Garlic Butter Steak Bites

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These dairy-free Garlic Butter Steak Bites are a juicy, tender appetizer or main dish recipe! Flash cooked in just seconds, they are then tossed in a garlic butter glaze and topped with green onion and fresh parsley. You’ll have a crowd-pleasing, succulent meal in a matter of minutes! {Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free}

Spiriteds, SHUT THE FRONT DOOR, pull up a chair, and sit right down. Because over here in the Spirited kitchen we have gluten-free, dairy-free Garlic Butter Steak Bites, and our family is absolutely bonkers for them. Once you make Garlic Butter Steak Bites, we think you’ll go bonkers, too. Allergen-friendly butter + fresh garlic + juicy sirloin in our very own kitchens? What’s not to love? More than just garnishes, we also intentionally add minced fresh parsley and thinly sliced green onion. Their herbaceous, piquant flavors contrast the sirloin and buttery spread so that each serving is a bite bursting with flavor.

And whether you serve these steak bites as a hearty appetizer or a pleasantly filling main dish, there’s no denying they have a restaurant-style quality about them, no reservations required. The short ingredient list and flash-cook method mean you have a high-quality meal on your hands without strenuous input. It’s a high-reward/low-effort meal, and that’s a culinary win in our book.

These Garlic Butter Steak Bites are perfect for special occasions, group gatherings, and dinner because it’s, well, dinnertime. Serve them on their own or alongside vegetables, rice, pasta, or gluten-free crusty bread.

If all of this sounds incredible to you, then grab a skillet, some chopped sirloin, and let’s get flash-cooking! You’ll have your own Garlic Butter Steak Bites in no time flat!

Garlic Butter Steak Bites are

• Gluten-Free and dairy-free
• Savory, herbaceous, and buttery
• Perfect as an appetizer or as a main course
• Ready in a matter of minutes

Garlic Butter Steak Bites ingredients

The butcher I spoke with suggested a sirloin for this recipe. He was so on the money. Juicy enough to taste delicious and still tender enough to enjoy.

• Top sirloin. Cut into cubes. I don’t worry about making mine uniform, but I do pay attention to size and err on the side of medium to small pieces. 
• Olive oil. I err on the side of just enough to cover the bottom of the pan and then add more during the flash cooking process, if needed.
• Sea salt. I add a little to the olive oil at the start. If I have to work in batches to prevent the bites from overlapping, then I’ll add more to each round.
• Buttery spread. I love Earth Balance Buttery Spread. They have a soy-free version that is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. But any dairy-free buttery option should do the trick.
• Fresh garlic. I use a full 6 cloves. However, feel free to adjust this up or down to suit your tastebuds. Our crew salivates over this succulent dish while we also ward off vampires!
• Fresh parsley, sliced green onion, and black pepper. Each to taste. I confess I go a little overboard with the greens because they taste so good in the garlic butter drizzle.

Side note: If you would like to make this recipe paleo-friendly, then in place of the buttery spread then consider coconut oil. It is a lovely coating agent that holds in seasonings, spices, and other flavorings. If you do use coconut oil, though, then consider adding another pinch or two of sea salt to enhance the coconut oil’s flavor.

How to make Garlic Butter Steak Bites

1. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a skillet and add 1-2 pinches of sea salt. Turn the stove on to a MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Let the oil warm up. Once it is hot, transfer only as many steak bites to the skillet as will fit without overlapping. Flash cook for 90 seconds. Then turn each steak bite over and flash cook for another 90 seconds. Remove the steak bites from the skillet and transfer them to a bowl and cover. Repeat this step for each remaining batch of steak bites. If necessary, add a little more olive oil and a pinch of sea salt for each subsequent batch.
2. Once all steak bites have been flash-cooked, then melt the butter on a LOW-to-MEDIUM heat in the same pan (I choose to quickly rinse my skillet so the butter doesn’t burn or blacken, but that’s entirely up to you). Add the pressed garlic to the butter and sauté until the garlic deepens in color but isn’t burned. Add another pinch of sea salt, too, if desired. I find using a silicone spatula works particularly well in this step.
3. Drizzle the garlic butter over the steak bites and toss until evenly coated.
4. Stir in, or garnish with, green onion, fresh parsley, and coarse black pepper.
5. This dish is best enjoyed right after it’s made. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and, for best results, consume within 24 hours.

What is flash-cooking?

I would love to say I knew about flash cooking all along. But the truth is, the butcher at my grocery store told me all about it when he helped me select the right sirloin for this recipe. He had two suggestions for recipe success: 

• Top sirloin ✅
• Flash cooking ✅

Spiriteds, he is, hands down, the reason this recipe works. If you’re new to flash cooking, it’s an extremely high heat for a decidedly short cooking time. In today’s recipe, we’re talking an average of 90 seconds on each side. No slow and steady cooking here. In fact, I set my microwave timer to 90 seconds just to stay on track. That attention to detail pays off every time.

Will the sirloin be pink in the center?

The butcher I spoke to who recommended the sirloin for this recipe forewarned that the centers of the steak bites would likely still be pink. Mine were, although to varying degrees. Some were still a dark pink and somewhat juicy. Others were a much lighter pink and cooked through. From what he shared and what I researched, a pink center isn’t inherently bad. If you’re curious about levels of doneness, then you might enjoy Certified Angus Beef brand’s article, Degree of Doneness. If you’re curious about whether it’s okay to eat pink-centered steak, then you might enjoy Spoon University’s article, Why It’s Perfectly Safe for Your Steak to be Pink.

Additionally, if you’d like to take steps to increase the level of doneness in your bites, here are a few tips.

• Cut the bites into smaller pieces.
• Slice the sirloin in half, like you would a bagel, to make each bite thinner. This is especially helpful when you work with thicker top sirloin pieces. 
• After cooking for the first 90 seconds, gently slice each bite enough to create an opening but not enough to slice it apart. Flip the bites over, sliced side face down, and cook for the second set of 90 seconds.
• For uncooked corners or edges, press the bites into the skillet long enough to brown that particular area, as you might an undercooked portion of bacon. 

I have seen recipes that call for anywhere from 2-4 minutes on each side. You may need to do that for larger bites. Regardless, if you have concerns about cooking levels and doneness, then check with your local butcher for options and cook time suggestions specific to cut of meat you work with in this recipe. 

Suggestions for recipe success

• Although this recipe is surprisingly easy to make, it is important to follow the cooking instructions so the meat doesn’t become tough from overcooking, which can happen in a matter of minutes.
• Only place as many steak bites in the pan as will fit without overlapping. When you add the steak bites to the pan, do so in an order that is easy to remember. This way when you turn them over for the second round of 90-second flash-cooking, you remember which steak bite was placed first. To make it easy on myself, I start at the edge of the pan, working clockwise around the edge, heading towards the center of the pan.
• If you’d like to get really technical, then imagine your sauté pan is a clock and pretend the first steak bite in is at a certain time on the clock. Then you remember exactly which steak bite was placed first.
• Since they cook at different temperatures, prepare and cook the steak bites and garlic butter separately.

Appetizers as main courses as appetizers

These dishes pull double duty as either starters or the star of the show or BOTH!

• Homemade Loaded Hummus. Serve this with crackers, pretzels, or little bread bites.
• Sautéed Shrimp Appetizer Skewers. If you have crusty gluten-free bread on hand to sop up the sauce that forms, then so much the better.
• Spicy Mushroom Pâté. Whether you serve it with vegetables, salt and pepper crackers or chips, or toasted bread, the umami flavor and meaty consistency of this dish is pleasantly filling.

Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. Jump into the fun when you can, and always remember I’m glad you’re here. ❤️

Garlic Butter Steak Bites

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These dairy-free Garlic Butter Steak Bites are a juicy, tender appetizer or main dish recipe! Flash cooked in just seconds, they are then tossed in a garlic butter glaze and topped with green onion and fresh parsley. You’ll have a crowd-pleasing, succulent meal in a matter of minutes! {Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free}

• Author: Spirited and then Some
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dishes
• Method: Flash-cooking
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 pounds top sirloin, cut into cubes
• Olive oil (enough to cover bottom of pan)
• Pinches of sea salt for each batch of steak bites
• 1/4 cup buttery spread (I like soy-free Earth Balance Buttery Spread)
• 6 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced (more or less as desired)
• 1/4 green onion, thinly sliced (more or less as desired)
• Coarse black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a skillet and add 1-2 pinches of sea salt. Turn the stove on to a MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Let the oil warm up. Once it is hot, transfer only as many steak bites to the skillet as will fit without overlapping. Flash cook for 90 seconds. Then turn each steak bite over and flash cook for another 90 seconds. Remove the steak bites from the skillet and transfer them to a bowl and cover. Repeat this step for each remaining batch of steak bites. If necessary, add a little more olive oil and a pinch of sea salt for each subsequent batch.
2. Once all steak bites have been flash-cooked, then melt the butter on a LOW-to-MEDIUM heat in the same pan (I choose to quickly rinse my skillet so the butter doesn’t burn or blacken, but that’s entirely up to you). Add the pressed garlic to the butter and sauté until the garlic deepens in color but isn’t burned. Add another pinch of sea salt, too, if desired. I find using a silicone spatula works particularly well in this step.
3. Drizzle the garlic butter over the steak bites and toss until evenly coated.
4. Stir in, or garnish with, green onion, fresh parsley, and coarse black pepper.
5. This dish is best enjoyed right after it’s made. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and, for best results, consume within 24 hours.

Notes

• Only place as many steak bites in the pan as will fit without overlapping.
• Do not overcook the steak bites.
• Since they cook at different temperatures, prepare and cook the steak bites and garlic butter separately.
• If you have problems with uneven flash-cooking after cooking for the first 90 seconds, then gently slice each bite enough to create an opening but not enough to slice it apart. Flip the bites over, sliced side face down, and cook for the second set of 90 seconds.
• Please see blog post for additional tips, tricks, and troubleshooting ideas.