This Air Fryer Steak recipe is ready in less than 10 minutes and is a delightful meal any night of the week! Take the guesswork out of making perfect steak with this easy air fryer recipe.
For all those evenings you’re craving steak but you want it NOW, air fryer steak is here for you!
Air frying steak gives you a delicious perfectly cooked result in a fraction of the time, and you’ll be amazed at how well it turns out. I know I was when I first tried it!
While Perfect Grilled Steak is my ideal cooking method, getting the barbecue heated and the back and forth between the house and grill can take longer than some of us want to wait.
I also love a Reverse Seared Steak in a cast iron skillet but again, for a quick weeknight meal, the air fryer method is just so goof-proof.
Let’s dive in!
What You Need for Air Fryer Steak:
Air Fryer: Use your preferred air fryer model. I use a Ninja Air Fryer.
Steak: Pick up New York Strip, sirloin steak, or Ribeye steaks. I used two 8-ounce grass-fed New York Strips for this tutorial, but the cut of steak is up to you.
The best steak to use for air frying has some intramuscular fat marbling, which keeps it juicy throughout the cooking process and also brings rich flavor to the meat.
Oil: I use avocado oil because it has a neutral flavor and doesn’t burn at high heat. Olive oil works too!
Seasonings: Sea salt, garlic, and black pepper are all you need for an incredible steak! You don’t need to overcomplicate it with fancy marinades or lots of seasonings, as these three ingredients make your steak taste incredibly rich and delicious.
That said, you can season steaks however you like. Many people enjoy using Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, or Cajun seasoning.
How to Make Air Fryer Steak:
Step 1: Prepare the Steak
If you have the time, remove the steaks from the refrigerator 10 to 30 minutes before you want to cook them. This allows the temperature of the steak to rise closer to room temperature for even cooking and gives it a chance to soak up the flavors from the seasonings.
Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel then coat them in a light layer of avocado oil or olive oil. Sprinkle both sides liberally with sea salt and garlic powder.
Step 2: Preheat the Air Fryer
Plug in your Air Fryer and preheat it to 400 degrees F for 4 to 5 minutes prior to air frying the steaks.
This enables you to get that incredible sear on the outside of the steak, as the hot air will immediately start doing its work, similar to searing in a cast iron skillet or deep frying, once the steaks go in.
Step 3: Air Fry Steak
Place the steaks in the basket of the air fryer and air fry at 400 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, flipping half-way through.
For medium steaks, air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping half-way through.
Step 4: Let Meat Rest
Transfer the steaks to a plate and allow them to rest for 10 minutes. This allows the juices to distribute throughout the meat and results in the most tender, delicious result.
What to Serve with Steak:
While the steak is resting, you can air fry broccoli, or make Air fryer Green Beans or Air Fryer Garlic Butter Brussel Sprouts. I love steak with Easy Sautéed Vegetables or Italian Pasta Salad.
You can serve this perfect air fryer steak with your choice of dipping sauces like soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, herb butter, chimichurri sauce, compound butter, tzatziki sauce or homemade garlic butter.
Don’t be fooled by the fact the steak takes so little time or effort to prepare. This easy recipe yields some of the best steak I’ve tried and it’s even amazing enough for a special occasion! Serve it up with some garlic butter sauce and your favorite side dishes for a real wild ride.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat it in your air fryer.
How Long to Air Fry Steak:
For a 1-inch thick steak to be medium-rare, air fry for 7 to 10 minutes total, flipping half-way through. For medium steak, air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping half-way through. Thinner steaks will require less cooking time at 7 minutes for medium-rare and 10 minutes for medium.
The exact cook time depends on the temperature of the steak before it goes into the air fryer and also the thickness of your steak. In general, you’ll be air frying for 7 to 12 minutes total.
The best way of ensuring you’ve reached your perfect doneness, use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature of the steak.
Final Cooking Temperatures for Steak:
What temperature to cook juicy air fryer steak? These are the temperature ranges for each level of doneness.
- Medium rare: 130-135°
- Medium: 135-145°
- Medium well: 145-155°
There you have it! Everything you need to know in order to make perfect juicy steak each and every time.
The next time you’re craving steak in a hurry, whip up this easy recipe!
If you’re looking for more air fryer recipes, also check out my Air Fryer Steak Bites, Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Thighs, Crispy Air Fryer Salmon, Easy Air Fryer Pork Chops, Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Shrimp.
Juicy steak in a jiffy!
Air Fryer Steak
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 (8-oz.) New York Strip Steaks*
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- Sea Salt
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 10 to 30 minutes before you want to cook them. This allows the temperature of the steak to rise closer to room temperature for even cooking and gives it a chance to soak up the flavors from the seasonings.
- Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel then coat them in a light layer of avocado oil or olive oil.
- Sprinkle both sides liberally with sea salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
- Plug in your Air Fryer and preheat it to 400 degrees F for 4 to 5 minutes prior to air frying the steaks.
- Place the steaks in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 400 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes for medium-rare steak, flipping half-way through.
- For medium steaks, air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping half-way through.
- Transfer the steaks to a plate and allow them to rest for 10 minutes. This allows the juices to distribute throughout the meat and results in the most tender, delicious result.
Notes
Nutrition
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