Let me introduce you to the best air fryer steak: it’s seasoned simply but deliciously, easy to make, and cooked to juicy and succulent medium-rare perfection. Thanks to the air fryer, the meat is cooked through evenly, and the hot circulating air mimics a pan-sear to lock in all of the flavorful and savory juices. This recipe is mouthwateringly delicious any time but is a lifesaver when the weather isn’t great for the grill. Unlike cooking steak on cast iron, this recipe won’t smoke up your kitchen, either!
Top the steak with an easy-to-make but tasty herbed compound butter, elevating the steak to restaurant-level flawlessness. This recipe is perfect for a date night, dinner parties, Sunday supper, and any time you want to bring the steakhouse experience to the comfort of your own home. For more delicious air fryer recipes, check out my air fryer chicken tenders, air fryer chicken parmesan, and air fryer stuffed peppers.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Steak – sirloin steaks are my personal favorite, as they have adequate marbling to add flavor but are still a great cut of meat for high-heat cooking. Other good cuts are New York strip, tenderloin, flatiron, filet mignon, and flank steaks. If using larger cuts of meat, cut them in half before seasoning and air frying to ensure even cooking. Additionally, if the meat comes packed with excess juices or moisture, pat it down with paper towels before seasoning.
Olive Oil Spray – choose a high-quality brand of spray as you will taste the flavor of the spray on the steak. If you don’t have olive oil spray, avocado spray is another great pick or you can brush on bottled oil with a basting or pastry brush.
Salt and Pepper – two ordinary seasonings shine in this recipe, enhancing the rich and savory flavors of the meat to new heights. Choose fine sea salt if you have it on hand and go for freshly cracked black pepper whenever possible.
Garlic – fresh garlic cloves provide the best flavor. Mince the garlic finely before working it into the butter.
Fresh Herbs – in particular, parsley and rosemary. Opt for fresh herbs as possible as they offer fresher and more robust flavor than their dried counterparts. Both curly and flat-leaf parsley work for this dish, so use whichever you prefer.
How to Make Air Fryer Steak
1. Spray the steaks with olive oil, then rub the olive all over to coat well.
2. Sprinkle evenly with ¾ teaspoon of salt and the black pepper.
3. Preheat an air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Spray the basket with olive oil spray, and place the steaks in the basket about 1 inch apart.
4. Air fry until medium rare (an internal temperature of about 130°F), or for about 10 to 12 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes.
5. While the steak cooks, stir the butter, garlic, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl and mash to incorporate.
6. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top the steaks with the herbed butter when ready to serve.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Season the steaks evenly. For perfect steak, season the meat evenly. I prefer to measure out the seasonings first before sprinkling them over, rubbing the seasoning into the outside of the steak if necessary.
- Preheat the air fryer. Bring the air fryer to heat with the air fryer basket installed for three minutes before spraying the basket with the olive oil spray and adding the steak. This will allow the meat to cook evenly and quickly, locking in the juices and ensuring the best flavor and texture.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Leave at least 1 inch of space between the steaks, as they need hot air to circulate evenly around them to cook evenly and caramelize around the edges. If the basket is too small for the size of the steaks to allow that much space, cook them separately.
- Optional: Confirm the temperature of your air fryer. Just like a normal oven, the temperature inside can run hotter or colder than the set cooking temperature. For the most accuracy, place an oven thermometer in the air fryer basket when preheating and adjust the temperature if needed before adding the steak. If you basket is big enough, leave the thermometer in during cooking and adjust if necessary when flipping the steaks.
- Optional: Add more cooking time for larger cuts. As recommended above, if you are using larger cuts of meat, trim down to approximately 6-ounce sizes if possible. Most butchers will be happy to do this for you when asked. If it is not possible to trim down to a 6-ounce size, you can also cook up to 8 to 9-ounce portions of steak, adding on cook time as needed to reach the desired internal temperature. If you are cooking a thick steak, the time may increase a bit as well. Just use your meat thermometer to check for doneness!
- Make the compound butter with room temperature butter. Place the butter at room temperature for 1-2 hours before making the recipe, giving it time to soften enough that you can easily make an indentation in the butter with your fingers. Soft and pliable butter will blend with the herbs and salt more easily, and expediting the softening process in the microwave risks melting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Leftover steak does not freeze well, unfortunately. To reheat cooked steak without drying it out, top it with pats of leftover compound butter and reheat an air fryer preheated to 350 degrees f for 4-6 minutes, or until heated through.
Serve this delicious recipe with any of your favorite steakhouse-style sides for a satisfying dinner the whole family will love! Yorkshire puddings, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and dinner rolls are all perfect pairing options. Or whip up a batch of air fryer french fries for a home-cooked steak frites!
You most definitely can cook the steak to different degrees of doneness. Always use a meat or instant-read thermometer to confirm when it has reached your desired temperature. For medium steak, cook it for 12-14 minutes, or until it has reached an internal temperature of 140-150°F; for medium well, 14-16 minutes, or until 150-160°F; for well done, 16-17 minutes or until 160-165°F. The time can vary depending on the thickness of your steak, so keep that in mind.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this air fryer steak recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Air Fryer Steak
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Small bowl
Ingredients
- 2 (6-ounce/340g) sirloin steaks
- Olive oil spray
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
- ¾ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Spray the steaks with olive oil, then rub the olive all over the steaks to coat them well. Sprinkle evenly with ¾ teaspoon of salt and the black pepper.
- Preheat an air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Spray the basket with olive oil spray, and place the steaks in the basket about 1 inch apart.
- Air fry until medium rare (about 130°F), about 10 to 12 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes.
- While the steak cooks, stir together the butter, garlic, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mash to incorporate.
- Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top the steaks with the herb butter when ready to serve.
Notes
- Season the steaks evenly. For perfect steak, season the meat evenly. I prefer to measure out the seasonings first before sprinkling them over, rubbing the seasoning into the outside of the steak if necessary.
- Preheat the air fryer. Bring the air fryer to heat with the air fryer basket installed for three minutes before spraying the basket with the olive oil spray and adding the steak. This will allow the meat to cook evenly and quickly, locking in the juices and ensuring the best flavor and texture.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Leave at least 1 inch of space between the steaks, as they need hot air to circulate evenly around them to cook evenly and caramelize around the edges. If the basket is too small for the size of the steaks to allow that much space, cook them separately.
- Optional: Confirm the temperature of your air fryer. Just like a normal oven, the temperature inside can run hotter or colder than the set cooking temperature. For the most accuracy, place an oven thermometer in the air fryer basket when preheating and adjust the temperature if needed before adding the steak. If you basket is big enough, leave the thermometer in during cooking and adjust if necessary when flipping the steaks.
- Optional: Add more cooking time for larger cuts. As recommended above, if you are using larger cuts of meat, trim down to approximately 6-ounce sizes if possible. Most butchers will be happy to do this for you when asked. If it is not possible to trim down to a 6-ounce size, you can also cook up to 8 to 9-ounce portions of steak, adding on cook time as needed to reach the desired internal temperature. If you are cooking a thick steak, the time may increase a bit as well. Just use your meat thermometer to check for doneness!
- Make the compound butter with room temperature butter. Place the butter at room temperature for 1-2 hours before making the recipe, giving it time to soften enough that you can easily make an indentation in the butter with your fingers. Soft and pliable butter will blend with the herbs and salt more easily, and expediting the softening process in the microwave risks melting.
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