Air Fryer Steak
on Sep 18, 2022, Updated Feb 13, 2025
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Perfectly cooked steak in an air fryer? Absolutely! Great results, with a beautiful outer crust and tender meat every time.
It may seem surprising that you can cook a perfect steak in an air fryer, but try it once, and you’ll be convinced. The hot circulating air creates a beautiful exterior crust and keeps the meat pink, juicy, and tender inside.
Plus, you’ll be able to get that perfect indoor-cooked steak without filling your house with smoke, as so often happens when you sear steaks on the stove. And all you have to do is press a button and sit tight! The air fryer is a great solution when the grill isn’t an option, and you don’t want to fry your steak in a pan.
This air-fried steak recipe also includes an easy herb and garlic compound butter, which is always a nice touch to a flavorful steak dinner. Serve the steak with Roasted Potatoes, Creamed Spinach, Sautéed Green Beans, or Garlic Bread. Leftover steak can be sliced and added to salads, like Caesar Salad or Greek Salad.
Table of Contents
Air Fryer Steak: Perfectly cooked steak in an air fryer? Absolutely – great results, with a beautiful outer crust and tender meat every time
Ingredients
- Beef steak – You can use any nicely marbled quick-cooking steak you want; read the note below for more.
- Olive oil – Adds great flavor and helps form a nice crusty exterior.
- Salt and black pepper
- Unsalted butter – Make sure it is at room temperature so you can mix in the herbs and aromatics.
- Parsley, thyme, and garlic – For flavoring and providing earthy notes to the compound butter.
Best Cut of Steak to Cook in an Air Fryer
This air-frying method works well for any nicely marbled, quick-cooking steak. I used a rib-eye here, but you can also use this method for a T-Bone, New York strip, sirloin, Porterhouse, and the like. The timing may vary a bit, mostly depending on the thickness and size of the steak (see below for suggested cooking times!).
How to Cook Steak in an Air Fryer
- Bring the steak to room temperature: Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Allow the steak to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cooking while the air-fryer preheats.
- Prepare the steaks: Rub all sides of the steak with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Air fry the steak: Cook the seasoned steak in the air fryer until it reaches your desired doneness. For a 1-inch steak, this should be about 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, 10 to 12 minutes for medium, and 12 to 14 minutes for medium-well.
- Make the herbed garlic butter: Combine the butter, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Finish and enjoy: Transfer the steak to a cutting board and top it with the garlic herb butter. Let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
Best Temperature to Air-Fry Steak
The preferred temperature is 400 degrees F. Remember to preheat your air fryer before adding the steak. Many recipes don’t mention this, but most air fryer experts agree that for better results and more reliable cooking times, preheating the air fryer is a necessity.
How Long to Cook Steak in an Air Fryer
The thickness of the steak is the most important factor in determining cooking time. Thicker steaks, as one would imagine, take longer to cook. The weight of the steak can also be relevant; larger steaks will also take longer to cook. However, the thickness of the steak is the most important factor when calculating how long to cook your steak.
A 1-inch steak should be about 7 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, 9 to 11 minutes for medium, and 11 to 14 minutes for medium-well. Check the chart below for more information.
| Doneness | 1-Inch Thick | 1 1/2-Inch Thick | Internal Temp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 6 – 8 minutes | 7 – 9 minutes | 125 F |
| Medium-rare | 7 – 10 minutes | 8 – 12 minutes | 130 F |
| Medium | 9 – 11 minutes | 11 – 13 minutes | 140 F |
| Medium-well | 11 – 14 minutes | 14 – 16 minutes | 150 F |
| Well-done | 12 – 14 minutes | 17 – 20 minutes | 155 F |
Kitchen Smarts
Use an instant-read thermometer to check the steak’s internal temperature. Remember, the temperature will continue to climb another few degrees as it sits before slicing.
Tips and Variations
- Bring steak to room temperature before cooking it in the air fryer.
- Don’t crowd the steaks. If you are cooking more than one steak in an air fryer, make sure the basket is large enough so the steaks can have at least 1 inch between them.
- Try fresh rosemary instead of the thyme.
Storage
Keep leftover steak in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
What to Serve With Air-Fried Steak
More Steak Recipes
- Perfect Stovetop Rib-Eye Steaks
- Steak au Poivre
- Marinated Petite Filets
- Filet Mignon with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Lemon-Herb Mayo
- Grilled Filet Mignon
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Air Fryer Steak
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (18-ounce) 1-inch thick ribeye steak (or other nicely marbled steak)
- 1 teaspoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
Instructions
- Let the steak sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat the air fryer to 400 F.
- Rub the steak with olive oil and season it on both sides generously with salt and pepper. Place the steak in the middle of the air fryer basket and cook until it reaches your desired doneness. For a 1-inch steak, this should be about 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, 10 to 12 minutes for medium, and 12 to 14 minutes for medium-well.
- While the steak is cooking, in a small bowl, using a fork, combine the butter, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Transfer the steak to a cutting board and top it with the compound butter, allowing the butter to melt over the warm steak. Let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve the steak whole or sliced.
Notes
| Doneness | 1-Inch Thick | 1 1/2-Inch Thick | Internal Temp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 6 – 8 minutes | 7 – 9 minutes | 125 F |
| Medium-rare | 7 – 10 minutes | 8 – 12 minutes | 130 F |
| Medium | 9 – 11 minutes | 11 – 13 minutes | 140 F |
| Medium-well | 11 – 14 minutes | 14 – 16 minutes | 150 F |
| Well-done | 12 – 14 minutes | 17 – 20 minutes | 155 F |
