Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (2024)

Published: · Updated: by Mindy Boyd

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For our Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe we have chosen to season our steaks simply with Montreal Steak Seasoning. I know for us, and most families, it is important to save money when meal planning. This is a great option for making an easy meal that is inexpensive because you only need a few ingredients.

Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (1)

Add a starchy side dish like potatoes, a veggie like green beans or corn, and a simple side salad and you have a well rounded, affordable, and delicious meal. Plus, cooking cube steak in the air fryer makes getting dinner on the table quick and easy!

Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (2)

I find that we are air frying more and more because you can use less oil to cook, it’s quick, and you can cook so many different foods in it. It’s also the perfect way to cook in the summer when you don’t want to heat the house up with the oven. I received my air fryer as a gift but they are relatively inexpensive. You can get one for around $60 and can probably find an even better deal around Prime Day or Black Friday. It really is a great investment.

Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (3)

Table of contents

  • What you will love about this recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Ingredient Notes
  • What is cube steak
  • How to Make Air-Fried Cube Steak
  • What Temperature to Cook Cube Steak in the Air Fryer
  • How Long to Cook Cube Steak in the Air Fryer
  • Do You Turn Steak in an Air Fryer?
  • Helpful Tips
  • More Air Fryer Recipes
  • Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe ↓
Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (4)

What you will love about this recipe

  • It is a flavorful dish that only requires 3 ingredients.
  • This cooking method results in tender and juicy steak with a slightly crispy exterior.
  • It is an inexpensive cut of steak making it an affordable main dish.

Ingredients

Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (5)

Ingredient Notes

Cube Steak– one steak per person.

Montreal Steak Seasoning– this spice mixture varies depending on the restaurant or manufacturer but the main spices are garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dill seed, and salt. This is a great way to add tons of flavor using just one ingredient.

Non-stick Cooking Spray– any variety will work. We usually buy olive oil spray but the only type my local grocery store had that day was the vegetable oil kind, so that is what I bought.

Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (6)

What is cube steak

Cube steak or cubed steak is an inexpensive cut of beef, usually top sirloin or top round, that is tenderized by pounding it with a meat tenderizer (a meat mallet that usually has points protruding on one side and is flat on the other side). I have seen them made of metal and wood. Pounding the steak breaks down the fibers making it tender.

How to Make Air-Fried Cube Steak

  1. Spray the inside of the air fryer with cooking spray.
  2. Place cube steaks on plate and spray the tops of the steaks with cooking spray, season with Montreal Steak Seasoning on one side. Place steaks seasoned side down in a single layer in the air fryer basket, spray with cooking spray and season with seasoning.
  3. Cook at 380° for 6 minutes, flip over and cook another 3-4 minutes or until steaks are cooked to the desired doneness.
  4. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (7)
Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (8)

What Temperature to Cook Cube Steak in the Air Fryer

We cook our steaks at 380°. I would not go higher than 400° and would decrease the cook time a little if cooking higher than 380°. They are thin steaks and you don’t want the outside to brown too much before the inside gets cooked. As stated below, find what works best in your air fryer and go with that.

How Long to Cook Cube Steak in the Air Fryer

Generally it will take 4-6 minutes for the first side and 3-5 minutes for the second side. Find the cooking time that works best for you in your model air fryer and then you can make them perfectly to your liking every single time.

Do You Turn Steak in an Air Fryer?

Yes, the hot air comes from the top of most air fryers so you want to flip them over so they cook more evenly. The best way to cook a steak is to cook it a little longer on the first side than you do on the second side.

Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (9)

Helpful Tips

  • Allow steaks to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before air frying them.
  • Cube steaks that are cooked rare or medium rare will be chewy so cook the steak until the center is cooked, it can be very slightly pink.
  • Steaks are done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°. I almost never use mine, I just cook them until they look and feel done.
  • As you can see in the photo the steaks touch each other when I put them in the air fryer basket but will shrink after a short time cooking, this is fine. If the steaks are too big then either cut them down a bit so they fit or cook them in batches.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftover cube steak in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Thekitchnhas a great article about how to reheat steak.

Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (10)

More Air Fryer Recipes

Ground Beef Taquitos

Cheddar Brats

Country Style Ribs

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Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe ↓

Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (11)

Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak

Mindy Boyd

Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe is a perfect flavorful meaty main dish because it is inexpensive and ready in about 15 minutes!

5 from 13 votes

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Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 9 minutes mins

Resting Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 16 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 steaks

Ingredients

  • 4 cube steaks 4-6 ounces each
  • Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste
  • Nonstick cooking spray

I earn a small commission from Instacart for qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Spray the inside of the air fryer basket with cooking spray.

  • Place cube steaks on a plate and spray with cooking spray and season with Montreal Steak Seasoning on one side. Place steaks seasoned side down in a single layer in the air fryer basket, spray with cooking spray and season the second side with seasoning.

  • Cook at 380° for 6 minutes, flip over and cook another 3-4 minutes or until steaks are cooked to the desired doneness.

  • Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Nutritional information is approximate.

See tips, notes, suggestions, and other valuable information in the post above.

Bookmark this page to find it quickly when you are ready to make this recipe!

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 318kcal | Protein: 35g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 570mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was with a comment below.

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Easy 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Cube Steak Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook cube steak so it's tender? ›

The best way to cook cube steak for tenderness is slowly and evenly, so a slow cooker can do the trick when you have ample time to spare. However, braising, pan-frying, and sauteing also work. Just be sure to cook with enough liquid to keep the steak moist.

How to make cube steak yourself? ›

In a bowl or plastic bag add flour,salt,onion powder,garlic powder and black pepper. Add cubed steak in flour mixture and coat well. Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add cubed steak and brown on both sides for 15 minutes.

Do I need to flip my steak in the air fryer? ›

Your steak will cook through, if left on just one side. However, because flipping can place a different part of the steak closer to the heating element (for an air fryer, this is at the top), a steak will cook more evenly if flipped halfway through.

Should I bake or air fry steak in air fryer? ›

The air fryer cooks food by blowing intensely hot air down and around it—an ideal way to always make juicy, tender steak that will have your family oohing and ahhing. It Cooks FAST. The air fryer is faster than the oven or preheating the grill.

How do you tenderize beef cubes quickly? ›

You can velvet meat and make it melt-in-your-mouth tender by quickly tossing chunks of beef or chicken in about ¾ tsp of baking soda for about 15 minutes before your next stir fry, then rinse and pat the meat dry before putting in the pan.

How do you make cube steak not tough? ›

A few ways to make your cube steak more tender include:
  1. Marinating the meat in a buttermilk or vinegar-based marinade.
  2. Using a home meat mallet on your steaks to break down the muscle fibers even more.
  3. Slicing against the grain before quick-cooking methods like stir-frying and sautéing.
Feb 1, 2021

Why do you soak cube steak in milk? ›

It's milk. Here's why:

A steak that marinates in an acidic or enzymatic liquid too long, such as citrus juice or cola, becomes tough or mushy. But the acid in milk is so mild that you can soak beef in it long enough to tenderize it effectively, without damaging the proteins on the surface.

How long do you tenderize cube steak? ›

Place the cube steaks in the milk and turn them to coat them in the mixture. The soaking time depends according to how tough the steaks are and how tender you would like them to be. Like a marinade, however, you will get best results by soaking the steaks for four hours or overnight.

Do I put oil on steak before air frying? ›

Get the Recipe

Pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Season both sides generously. Let the steaks sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. To prevent the steaks from sticking to the air fryer basket, lightly grease it with olive oil or cooking spray.

What temperature do you air fry steak? ›

Preheat a 3.5-quart air fryer to 400 degrees F. Season the steak on both sides with a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Place the steak in the center of the air fryer basket and cook until desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare, 12 minutes for medium and 14 minutes for medium-well.

What type of steak is best for Airfryer? ›

Ribeye and New York strip steak tastes great when prepared in an air fryer, but many other cuts such as tri-tip, flank steak, and top round also work well.

Why is my air fryer steak tough? ›

Don't use steaks that are less than an inch in thickness. Thin steaks are prone to overcooking quickly and becoming chewy. To enjoy the best flavor and texture, allow the steaks to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking them in the air fryer.

Do steaks brown in air fryer? ›

Air fryers circulate hot air to quickly brown the the steak's exterior for golden brown edges that mimic a hard sear. This date-night dinner is practically foolproof as long as you follow a few simple steps.

How do you make steak soft and not chewy? ›

7 Ways to Tenderize Steak
  1. Pounding. Using a meat mallet (or kitchen mallet) to pound steaks helps soften and tenderize the meat. ...
  2. Salting. Most cuts of steak benefit from being salted up to an hour in advance of cooking, but especially tougher cuts. ...
  3. Marinating. ...
  4. Velveting. ...
  5. Slow Cooking. ...
  6. Enzymatic Application. ...
  7. Scoring.
Oct 18, 2022

How long to simmer beef cubes until tender? ›

Add the beef, beef broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Cover and cook, skimming broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, about 1½ hours.

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