Air Fryer Steak Bites with Mushrooms

Marinated air fryer steak bites have an appetizing caramelized crust, juicy tender interior, and are prepared in the air fryer in under 10 minutes. Melt in your mouth delicious and easy to serve as a main dish or as a party appetizer. They're a naturally low-carb, high-protein snack or main dish that the whole family will love.

What are steak bites?

If you guessed that these little beauties are bite-sized pieces of tender juice steak, cooked to perfection, you would be correct!

Steak bites are simply small cubes of prime steak that have been cooked in a skillet, baked in the oven, or in this case, seared in the air fryer. That's all there is to it!

Nothing beats a big, juicy steak, but steak bites are nice for several reasons: First, if you're serving kids, the meat is already cut up which makes it easier for mom and dad. Second, steak bites can be served as an appetizer or a snack because they're already cut into bite-sized pieces. But there's nothing that says you can't serve them as a main dish - and I sure do!

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Why you will love air fryer steak bites with mushrooms

Quick cooking time - This steak bites in this recipe cook for about 10 minutes. You can have dinner on the table in no time!

Minimal effort, maximum flavor - The marinade in this recipe gives the steak bites a winning flavor that a standard steak recipe can't match.

Perfectly tender - When you cook steak bites at a high temperature in the air fryer, they come out perfectly tender in just a few minutes. The natural flavor and texture of the steak shine.

What you'll need to make the best air fryer steak bites recipe

EQUIPMENT

• Garlic press
• Air fryer
• Meat thermometer

INGREDIENTS

See printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Cayenne pepper - There's just a tiny amount of cayenne in this recipe, but if you're afraid of spice, you can cut it in half or leave it out. But! I urge you to leave it in the first time you make the recipe because you're going to find that it's not spicy at all.
• Smoked paprika - I love smoked paprika because it adds a bold flavor without adding additional heat. If you don't have it, you could use traditional (sweet) paprika or chili powder.
• Fresh garlic - There is no substitute for fresh garlic. If you must, you can use garlic from a jar or garlic powder, but it will not taste the same.
• Worcestershire sauce - This gives the marinade that umami flavor that is so pleasing.
• Honey - It might sound weird to put honey in a steak marinade, but I promise you that it works. Also, the honey helps to put a crispy coating on the outside of the steak bites.
• Canola oil - This gives the marinade some fluid to permeate the steak. It also coats the steak bites, keeping them from drying out in the air fryer and helping them to achieve that nice sear and crisp coating that seals in the juices. I don't recommend olive oil here because it has a low smoke point. Any flavorless oil with a high smoke point will work, including avocado oil and plain old vegetable oil.
• Sliced mushrooms - I love steak and mushrooms, but if you don't like mushrooms, you can leave them out.
• Steak cut into 1-inch cubes - See note below on the best cuts of beef to use. Don't go cheap on your beef. Because we're cooking it quickly and at a high temperature, a tough piece of meat will not get softer. It needs to be a high quality steak that's already tender. Also, be careful to get all of the cubes the same size. If some are larger and some are smaller, the larger ones will be undercooked and the smaller ones will be overcooked.

How to make the best air fryer steak bites with mushrooms recipe

1. In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, honey and oil. Whisk to make the marinade.
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2. Add steak and mushrooms to a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the steak and toss to coat. Make sure all steak cubes and sliced mushrooms are coated. Marinate for 1 hour.
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3. Preheat the Air Fryer to 400ºF. Spray the basket with cooking spray.
4. Unless you have a really big air fryer, you're going to have to cook the steak bites in batches. Transfer half of the steak and mushrooms to the air fryer basket. Cook for 5 minutes.
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5. Remove the basket from the air fryer and give it a good shake.
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6. Air-fry for another 5 minutes. Cooking time depends on the doneness you want for your steak. See note below.
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7. Repeat with the other half of the steak and mushrooms.
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8. Allow the steak to rest for 5 minutes to reabsorb and distribute the juices. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired then serve immediately.

What should the temperature of my steak be when it's fully cooked?

You should always use a meat thermometer to test the doneness of your meat. There is no real way of knowing by looking at the outside whether the inside is cooked appropriately.

The internal temperature of steak should be:

• 125ºF for rare (red inside)
• 130ºF for medium-rare (a lot of pink inside)
• 140ºF for medium (some pink inside)
• 155ºF for medium-well (mostly brown inside)

I'm not giving you a temperature for well done because well done steaks are tough and ruined. Don't go above 155ºF.

For the best results, don't go over 140ºF. Medium is cooked enough to be safe, the center is warm, and the steak will be juicy and tender.

The shorter your cook time, the less crispy the outside of the steak bites will be. So if you want rare or medium-rare steak, you're not going to get the crisp coating that you would get if you cooked them to medium.

Also, keep in mind that the temperature of your steak bites will increase a bit as the steak rests for 5 minutes, so take them out a few degrees below your desired temperature.

What are the best cuts of steak to make steak bites?

The best cuts of steak for this steak bites are:

• Sirloin steak or top sirloin steak
• Ribeye steak
• Tenderloin
• New York strip

Tips for the best steak bites

Always preheat your air fryer. Just like you preheat your oven, you should always preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes or so.

Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. It's best to keep the steak bites in a single layer or as close to a single layer as possible. If you put too much food in the air fryer basket, the air won't circulate properly and your steak bites will be soggy rather than crispy.

Be sure to shake the air fryer basket at least once during cooking, preferably at the halfway mark.

Can you make steak bites without an air fryer?

Yes! You can make these steak bites on the stovetop. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When it's really hot, add the steak bites in a single layer. Allow them to cook undisturbed (no stirring!) for 4 minutes. Then stir them up and cook them for an additional 3-4 minutes or until they reach your desired internal temperature. Remove them from the skillet and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Variations

If you have Montreal steak seasoning, you can use that in place of the spices in the marinade.

You can also replace the spices with cajun seasoning or fajita seasoning. These give the steak a whole different flavor that is also delicious.

If you prefer garlic butter steak bites over olive oil, you can skip the Worcestershire sauce and olive oil, and use 3-4 tablespoons of melted butter and double the garlic.

How to store leftover steak bites

Steak is best if consumed immediately after cooking. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat, place the steak back in the air fryer at 350ºF until just hot or heat in a very hot cast iron skillet for a few minutes. Don't over heat the steak bites or your they will be well done and tough. Better yet, eat them cold.

You can freeze steak bites. Cool them to room temperature and then transfer to a freezer bag or container. They will be good for up to a month.

To serve frozen steak bites, move them to the fridge to thaw overnight and then serve cold or heat as directed above.

Why is my air fryer steak tough?

There are several reasons why air fryer steak gets tough.

It's overcooked. If the internal temperature of steak gets too high, the steak will be tough. There's no way around it. This is why I recommend only cooking these steak bites to medium and no more.

The cubes were too small. Aim for 1-inch cubes. If your cubes are smaller than that, they will probably overcook before you know it and get tough.

You didn't let the meat rest before serving. That 5-minute resting time is essential for the juices to reabsorb and redistribute after cooking. If you try to eat your steak before it has properly rested, it will likely be tough.

You overcrowded the air fryer basket. If there is not room for air to flow around the steak bites, they will not cook properly. Some will get overcooked while some remain undercooked.

You didn't use enough oil. Oil helps to seal in the juices, and if there isn't enough oil on the meat, it will dry out in the air fryer and get tough.

What are the best side dishes to serve with steak bites?

• CrockPot Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
• Red Skin Mashed Potatoes Recipe
• Simple & Easy Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
• Oven Roasted Red Beets with Low Carb Balsamic Glaze and Feta Cheese
• Air Fryer Carrots with Irresistible Honey Brown Sugar Glaze
• Garlic Parmesan Roasted Carrots
• Air Fryer Asparagus (wrapped in bacon!)
• Garlic Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese
• Egg and Asparagus Salad with Mimosa Vinaigrette Dressing
• 15-Minute Easy Air Fryer Mushrooms with Parmesan & Garlic

You can also try these air fryer proteins:

• Air Fryer Salmon Bites
• Air Fryer Ribeye Steak
• Air Fryer Turkey Burgers Recipe
• Classic Cheddar Cheese Sausage Balls (oven and air fryer instructions)

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