These garlic butter steak bites can be sizzling on your plate in only 15 minutes, with each bite smothered in tasty garlic butter. And here's my secret for even more flavour - a splash of marsala wine takes these tender steak bites to a whole new level.
Steak bites with garlic butter is a quick and easy recipe that is ideal for a busy weeknight. Because the steak is cut into small pieces, it only takes a few minutes to cook. I've chosen to serve it with homemade fried chips, which do take a while to cook. You could save time by popping a tray of shop-bought frozen oven chips into the oven while the steak is cooking.
For extra flavour and taste, I've added a splash of Marsala wine. It adds another dimension to the buttery garlic sauce. I used sweet Marsala but dry would work just as well. There's not a whole lot of difference in taste. You could substitute Marsala with sherry or vermouth if you prefer, or if you don't drink alcohol you could substitute it with balsamic vinegar.
This recipe is not intended to make a lot of sauce - there should just be sufficient to spoon a small amount over the steak bites when they are served.
Even though I enjoy steak, I'm not a lover of a large piece of meat on my plate, so these little garlic bites are right up my street.
They are also perfect for spearing on cocktail sticks and handing around as party nibbles or canapes.
This recipe was inspired by two other recipes on my site - marsala mushroom sauce and this recipe for steak strips in marinara sauce, which is also made with smaller pieces of steak. Apart from the chips, it also pairs beautifully with these quick and easy garlic mushrooms.
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Let me show you how to make it.
What you will need
Equipment
For cutting up the steak you will need a sharp knife and a chopping board. And for frying the steak and making the sauce you will need a frying pan.
Ingredients
This recipe will make sufficient steak bites for 2 people. However, you can double the ingredients to make a larger quantity.
- Cubed steak - use good quality steak that you would normally use for grilling, such as rump, sirloin or ribeye. The steak should be patted dry with a paper towel and then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Butter - this is mixed with a little sunflower oil for frying the steak bites, and also used in the sauce.
- Oil - used to prevent the butter from burning when frying the steak.
- Garlic - this is fresh garlic that has been minced. You can adjust the quantity according to your own taste.
- Worcestershire sauce - adds a savoury element to the dish.
- Salt and pepper - this is used for seasoning the steak and is to taste. Do bear in mind that the Worcestershire sauce will also add a salty component to the dish.
- Marsala wine - used for the sauce. You can use either sweet or dry marsala. I used sweet because I was serving the dish with mushrooms and I thought the sweetness would complement them. Substitute the marsala with either sherry or vermouth or for a non-alcoholic version use balsamic vinegar. You could also leave it out altogether.
- Parsley - this is freshly chopped parsley and it is stirred into the steak bites at the last minute.
**You can find the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making these garlic butter steak bites on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
What to do
Heat the oil and half the butter in a frying pan until hot, then add the steak and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Sear the steak on all sides.
Continue to stir-fry the steak for 2 to 3 minutes until it reaches your desired level of doneness (rare, medium or well-done). Transfer the meat to a plate, leaving any butter in the pan.
Transferring the meat to a plate serves two purposes. It frees up the pan so that you can make the sauce, and it allows the meat to rest while the sauce is being prepared.
Adjust the heat to medium and add the minced garlic to the pan. Stir fry for one minute until the garlic starts to soften. Don't let it burn or it will turn bitter.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, Marsala and the remaining butter and stir until the butter melts. Allow the sauce to boil for one to two minutes.
Return the steak to the pan and stir so that it is well coated in the sauce. Allow it to cook for a further minute or two until the steak is well-heated.
Stir in the chopped parsley, then serve immediately with your choice of side dishes. Drizzle a spoonful of the buttery Marsala sauce over the steak bites.
Top tips for perfect garlic butter steak bites
- Do pat the steak dry before cutting it into cubes so that there is minimum moisture added to the pan.
- Allow the pan to get really hot before adding the steak so that it sears on the outside and seals all the moisture in. If your pan is cold the meat will release moisture as it cooks and will stew rather than sear, resulting in tough meat.
- For the same reason, if you are making a larger quantity, sear the steak in batches so that the temperature of the pan does not drop when you add the meat.
- Do remember to turn the heat down before adding the garlic - we don't want the garlic to burn.
Serving suggestions
I like to serve the garlic butter steak bites with homemade chips, garden peas and garlic mushrooms. Here are some other ideas:
- For a spicy version, fry a finely chopped chilli pepper with the garlic or add a dash of hot sauce such as Sriracha or Tabasco with the Marsala.
- Add a cup of beef stock to the sauce, thicken with a slurry of cornflour and water and serve the steak bites over a pile of mashed potatoes with a side vegetable of your choice.
- And of course, as I mentioned earlier, spear the steak bites onto cocktail sticks, pour the buttery sauce into a dipping bowl and serve as canapes.
Storage
These steak bites are so quick to make, it's probably faster to make them from scratch than it is to freeze and defrost them.
If you do want to freeze them, let them cool and then store them in a plastic bag or tupperware container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
To use - reheat the defrosted steak bites in a frying pan over moderate heat until piping hot. Do try not to overcook them!
FAQ
Oil has a higher smoke point than butter and it will prevent the butter from burning at the high heat that is required for searing the steak.
Searing is nothing more than cooking the outside of the meat very quickly over a high heat. This seals in all the juices and flavour of the steak pieces, resulting in tender meat with a slightly crispy exterior.
Yes, you could substitute the steak with cubes of either boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts.
Save for later
If you would like to make these garlic butter steak bites why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Other steak recipes
Looking for other easy steak recipes? Try these:
You can find these and other similar recipes on my beef recipes page
📋The recipe
Garlic butter steak bites
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Frying Pan
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
- 12 ounces / 350 grams sirloin steak or rump / ribeye / tenderloin
- 1 ounce / 30 grams butter for frying steak
- 1 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 2 teaspoons crushed garlic about 3 cloves
- 1 ounces / 30 grams butter for sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons Marsala wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Pat the steak with a paper towel to remove any moisture and cut it into bite-sized pieces12 ounces / 350 grams sirloin steak
- Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan until hot, then add the steak and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Sear the steak on all sides.1 ounce / 30 grams butter, 1 tablespoons sunflower oil, Salt and pepper to taste
- Continue to stir-fry the steak for 2 to 3 minutes until it reaches your desired level of doneness (rare, medium or well-done). Transfer the meat to a plate, leaving any butter in the pan.
- Adjust the heat to medium and add the minced garlic to the pan. Stir fry for one minute until the garlic starts to soften. Don't let it burn or it will turn bitter.2 teaspoons crushed garlic
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, Marsala and the remaining butter and stir until the butter melts. Allow the sauce to boil for one to two minutes.1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons Marsala wine, 1 ounces / 30 grams butter
- Return the steak to the pan and stir so that it is well coated in the sauce. Allow it to cook for a further minute or two until the steak is well-heated.
- Stir in the chopped parsley, then serve immediately with your choice of side dishes. Drizzle a spoonful of the buttery Marsala sauce over the steak bites.3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Notes
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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