Garlic Butter Steak Bites {4 Ingredients}

My 4-ingredient garlic butter steak bites are perfectly seared and drenched in irresistible garlic butter. It cooks in just 10 minutes!

Love cooking with steak? Try my pan-seared round steak, ribeye steak, filet mignon, and grilled skirt steak next.

My family are HUGE steak lovers, but sometimes, a huge single steak is a little much for a quick and easy meal. Enter- my famous steak bites with garlic butter!

I love to whip these up for quick weeknight dinners. They are such a simple way to cook steak, and they go well with almost everything (we love them with all kinds of potatoes!). My secret trick is to sear them using a cast iron skillet, which traps all the heat and cooks them evenly and quickly.

Why I love this recipe

• Quick and easy! The 4 easy-to-find and budget-friendly ingredients and quick 10-minute cook time make this one of my best recipes to lean on when you need an appetizer or steak dinner in a pinch.
• One skillet dinner. Yes, you read that right. Everything is made in one skillet so it’s less clean up for you.
• Perfectly texture and flavor. As mentioned earlier, pan-searing steak in a hot cast iron skillet makes melt-in-your-mouth meat encrusted in a crisp, seared crust every time. It’s flavorful and rich with a subtle garlic butter taste.

Ingredients needed

• Steak. Always cut the steak into equal-sized pieces so they cook evenly, completely, and at the same time. Avoid buying pre-cubed steak as they often are made up from off-cuts (unless it’s from a butcher). Choose a tender, flavorful cut of steak that fits your budget and has minimal visible fat, such as sirloin steak, flank, ribeye, tenderloin (filet mignon), or New York strip steak. I typically use ribeye or flank steak.
• Kosher alt and black pepper. To taste.
• Butter. Melted butter not only prevents the steak from sticking to the skillet but also infuses each piece with rich flavors and helps them develop a seared crust on the surface. You can sub half of it out with olive oil, but this dish NEEDS some butter.
• Garlic. Use fresh garlic cloves to make the best garlic butter sauce.
• Parsley. For garnish.

How to make garlic butter steak bites

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Season: Slice the steak into bite-sized pieces and pat each one dry with a paper towel. Next, season the pieces with salt and pepper.

Step 2- Sear: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot and melted, add the garlic and stir until it’s fragrant. Turn up the heat before placing the steak bites in a single layer in the skillet. Sear on all sides until they’re browned all over.

Step 3- Rest, then serve: Transfer the bites to a cutting board to rest for a few minutes. Move them to a serving plate, garnish with fresh parsley, then serve!

Arman’s recipe tips

• Use a meat thermometer. A meat thermometer is the most accurate way to check that your steak bites are cooked to your desired temperature. I recommend medium for these steak bites, which have an internal temp of 145F. For medium-well done aim for 155F and for well-done, aim for 165F.
• Flip once. Leave the steak bites alone while they sear, and avoid moving them around. This way, they can form a gorgeous brown crust on all sides.
• Rest the meat. Allowing the bites to rest for 3 to 5 minutes after cooking will give the juices a chance to redistribute, leaving you with the juiciest, most tender steak tips.

Variations

• Use dried herbs. Before searing, season the steak bites with thyme, rosemary, or oregano, or use an Italian or Greek seasoning blend. I don’t really suggest fresh herbs because they will burn into the meat (remember, we are quick-cooking these steak bites!).
• Add a spice mix. I’ve successfully made this recipe with Montreal steak seasoning and Cajun seasoning. The only change I’d suggest is to increase the butter by 1/2 a tablespoon to compensate for the extra surface area.

Storage instructions

To store: Once the leftover steak is cool, place them in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. 

To freeze: Let the steak bites cool, then place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. 

To reheat: Reheat the bites in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave in 30-second increments until reheated. 

Frequently asked questions

Can I add vegetables to this recipe?

You can, but I’d be careful about which vegetables you cook them with. Fast-cooking ones like broccoli and asparagus are great. If you want something heartier (like potatoes or carrots), I recommend blanching them first.

More easy beef dinners

• Season steak bites with salt and pepper.

• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Increase heat to high and add steak bites to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. 145F for medium, 155F for medium-well done, and 165F for well done.

• Remove from the heat and let the steak rest for a few minutes before serving.

* Any tender cut will work, including sirloin steak, filet mignon, flank steak, and skirt steak.  TO STORE: Once the leftover garlic butter steak bites are cool, place them in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.  TO FREEZE: Let the steak bites cool, then place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.  TO REHEAT: Reheat the bites in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave in 30-second increments until reheated. 

Serving: 1servingCalories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 23gFat: 22gSodium: 395mgPotassium: 318mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.03gVitamin A: 194IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 1g

Originally updated December 2023, updated and republished October 2024