Garlic Butter Steak Bites

Garlic butter seared Steak Bites are a quick and savory dinner or shared appetizer, that’s ready to eat in just 15 minutes!

This recipe is seriously simple and every bite is coated with garlicky buttery steak flavor! It’s a classic that can be served as a main dish or as an easy appetizer.

I first fell in love with these bites at a steakhouse, when they were served as sizzling appetizers in individual cast-iron skillets with a piece of garlic toast on the side, for soaking up all the sauce. I knew I just had to recreate them!

Cast iron is the perfect skillet for cooking steak bites but any wide heavy-bottomed pan will work.

We usually add bite-size pieces of portabello or button mushrooms to our version because they pair so well with beef. You can skip the mushrooms if you aren’t a fan, but if you are a fan you’ll love it because they become amazing bites of flavor in this skillet dish!

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Ingredients needed:

There are a lot of flavors packed into these bites but the ingredients are likely things you already have on hand.

• Steak – we’ve made this recipe with sirloin, tenderloin, and NY strip. All work well so go with your favorite! Sirloin is the best value and tenderloin is the most tender.
• Olive Oil – extra virgin is always best
• Salt and Pepper – this dish needs a generous amount of seasoning
• Butter – we used salted butter but unsalted will work too
• Fresh Garlic – there is no such thing as too much garlic in my world so add or subtract as you like
• Mushrooms – Optional but if you like mushrooms this is the perfect dish for them. We use button or portabellos but wild mushrooms would be fantastic too if you feel like getting fancy
• Beef Broth – this helps build the amazing sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce – a great savory flavor to add to any beef recipe – it’s like a little bit of umami magic!
• Soy Sauce – we have also made these bites with coconut aminos for a keto/gluten-free diet friend and it’s an ideal substitute
• Flat Leaf Parsley – for garnish – because parsley makes everything look better!

How to make Garlic Butter Steak Bites:

One of the greatest things about this recipe is its simplicity! Everything comes together in one pan (yea!) in less than 15-minutes.

Because everything cooks fast, similar to stir-fry, be sure you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start.

• Cut the steak into approximately 1-inch pieces, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. The cuts don’t need to be perfect but everything will cook evenly if all the pieces are about the same size
• Combine the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce together and set aside
• Mince garlic and chop parsley. Cut mushrooms, if using, and set aside
• Choose a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet and warm over medium-high heat. We prefer a cast-iron skillet for these bites because the pan cooks hot and even
• Add oil and heat until it’s shimmering. Add steak cubes and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side until a nice brown crust forms
• If needed, work in batches so you don’t overcrowd, which causes steaming not searing. You really want that brown crust!
• Remove steak bites from the pan and set them aside in a shallow bowl
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, allow it to melt, and then add the garlic and saute briefly (about 30 seconds)
• Add mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth mixture and cook additional 2 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened
• Return steak pieces to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, toss to coat, and reheat for about a minute. Remove from the heat
• Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately

PRO TIP: One of the keys to success is a searing hot pan!

The best type of steak to use:

There are 3 excellent choices you can use for these delicious bites:

• Sirloin Steak – this cut was our favorite overall because it’s tender, easy to find, and reasonably priced
• NY Strip – this cut is less tender but has a bigger, more intense flavor, with lots of marbling
• Tenderloin – the most tender and buttery steak, but with just a little marbling, which means a less intense steak flavor. It’s also the most expensive of these three cuts

What to serve with steak bites:

This classic steakhouse dish is rich so keep that in mind that when choosing your sides. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Citrus and fruit are great for offsetting richness so consider our Tricolore Salad with Oranges or our fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad as starters
• Classic potatoes always pair well: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Oven Roasted Potatoes, or Easy Hasselback Potatoes are all great matches
• Keep your vegetable sides simple, as well, for a truly quick dinner with Oven Roasted Asparagus or Brussels Sprouts

Storage:

Leftovers can be refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days and gently reheated in a skillet.

Sommelier Recommendations:

Big steak flavor means BIG red wine!

• Leaner cuts will pair best with a smooth aged Merlot or a soft tannin Shiraz
• More marbled cuts match well with Cabernet Sauvignon and Italian Barolos