Golden potatoes, tender steak bites, and warm garlic butter make this a satisfying dinner without firing up the grill. These air fryer steak bites and potatoes cook separately so the potatoes have time to turn crisp without overcooking the beef. A quick toss in garlic-parsley butter brings everything together.
Yield: 4 servings Estimated time: 45–55 minutes, including preparation, preheating, and resting. Allow 18–22 minutes per potato batch and approximately 6–9 minutes per steak batch. The total assumes the potatoes fit in one spaced single layer and the steak fits in another; use additional batches only if your basket requires them.
Ingredients
For the potatoes and steak:
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 1¼ pounds boneless top sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
For the garlic butter:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 medium garlic cloves, finely minced, about 1 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, optional
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Top sirloin is a practical choice here; strip steak or ribeye also works. Choose a steak thick enough to cut into substantial cubes rather than thin strips. Comparable air-fryer methods use these cuts and cook the potatoes before the beef.
How To Make It
- Prepare the potatoes first.
Cut the potatoes into evenly sized ¾-inch cubes, leaving the skins on. Dry them thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel, then toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the smoked paprika. Pay attention to the largest pieces: oversized chunks can remain firm after the smaller ones are browned.
- Prepare and season the steak.
Pat the steak dry, trim away tough connective tissue and large exterior fat deposits, and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a separate bowl, toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and the garlic powder. Refrigerate while the potatoes cook. Wash your hands and clean the knife, board, and surfaces that touched raw beef before handling ready-to-eat ingredients.
- Make the garlic butter before preheating.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the minced garlic and stir for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant, without letting it brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, optional lemon juice, and optional pepper flakes. Set aside for the final toss. Adding the garlic butter after air-frying keeps the fresh garlic out of the intense cooking heat.
- Preheat and cook the potatoes.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) according to its instructions, usually about 3–5 minutes. Spread the potatoes in a single layer with small gaps between pieces. Cook for 18–22 minutes, shaking the basket after about 8 minutes and again near the end. Begin checking at 15 minutes. They are ready when the edges are golden and a fork slides easily through the centers; extend cooking in 2-minute increments if needed. Transfer to a warm serving bowl. This timing is an estimate consistent with comparable methods that cook diced potatoes at this temperature for approximately 20 minutes.
- Cook the steak, checking early.
Keep the air fryer at 400°F (205°C). Arrange the steak in a spaced single layer, leaving any pooled liquid in the bowl. Cook for approximately 6–9 minutes, turning the pieces after 3–4 minutes. Start checking the temperature at 5 minutes: insert a thin-tip instant-read thermometer horizontally into the center of several larger pieces. Cook the beef to at least 145°F (63°C) before removing it, then let it rest for 3 minutes. Remove smaller pieces as they reach temperature rather than waiting for every cube to finish together.
- Finish with garlic butter.
Transfer the steak to a clean plate to rest. Gently rewarm the garlic butter if it has solidified. After the rest, add the steak to the potatoes and spoon the butter over everything. Toss gently, scraping the garlic and parsley from the saucepan into the bowl. Taste a potato and adjust the salt if needed. Serve promptly, with a green salad or steamed vegetables if you like.
Tips
- Keep the two sizes distinct. Cut the potatoes smaller than the steak: ¾-inch potato cubes and 1-inch steak cubes. Uniform pieces within each group make it easier to avoid firm potatoes or overdone beef.
- Use basket space, not capacity claims, as your guide. If pieces overlap or form a tight pile, cook in additional batches. Add approximately 18–22 minutes for each extra potato batch or 6–9 minutes for each extra steak batch.
- Don’t chase a dark crust. Air-fried steak may develop browned edges rather than a skillet-style sear. Once it reaches its temperature endpoint, remove it instead of continuing solely for color.
- Keep variations simple. Substitute chopped chives for some of the parsley, or add ½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary to the warm butter. Avoid adding a wet marinade, which changes how the steak browns.
Storage and Reheating
Transfer leftovers to shallow, covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the surrounding temperature exceeds 90°F (32°C). Store at 40°F (4°C) or below and use within 3–4 days. Keeping the potatoes and steak separate makes reheating easier.
For a small portion, try reheating the potatoes at 350°F (175°C) for 4–6 minutes, then add the steak and continue in short intervals. These are starting estimates: check that both components reach 165°F (74°C) before serving. The steak will be more well-done after reheating, so warm only what you plan to eat.
