Published: Apr 30, 2022 · Modified: Jan 27, 2025 by Tanya · This post may contain affiliate links · 174 Comments

Perfect Air Fryer Steak with Garlic Herb Butter

Name: Perfect Air Fryer Steak
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 2 8 oz Ribeye steak; salt; freshly cracked black pepper; olive oil*; 1 stick unsalted butter (softened); 2 Tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped); 2 teaspoon garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce; 1/2 teaspoon salt

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If you are wondering how to make the perfect air fryer steak then look no further. This method of cooking steak in the air fryer provides perfect juicy steak each and every time.

air fried steak on metal pan with butter on top

The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

I only had the intention of making fried foods when I purchased my Air Fryer. Little did I know how amazing this appliance was and that it could make much more than fried food. Now I have a ton of air fryer recipes as I use it all the time.

Initially, I used it to make chicken for my Healthier General Tso's Chicken in the Air Fryer and I used it often for roasting vegetables, but that was it. Then I discovered that my air fryer could make juicy steak!

Top your steaks with my homemade garlic butter that can be whipped up easily and can go on many dishes including fish, bread, and vegetables. I like to create more than we need for our steaks and save the rest for later in the fridge. I would eat the stuff by the spoonful if I could.

Many people will read this and wonder why even bother making a steak in the air fryer. Yes, steaks on the grill are amazing and a cast iron steak is also a good alternative but there are many reasons why some may choose to cook steak in an air fryer.

Your steak gets cooked perfectly every time. Since the air fryer is operated in a small space with a fan, the heat temperature is consistent. This means every time you decide to make a steak, it will be cooked at the perfect temperature and come out just the way you want it so long as you follow your time settings.
It's a hands-off dinner. I literally season my steaks, place them in the air fryer, and flip them when my halfway timer goes off. There is no need for me to watch it. This comes in handy when I'm going back and forth between my kitchen and my dining room to help my daughter with her homework.
The stove/grill isn't always available. My husband does all the grilling in our house and his steaks are AMAZING but it's not always grilling weather. Also, my stovetop steaks always get finished in the oven, which can make the house hot.

Be sure to try my Air Fryer Steak Fajitas and Air Fryer Steak Kebabs too!

How to cook steak in the air fryer

Prepare Garlic Butter by mixing butter, parsley garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and salt until thoroughly combined. Place in parchment paper and roll into a log. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Remove steak from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Rub a little bit of olive oil on both sides of the steak and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Grease your Air Fryer basket by rubbing a little bit of oil on the basket. Preheat Air Fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once preheated, place steaks in the air fryer and cook for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Remove from air fryer and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Top with garlic butter.

What's the best cut of steak to cook in the air fryer?

The beauty of steak in your air fryer is that you can cook different cuts in the machine. I've made delicious filet mignon, skirt steak, and ribeye. Just remember to adjust cooking times based on the thickness of the steak and doneness preference. Making beef tenderloin in the air fryer is also a must for my steak lovers!

I have found that 400 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature to cook steak in the air fryer, for an 8-ounce ribeye, it will take 12 minutes, and remember to flip halfway through. An instant-read thermometer is a must for cooking steaks at home, and I've included the temperatures in the recipe at the bottom so you can cook it to exactly your liking.

Can you marinate the steak?

I love to have my steak simply seasoned with salt and pepper, but if you prefer you can use seasoned salt or your favorite liquid marinade for extra flavor. Marinate the steak for at least an hour or up to 8 hours, then let it come up to room temperature before cooking in the air fryer.

Degrees of Doneness

For an idea of the correct to cook your steak, follow the times below. Make sure you use a quick read thermometer to check the correct temperatures.

Temperature	Doneness
125°F (52°C)	rare
135°F (57°C)	medium-rare
145°F (63°C)	medium
150°F (65°C)	medium-well
160°F (71°C)	well-done

What sides go with steak?

This recipe is so perfect for date night, serve it up alongside your favorite veggie and potato sides for a real feast! Try it with:

For a similar recipe, try my Air Fryer Lamb Chops. For other ways to cook your steak, try my pan-seared steak.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Adding olive oil to the steaks is optional. I do it for flavor.
Make sure that your steak is at room temperature before adding it to the air fryer. This will help it to stay tender and juicy.
Preheat your air fryer fully before adding the steak so that it cooks through evenly. If your air fryer doesn't have a preheat setting, let it run at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes before placing it in.
Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before serving, cover it loosely with foil to keep it warm. This will get the steaks perfectly juicy.
The garlic herb butter will keep well for a couple of weeks in the fridge and it freezes well for up to 3 months.

If you're looking for a place to get awesome steaks and other meats, try Butcher Box. They are a meat delivery service specializing in grass-fed and organic meats. You can check out my unboxing of my first meat order on Facebook and my 9 month review of ButcherBox.

Watch this video tutorial and see how I make this air-fried steak from start to finish.

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4.85 from 89 votes

Perfect Air Fryer Steak

It's so easy to cook a restaurant quality steak in the air fryer, and don't forget to top it with my garlic and herb butter for a dinner to remember!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword air fried steak recipe, air fryer steak, how to cook steak in the air fryer

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Resting Time 5

Total Time 32

Servings steaks

Calories 683kcal

Author Tanya

Ingredients

2 8 oz Ribeye steak
salt
freshly cracked black pepper
olive oil*

Garlic Butter

1 stick unsalted butter softened
2 Tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
2 teaspoon garlic minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Garlic Butter

Prepare Garlic Butter by mixing butter, parsley garlic, worcestershire sauce, and salt until thoroughly combined.
Place in parchment paper and roll into a log. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Air Fryer Steak

Remove steak from fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Rub a little bit of olive oil on both side of the steak and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Grease your Air Fryer basket by rubbing a little bit of oil on the basket. Preheat Air Fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once preheated, place steaks in air fryer and cook for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.*
Remove from air fryer and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Top with garlic butter.

Suggested Tools

Quick Read Thermometer

Video

Notes

*Adding olive oil to the steaks is optional. I do it for flavor.

*This recipe creates Medium cooked steak. For medium-rare, cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. For medium-well, cook for 14 minutes, flipping halfway through. To ensure it is done to your liking, use a quick read thermometer to check the temperature.

The thickness of your steak will determine how long you need to cook your steak. For thin ribeyes, I lower the cooking time to 7-8 minutes for medium steak.

Temperatures for Steak are as follows:

125°F for rare
135°F for medium-rare
145°F for medium
150°F for medium-well
160°F for well-done

This Garlic Herb Butter is delicious on its own. You will not need all of it for this recipe.

Make sure that your steak is at room temperature before adding it to the air fryer. This will help it to stay tender and juicy.
Preheat your air fryer fully before adding the steak so that it cooks through evenly. If your air fryer doesn't have a preheat setting, let it run at 400F for 5 minutes before placing it in.
Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before serving, cover it loosely with foil to keep it warm. This will get the steaks perfectly juicy.
The garlic herb butter will keep well for a couple of weeks in the fridge and it freezes well for up to 3 months.

Equipment for the Perfect Air Fryer Steak

Calibrated Instant Read Thermometer (Best on the market to read a temperature in a second or less)
Air Fryer
Parchment Paper

Nutrition

Calories: 683kcal

My Southern Air Fryer ECookbookFind all my Top Southern Air Fryer recipes in one place! My Southern Air Fryer ECookbook!

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Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.