Air Fryer Steak Tips (Steak Bites with Asparagus)

Air fryer steak tips are bite-size pieces of steak with a dark, peppery crust and a juicy, pink middle, with asparagus roasting right next to them in the same basket. My favorite part is how little there is to clean up afterward. That crust starts before the steak ever goes near the basket, and I’ll walk you through it.

Want one big steak instead of bites? Try my air fryer steak with herb butter. For a stovetop version with a bright green sauce, make my steak bites with chimichurri sauce.

What Are Steak Tips?

Steak tips are small, bite-size pieces of steak. In New England they usually mean sirloin tips, cut from the flap of the bottom sirloin and sold in strips or chunks. Everywhere else, the name covers any tender steak cut into cubes.

Steak bites are the same idea under a different name. I cut mine from ribeye or New York strip, because the marbling keeps small pieces juicy in high heat. One thing to watch: a package labeled “sirloin tip” can also be a lean cut from the round, which gets chewy when cooked fast.

Which Air Fryer Is Best for Steak Tips?

Steak tips brown only in a single layer with space between the pieces, and the asparagus needs room beside them later. A wide basket, 6 quarts or more, fits both.

I use this 8-quart Gourmia air fryer. The rest of the small appliances I use are in my Amazon shop.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Steak Tips

Steak, a spoonful of oil and six spices, plus asparagus for the side. The cut of steak matters more than anything else on the list. Amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom.

Air Fryer Steak Tips

• Steak: ribeye or New York strip, trimmed of big pieces of fat. Their marbling melts in the hot air and keeps each bite juicy; sirloin is leaner and cheaper, and beef chuck is the budget pick.
• Oil: I use extra light olive oil, and avocado oil works too. A thin coat helps the spices stick and browns the surface faster.
• Kosher salt: I use Morton, and the amount in the card is measured for it. Salt draws juice to the surface, so it goes on right before cooking.
• Black pepper: freshly ground has the most bite. It toasts in the hot air and gives the crust its peppery edge.
• Garlic powder and onion powder: the dried kinds cling to the meat and don’t burn at 400°F. Fresh minced garlic scorches in the air fryer before the steak is done.
• Montreal steak seasoning: coarse pepper, garlic and dill seed in one jar. It adds a steakhouse flavor without measuring five more spices.
• Cayenne pepper: just a pinch for warmth, not heat. Leave it out for kids.

Air Fryer Asparagus

• Asparagus: medium spears roast in the same few minutes as the steak. Snap off the woody ends; zucchini spears swap in easily.
• Oil and kosher salt: a light coat keeps the tips from drying out. The oil is optional if you like them more roasted than glossy.

Garnish

• Fresh chives or parsley: this is decoration only, for color. Nothing changes if you skip it.

How to Make Air Fryer Steak Tips

Prep takes about 10 minutes, and most of it is cutting even cubes. While the air fryer heats up, the steak gets its seasoning.

Prep the Steak Tips

Cube and season the steak first, then heat the air fryer.

1. Trim and cube the steak into even 3/4-inch pieces, cutting off large pieces of fat and gristle.
   
   Which steak should I buy?

   Ribeye and New York strip stay the most tender in high heat. Sirloin is leaner and a little firmer, and it costs less. Beef chuck works as a budget cut: cut it a bit smaller and stop at medium, because it turns chewy if it cooks longer.
   Why does the cube size matter?

   Same-size pieces finish at the same time. Small ones overcook while big ones are still raw, and the timing in the card is for 3/4-inch cubes.
2. Season the steak tips in a bowl or zip-top bag with the oil, salt and spices, and massage until every piece is coated. Pat the steak dry first, or the seasoning slides off and the outside steams instead of browning.
   
   Can I season them the night before?

   Yes. Toss the cubes with the oil and spices, leave out the salt, and keep them covered in the fridge for up to a day. Salt pulls juice to the surface over time, so add it right before cooking.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for about 5 minutes.
   
   Can I skip preheating?

   Not for steak. A hot basket starts browning the moment the meat lands. In a cold one, the steak cooks through before the crust has time to form.
   Should I spray the basket?

   Skip the aerosol cooking spray. It leaves a sticky film that builds up with every use and wears down the nonstick coating. The oil on the steak is enough to keep it from sticking.

Air Fry the Steak Tips and Asparagus

The steak goes in first, and the asparagus joins it for the last few minutes.

1. Spread the steak tips in the basket in a single layer, with a little room between the pieces. Don’t pile them up, or they steam and turn gray instead of browning.
   
   My air fryer basket is small.

   Cook the steak in two batches and keep the first batch warm on a plate under foil.
2. Air fry the steak tips at 400°F for 4 to 6 minutes, until they’re browned, then check the biggest piece with an instant-read thermometer.
   
   How do I know they’re done?

   Medium-rare reads 130 to 135°F in the center, and medium reads 135 to 145°F. The full chart, with the USDA safe temperature, is below the steps. Air fryers run hotter or cooler than their dials, so the thermometer is the surest check.
   My steak tips are gray, not brown.

   The steak was wet, the basket was crowded, or the air fryer wasn’t hot yet. Next time, pat the cubes dry, cook them in one layer and preheat first. For this batch, spread them out and give them another minute or two.
3. Add the asparagus tossed with its oil and salt: shake the steak, push it to one side and lay the spears on the other side. Air fry about 3 minutes more, until the asparagus is bright green and crisp-tender.
   
   Can I use a different vegetable?

   Zucchini spears take about the same time. Thicker vegetables like broccoli or potatoes need a head start, so cook those first and add the steak after.

   

4. Rest the steak tips on a plate for 2 to 3 minutes, sprinkle with chives or parsley and serve hot.
   
   Why rest pieces this small?

   A short rest lets the juices settle back into the meat instead of running onto the plate. It also counts toward the 3-minute rest the USDA gives for whole cuts of beef.

Marina’s Pro Tips for theBest Air Fryer Steak Tips

A few small habits give you a crust and a pink middle in the same bite.

• Dry the steak tips before they meet the oil. Surface water turns to steam in the basket, and steamed steak stays gray instead of getting that dark crust.
• Cut every steak tip the same size. Even cubes all reach the same doneness together, so nothing on the plate is tough while its neighbor is raw.
• If you season the steak tips ahead, add the salt last. Put it on right before cooking, because salt sitting on the meat pulls out juice that then has to cook off before browning starts.
• Oil the steak, not the air fryer basket. Aerosol cooking spray leaves a gummy coat that ruins the nonstick finish over time.
• Check the steak tips at the short end of the time. Small cubes go from pink to gray in a minute, and you can always put them back in.

Here are the temperatures I use to decide when they come out.

Air Fryer Steak Tips Doneness Temperatures

Mine take 4 to 6 minutes at 400°F before the asparagus goes in, then about 3 minutes more with it. Your air fryer may run hotter or cooler, so check the center of the biggest piece with a thermometer.

Steak tips are whole-muscle beef, not ground, so the safe number is 145°F with a 3-minute rest, not the 160°F used for burgers. Medium-rare sits below that line, and plenty of people cook steak that way by choice. One exception: if the package says “mechanically tenderized” or “blade tenderized,” cook it to 145°F. Those needles can push surface bacteria into the middle of the meat.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Steak Tips

The asparagus makes it a meal already. For a bigger dinner, add one of these:

• Potatoes: my fluffy whipped mashed potatoes for a classic steak dinner, air fryer french fries for a steak-frites night, crispy oven roasted potatoes, or air fryer breakfast potatoes with a fried egg for steak and eggs.
• A green sauce: the chimichurri from my steak bites with chimichurri sauce is bright and garlicky against the peppery crust.
• Salad or bowls: leftover steak tips over greens, rice or a baked potato make an easy lunch the next day.

How to Make Air Fryer Steak Tips Ahead

Cube the steak and toss it with the oil and spices, without the salt, up to a day ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge, and trim the asparagus at the same time. At dinner, add the salt, preheat and cook.

Quick answers to what readers ask most.

More Air Fryer Dinners to Try

Air Fryer Steak

A whole New York strip with herb butter, for nights you want the full steak. →

Steak Bites with Chimichurri

Seared in a skillet and topped with a bright, garlicky green sauce. →

Air Fryer Pork Chops

Three ingredients and juicy chops with a golden crust. →

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Crackly skin and juicy meat, with no pot of oil on the stove. →

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Air Fryer Steak Tips (Steak Bites with Asparagus)

4.91 from 61 votes

Air fryer steak tips with a dark, peppery crust and juicy middles, plus crisp asparagus from the same basket. A steak dinner with nothing to scrub after.

Author: Marina | Let the Baking Begin

Course: lunch, Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer steak, steak bites, steak tips

Calories: 526 kcal

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

Servings: 3 servings

Ingredients

Air Fryer Steak Tips

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) ribeye or New York strip steak or sirloin tips; beef chuck for a budget version
• 1 tsp (5 ml) oil extra light olive oil or avocado oil
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt Morton
• 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Montreal steak seasoning
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for a little heat

Air Fryer Asparagus

• 1 lb (450 g) asparagus tough ends trimmed; zucchini spears work too
• 1/2 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt Morton

Garnish

• 1 Tbsp fresh chives or parsley chopped, optional

Equipment: The pans and tools I use are in my Amazon shop.

Instructions

Prep the Steak Tips

1. Trim and cube 1 1/2 lb ribeye or New York strip steak into even 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes, cutting off any large pieces of fat and gristle. (Notes 1 and 2)

2. Pat dry and season the cubes, then toss them in a bowl or zip-top bag with 1 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp Montreal steak seasoning and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper. Massage until every piece is coated. If you season ahead, add the salt right before cooking. (Note 5)

3. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for about 5 minutes. Skip the aerosol cooking spray; it builds up and ruins the nonstick basket. (Note 4)

Air Fry the Steak Tips and Asparagus

1. Spread the steak in the basket in a single layer, with a little space between the pieces. Piled-up steak steams and turns gray, so cook two batches in a smaller air fryer. (Note 6)

2. Air fry for 4 to 6 minutes, until the steak tips are browned. Check one of the biggest pieces with an instant-read thermometer (Note 3).

3. Add the asparagus by tossing 1 lb asparagus with 1/2 tsp oil and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Toss the steak, push it to one side of the basket, add the asparagus to the other side, and air fry about 3 minutes more, until the asparagus is bright green and crisp-tender. (Note 7)

4. Rest and serve after 2 to 3 minutes on the plate. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp fresh chives or parsley and serve hot.

Recipe Notes

1. Cut: ribeye and New York strip are the most tender. Sirloin (often sold as sirloin tips or steak tips) is leaner and costs less. Beef chuck is the budget pick; cut it a little smaller and stop at medium, because it turns chewy when cooked further.
2. Cube size: the times are for 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes. Bigger cubes take a few minutes longer, so go by the thermometer.
3. Doneness: medium-rare 130-135°F, medium 135-145°F, medium-well 145-155°F. The USDA safe minimum for whole cuts of beef is 145°F with a 3-minute rest. If the package says "mechanically tenderized" or "blade tenderized," cook to 145°F.
4. No cooking spray: aerosol sprays leave a sticky film that builds up and wears down the nonstick coating. Oil the steak instead.
5. Seasoning ahead: season the cubes without the salt and keep them covered in the fridge for up to a day. Add the salt right before cooking.
6. Basket size: my 8-quart air fryer fits the whole batch in one layer. In a smaller basket, cook the steak in two batches.
7. Other vegetables: zucchini spears work in place of the asparagus and take about the same time.
8. Storage: refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Steak Tips (Steak Bites with Asparagus)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 526 Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Fat 34g52%

Saturated Fat 14g88%

Cholesterol 138mg46%

Sodium 703mg31%

Potassium 913mg26%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 49g98%

Vitamin A 1210IU24%

Vitamin C 8.5mg10%

Calcium 52mg5%

Iron 7.1mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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I first shared these air fryer steak tips in February 2019, and they have picked up more than 60 reader ratings since. In September 2026 I updated the post with a doneness temperature chart and the USDA safe temperature, a guide to choosing the cut, tap-to-open tips under every step, and new make-ahead and storage sections.