When it comes to a quick weeknight meal, you’re not going to find anything faster or more flavorful than Keto Air Fryer Steak Bites. One bite of these juicy morsels of steak heaven, and you will be hooked. Pair them with a salad or some cilantro lime cauliflower rice for a fast and nutrition dinner!
My air fryer has become an essential piece of kitchen equipment. Especially when it comes to easy keto dinner recipes. With all the craziness of life, dinner time has a a nasty habit of sneaking up on me. One minute it’s 3pm, and the next thing I know, it’s 6pm and everyone is hungry.
Air fryers can cook things like steak and chicken quickly, with less effort and less mess. They also do a bang up job on side dishes like Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts. Consider me obsessed!
But not everyone has an air fryer, so let me assure you that these keto steak bites are pretty tasty cooked on the stovetop too!
★★★★★
Deni says: “These are amazingly tender and so flavourable. I made sure I had brought the meat to almost room temp before beginning, Highly recommend. Leftovers are good cold from the fridge to nibble on too.“
Ingredient Notes
- Steak: Choose a decent cut of steak like sirloin or ribeye. This will ensure tender, juicy results. I do not recommend tougher cuts like chuck steak, which benefit from low heat braising.
- Lime: Fresh lime juice and lime zest give these keto steak bites a zesty flavor that delights the tastebuds.
- Oil: You can really do what you like best here. I use olive oil, but avocado oil and melted butter work well too.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper.
How to Make Air Fryer Steak Bites
- Cut the steak: Use a sharp knife to cut the steak into even 1 inch pieces.
- Coat: Toss the steak bites with the oil, lime juice, lime zest, and seasonings.
- Preheat: Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF for best results. Place the steak bites in a single layer in the basket.
- Cook: Cook until nicely browned on the outside but juicy and pink on the inside (about 5 to 7 minutes).
Carolyn’s Tips for Success
You need a tender cut of meat for air fryer steak bites, but it doesn’t have to be top of the line. New york strip is a good choice, as is top sirloin. Flank steak would work as well. Avoid tougher cuts like chuck steak.
It’s important to cut the steak into even-sized pieces so that the bites cook evenly. You really don’t want them more than 1 inch in size, so they cook through quickly while retaining juiciness.
Hot and fast is the best way to cook air fryer steak bites! Set your air fryer to 400F and don’t crowd the bites. There should be plenty of room for the hot air to circulate around them. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to work in batches.
Variations
Have fun with different seasonings and flavors for your air fryer steak bites. I went with a chili lime flavor. A few other flavors to try:
- Garlic butter
- Cajun seasoning
- Montreal steak seasoning
- Just good old salt and pepper!
More Delicious Keto Steak Recipes
Air Fryer Steak Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb (566.99 g) steak, (top sirloin, NY strip, or ribeye)
- 1 tbsp (14.2 g) olive oil
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- zest of 1 lime, (about 1 tsp)
- juice of 1 lime, (about 2 tbsp)
Instructions
- Cut the steak as evenly as you can into 1 inch chunks. Place in a large bowl.
- Add the oil, seasonings, lime zest and lime juice. Toss to coat well.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Add the steak to the air fryer basket in a single layer, allowing some space between each piece for even browning. You may need to work in batches.
- Cook 5 to 7 minutes, until nicely browned but still pink in the center. The steak bites should reach 125ºF on an instant read thermometer.
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Prep the steak bites exactly as directed above. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the bites in a single layer. If your pan isn’t big enough, you may need to work in batches.
- Let them cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes, then quickly flip them over and cook on the second side for another minute or so. They should be seared on the outside but still a little pink and tender in the center.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Delicious!
These are amazingly tender and so flavourable. I made sure I had brought the meat to almost room temp before beginning, Highly recommend. Leftovers are good cold from the fridge to nibble on too.
I use this recipe over and over again. It’s a family favorite. Thank you!
I can’t wait to try this tonight, with our “feels like” temps over 100 degrees! I was thinking of trying to add a little Tajin seasoning as well…mmmmm
Ugh, stay cool!
This is absolutely delicious!! Big big hit and super easy on blood sugars. We will be making this regularly. Thank you for sharing this!!
This recipe is so easy to make, it literally took me just less than 30 minutes to do everything. It came out so tasty and yummy, we loved it!
So delicious and cooked up so quickly! This is my kid’s favorite way to eat steak 😉
I was worried about them sticking, so I used a bit more butter. Delish! My family practically inhaled them!
Hi! Crazy question – How do you lift the tray? I got the air fryer lid for Christmas and have had a little trouble with this.
Lift the tray? You mean the basket insert that comes with the lid? That goes right inside the normal metal insert. It has two levels (another little insert you can put inside the basket for a second level of food. then you just use hot mitts to lift the whole basket out when cooking is done.
I just bought a Ninja Air Fryer, the one that looks like a small oven but flips up when you aren’t using it to save on counter space, and am looking forward to trying some of these recipes out! A whole new world is opening up for me!!
Hello Carolyn!
Love beef with lime and garlic. Also LOVE using my air fryer!
Want to Thank you for this recipe using an air fryer as well.
Have to tell you that I look forward to your emails with your
wonderfully tasty recipes.
Have lost 70 pounds doing Keto/low carb.
Your recipes are very often on our table!
THANK YOU !!
Thanks, Carol, and congrats on your progress!
Carol – congratulations on your weight loss! I’m just starting keto and I’m loving Carolyn’s website and recipes. I saw your comment and it made me feel so inspired. So thank you for that! 🙂