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–+ servings
A cast iron skillet filled with cooked beef cubes, sliced onions, and chopped herbs in a brown sauce, placed on a wooden table with plates and utensils nearby.
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5 from 3 votes

Steak Bites

🥩 Steak Bites are tossed in the most flavorful garlic butter sauce or use cowboy butter which is kicked up with red pepper flakes, paprika, Dijon, fresh herbs and more.This restaurant-quality and protein-packed steak dinner recipe is easy, ready in 15 minutes, and perfect for busy weeknights, entertaining, or date night at home!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: 30-Minute Meals, Beef, Dinner
Cuisine: American, Beef, Dinner
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: cowboy butter steak bites, garlic butter steak bites, steak bites with cowboy butter, steak bites with garlic butter
Servings: 4
Calories: 603cal

Equipment

Ingredients

Steak Bites

  • 1½ pounds ribeye steak cut into 1 to 1.5-inch cubes, at room temperature and patted dry (sirloin, filet mignon, or another favorite steak may be substituted)
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil (olive oil may be substituted)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste

Butter Sauce

  • ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 4 to 5 cloves garlic finely minced
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped (plus extra for garnishing)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh chives finely minced (or 1 teaspoon dried chives)
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice (if you want extra lemon flavor add a bit of lemon zest too)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste (I personally use 1-2 teaspoons but start slowly and work up to taste based on preference for spiciness)
  • ½ salt plus more to taste if desired
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste if desired

Instructions

  • Caramelized Onions: If you're making them, plan on them taking 45-60 minutes so start about 45 minutes prior to when you're starting the steak.
    Sliced onions being caramelized in a black cast iron skillet on a wooden surface.
  • Steak: Slice room temperature steak into large bite-sized pieces, place in a bowl, and pat dry with paper towels. Generously season with salt, pepper, and toss to coat evenly.
    Steak Tips - Make sure steak has come to room temperature (allow 20-30 minutes) because you'll get much better results and more even cooking with room temp meat than you will with fridge cold meat.
    A glass bowl containing raw beef cubes seasoned with salt and pepper, placed on a wooden surface.
  • To a large cast iron skillet (I really recommend cast iron because it heats evenly, it gets very hot, and it's heavy and well suited to searing steak), add the oil, heat over medium-high heat for about 30-60 seconds, add the steak in an even, flat layer, and sear for about 1-2 minutes per side.
    Cooking Tips - Do not crowd the meat and if you need to work in batches, do so. Because you want to sear it, not steam it, which is what will happen if it's crowded in the skillet.
    Raw beef cubes arranged in a single layer inside a black cast iron skillet on a wooden surface.
  • Remove the steak with it's lightly browned on the outside but still pink in the center. It doesn't have to be done at this point. It's going back into the skillet in step 7. Set aside on a plate or in a bowl.
    Chunks of beef are searing in a black cast iron skillet on a wooden surface.
  • Butter: To the same skillet (do not wipe it out), reduce the heat to medium-low or low, add the butter, and heat to melt, swirling the skillet or moving the butter around with a wooden spoon to encourage it to melt.
    A black cast iron skillet with four cubes of butter melting in it, sitting on a wooden surface.
  • Add the garlic, and heat for about 30-60 seconds; stir constantly.
  • If you're making Garlic Butter rather than Cowboy Butter, add parsley, salt, and pepper to taste, and move on to step 8 below
    If you're making Cowbow Butter, add all remaining ingredients, stir to combine, taste, and make any necessary flavor adjustments such as more red pepper flakes, lemon juice, Dijon, etc.
    Flavoring Tips - If you're butter sauce tastes at all flat or boring, it likely needs more salt, and possibly pepper, so don't be afraid to add it. A bit of lemon juice (acid) brightens things up too.
    A cast iron skillet filled with a sauce mixture, topped with fresh chopped herbs, mustard, and various spices on a wooden surface.
  • Combine: Return the steak bites to the skillet, and toss and flip around in the butter sauce for about 1 minute, or until steak is cooked as desired.
    A black skillet filled with seared beef cubes in a brown sauce, resting on a rustic wooden surface.
  • If you made caramelized onions, add them now too, and toss to combine.
    A cast iron skillet filled with cooked beef cubes topped with sautéed onions, set on a wooden surface.
  • Steak Temperature Guidelines:  110-115F for rare, 120-125F for medium rare, 130-135F for medium, 140-145F for medium well, or 150-155 F for well done. Personally, I aim for ~125F because the temperature will continue to increase even after the meat is taken out of the skillet.
    A cast iron skillet filled with cooked beef cubes, sautéed onions, fresh herbs, and sauce, placed on a wooden surface.
  • Garnish and Serve: Optionally garnish with fresh parsley, other fresh herbs such as fresh basil, cilantro, or rosemary, and serve immediately making sure to spoon extra butter sauce all over the meat and mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower will sop up the extra sauce.
    A plate of mashed potatoes topped with a saucy beef stew, garnished with herbs, served with a fork and knife on a white plate.

Notes

Storage: Steak is best when freshly made but leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Either serve it chilled from the fridge (try this Steak Salad), serve at room temperature (allow it to come to room temp for about 30-45 minutes before you plan to eat it), or reheat very gently in the microwave taking care not to overdo it so you don't accidentally make it overcooked, tough, or chewy. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 603cal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 747mg | Potassium: 557mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1403IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 4mg
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