skillet before making the garlic butter also helps prevent overcooking.
Once the butter and garlic are ready, return the beef to the skillet only long enough to coat it in the sauce.
Why Cook the Garlic at the End
Garlic burns much faster than steak cooks.
If you add chopped garlic at the beginning, it can become dark and bitter before the steak develops a proper sear.
Cooking the steak first and adding garlic to the butter afterward gives you a much fresher garlic flavor.
Can You Use Olive Oil Instead of Butter
You can use oil to sear the steak, but butter is important for the classic garlic butter flavor.
One good option is to sear the steak with a small amount of neutral oil, then finish with butter and garlic.
This is especially useful when cooking over very high heat.
What to Serve with Steak Bites
Garlic butter steak bites pair well with both vegetables and hearty sides.
Try them with:
- Baked potatoes
- Mashed potatoes
- French fries
- Roasted potatoes
- Rice
- Couscous
- Roasted carrots
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Green salad
FAQs
Top sirloin, ribeye, strip steak, tri-tip, or tenderloin all work well. Choose a steak that cooks quickly and stays tender.
Do not overcook them, and make sure the pan is hot before adding the steak. Cutting the steak into even pieces also helps them cook evenly.
Yes, but butter gives the recipe its rich garlic butter flavor. You can use a mix of oil and butter if you want a higher-heat sear.
It tastes best fresh, but you can cook it ahead and reheat gently. Avoid overheating, or the steak may become tough.
Serve them with mashed potatoes, rice, roasted vegetables, salad, pasta, or garlic bread.
Yes, a cast iron skillet works very well because it holds heat and helps the steak brown nicely.
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Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the steak pieces dry with paper towels.
- Season the steak with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high to high heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter to the hot skillet and let it melt.
- Add the steak bites in a single layer.
- Sear for 2 to 3 minutes without moving too much, then flip and cook until browned on all sides.
- Remove the steak bites from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the remaining butter and chopped garlic to the skillet.
- Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring often, until fragrant.
- Return the steak bites to the pan and toss with the garlic butter.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Cook the steak in batches if your skillet is crowded.
- Do not burn the garlic. Add it after the steak is already browned.
- For medium steak bites, avoid cooking them too long after returning them to the pan.
- Add a small squeeze of lemon juice at the end for a brighter flavor.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Let us know how it was!Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
