Garlic Butter Steak Bites (Printer-Friendly)

Juicy steak cubes and crispy potatoes tossed in a fragrant garlic butter sauce for a delicious main.

# What You Need:

→ Steak Bites

01 - 1.25 pounds sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Potatoes

05 - 1.5 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
08 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

09 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
13 - 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
14 - Zest of 1 lemon

# Steps:

01 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once hot, add the quartered potatoes in a single layer. Season with 0.5 teaspoon salt and 0.25 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and fork-tender. Transfer potatoes to a plate and keep warm.
02 - Pat steak cubes dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt, 0.5 teaspoon pepper, and smoked paprika.
03 - In the same skillet over high heat, add 1 tablespoon butter. Add half the steak bites in a single layer to avoid overcrowding. Sear for 2 minutes undisturbed, then flip and sear another 1 to 2 minutes until browned but still juicy. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining steak bites, adding more butter if needed.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining butter and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Return steak bites and potatoes to the pan. Add parsley, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Toss everything to coat in the garlic butter for 1 to 2 minutes.
06 - Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with extra parsley and lemon zest if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The steak stays impossibly tender because you're not overthinking it, just a quick sear and you're done.
  • Those potatoes get crispy on the outside while staying creamy inside, which is basically the whole reason I make this.
  • Garlic butter coats everything and makes your kitchen smell like something fancy is happening, even though it takes less than 40 minutes.
02 -
  • Do not crowd the pan when searing the steak or potatoes—overcrowding drops the temperature and steam beats sear every single time.
  • Pat your steak completely dry before seasoning because moisture on the surface prevents browning, and that's the whole point of high heat searing.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer if you're unsure—aim for 130°F internal temperature for medium-rare, and remember the steak keeps cooking after it leaves the heat.
  • Let your steak come to room temperature for 15 minutes before cutting and seasoning it, so it cooks evenly instead of being cold on the inside and overdone on the edges.
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