Tender pieces of steak are tossed with garlic herb butter in this easy steak bites recipe that requires just 15 minutes of hands-on prep.
Buttery Steak Bites Double as an Appetizer or Main Dish
Although typically served as an appetizer on game days and at New Year’s Eve gatherings, these garlic steak bites deserve a spot on your dinner rotation too.
To make them, your choice of steak is cut into bite-sized chunks and seared in a screaming hot skillet. The short cook time combined with the high heat creates moist and juicy steak bites with perfectly caramelized edges.
After searing, they’re tossed with melted butter that’s been infused with garlic and thyme. Once you start cooking, the entire recipe takes less than 15 minutes to prepare, and the steak can be enjoyed on its own or added to tacos, grain bowls, wraps, salads, and more.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Sirloin steak is my top choice for making steak bites. Sirloin steak is a leaner cut of steak with enough marbling to it that it remains tender after cooking at a high heat. However, I’ve also tested this recipe with hanger steak (which has a thick membrane in the middle that needs to be removed) and flap steak (which has a stronger beefy flavor) — both work well here, too.
Dry brine your steak for maximum flavor and tenderness. Most recipes have you cook the steak right away, but in my recipe testing I discovered that the steak bites cooked up so much juicier, more tender, and flavorful after being sprinkled with a generous amount of kosher salt and chilled in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This gives the salt time to draw out the extra moisture from the steak and then be reabsorbed. All of that salt goes right into the meat, tenderizing and seasoning it from the inside-out.
A pinch of flaky sea salt is the perfect finishing touch. The steak bites are seasoned before being cooked, but I like to hit them with a coarser sea salt at the very end too for some crunch and to balance out the rich beefy flavor of the steak.
The 5 Main Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Steak — This time around I made sirloin steak bites, but I’ll also make this recipe with both hanger and flap / bavette steaks. All work, just choose a steak that has good marbling for the best flavor.
- Olive oil — Since we’re cooking the steak in a very hot skillet, I suggest oiling the steak itself rather than the skillet to prevent any smoking.
- Butter — Just 3 tablespoons is all you need to create the most luscious garlic butter sauce for the steak bites.
- Fresh garlic + thyme — There are just 5 key ingredients in this recipe (plus salt and pepper), so skip the garlic powder and dried thyme and use their fresh counterparts to create a fragrant compound butter to flavor the bites.
- Salt — You’ll use kosher salt to season the steak and flaky sea salt to finish the dish.
How to Make Steak Bites on the Stove
- Dry brine the steak. After trimming any excess fat from the steak and cutting it into 1.5-inch chunks, season it with kosher salt and refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes. This step infuses flavor.
Heidi’s Tip: For even more tender and juicy steak bites, let the meat dry brine overnight.
- Sear the steak. Instead of drizzling the olive oil into the pan, coat the steak directly for a more even sear. Once your skillet is very hot, cook the steak in a single layer for about 5 minutes. You’ll know the bites are ready to be flipped over when they release easily from the pan (if they’re still sticking, let them cook for a few more seconds).
- Toss with garlic butter. Move the cooked steak to one side of the pan. To the now-empty side, melt the butter and then add the garlic and thyme. Move the steak around to coat evenly in the garlic herb butter.
- Garnish and serve. Transfer the steak to a serving plate, drizzle with any butter left in the pan, and top with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt. I also like to add parsley and freshly cracked black pepper to bring everything together.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Garlic Herb Steak Bites Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds sirloin steak, , trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 ½-inch chunks (can also use hanger steak, or flap /bavette steak)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Season the steak and rest for flavor. Add 1 ½ pounds steak chunks to a baking sheet and season with 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, tossing well. Arrange the steak chunks in an even layer and set aside in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
- Toss with oil and cook in a hot pan. Drizzle the steak with 1 tablespoon extra virign olive oil and toss to coat. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or stainless steel skillet over medium-high until very hot. In an even layer, add the steak bites to the skillet, season with ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning the pieces until browned on each side and easily release from the pan. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding and steaming the meat.
- Add the butter, garlic, and thyme to the skillet. Make room at the bottom of the skillet (opposite the handle) and add 3 tablespoons butter, 3-4 cloves slivered garlic, and 3 fresh thyme sprigs to the bottom of the skillet. Tilt the skillet to create a pool of melted butter and garlic, then push the steak around to coat with the garlic butter mixture.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Drizzle with the butter, thyme, and garlic slivers. Sprinkle with chopped flat-leaf parsley, flaky sea salt, and coarsely ground black pepper, if desired.
Nutrition
FAQs
I prefer sirloin, but hanger or flap steak works too.
Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, and preheat it over medium-high heat until it’s very hot. Instead of oiling the pan itself, drizzle the steak with oil and then cook in a single layer to encourage serious caramelization rather than steaming. If needed, cook the steak in batches to create those golden edges!
If your steak bites are tough and chewy, it could be the cut of steak you purchased, how long you cooked it, and whether you dry brined the meat first.
I recommend using sirloin, hanger, or flap steak to make this recipe. Always season generously with kosher salt and refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes to tenderize the meat.
Steak tastes best when it’s still a little pink in the middle, so only cook the bites for 4 to 5 minutes total over medium-high heat.
What to Serve With Steak Bites
- Sauces — Chimichurri Sauce, Mustard Sauce
- Potatoes — Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Roast Potatoes, Buttery Parsley Potatoes, Crispy Potatoes Anna, Garlic Fries
- Salads — Kale Pine Nut Salad, Arugula Parmesan Salad, Italian Salad
- Sides — Zucchini Fritters, Parmesan Risotto, Mushroom Crostini, Roasted Carrots with Dill Gremolata
More Easy Steak Dinners
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