High-Protein Garlic Herb Steak Bites
Juicy seared steak bites tossed in garlic herb butter — steakhouse flavour in 20 minutes
These high-protein garlic herb steak bites are juicy, deeply seared and glossed in garlic herb butter — the kind of steak dinner that feels like a steakhouse but lands on the table in 20 minutes.
Per serving: 38g protein, 2g net carbs and 380 calories. Ready in 20 minutes, and completely sugar-free.
Why you’ll love these steak bites
- 38g protein per serving — a proper high-protein dinner
- Only 2g net carbs and 380 calories per serving
- Deep, dark sear with a juicy centre
- Glossy garlic herb butter over every bite
- Ready in 20 minutes, one pan
- Perfect over cauliflower rice, mash or a big salad
Health notes
- Sirloin: One of the leanest steaks — big protein, moderate fat.
- Garlic & herbs: Huge flavour for zero sugar and almost no carbs.
- Butter, measured: Just enough to gloss, not drown.
- No marinade sugar: Many steak marinades hide sugar — this one never had it.
- Iron & B12: Red meat’s strengths, in a balanced portion.
Key element — dry steak, hot pan, don’t crowd
Pat the steak cubes completely dry, get the pan properly hot, and sear in a single layer in batches. Wet, crowded steak steams grey. Dry steak in a hot, uncrowded pan gets that dark crust in the photo.
Ingredients
Steak bites
- 1½ lbs sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Garlic herb butter
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning or dried thyme
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Swaps
- Steak cut: Ribeye is richer, filet is leaner — same method, adjust sear time.
- Chicken: The same garlic herb butter works on chicken bites (cook to 165°F).
- Dairy-free: Swap butter for ghee or olive oil.
- Chimichurri style: Double the parsley and add 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar at the end.
Instructions
| 1 | Prep the steak. Cut the steak into even 1-inch cubes. Pat completely dry with paper towels and toss with the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. |
| 2 | Heat the pan. Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking. |
| 3 | Sear in batches. Sear the steak in a single layer, 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Do it in two batches if needed and set the bites aside. |
| 4 | Make the garlic butter. Lower the heat to medium. Melt the butter and stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper flakes for 30 seconds until fragrant. |
| 5 | Gloss the bites. Return all the steak bites and any juices to the pan. Toss for 1 minute until every bite is coated and glossy, like the photo. |
| 6 | Rest and serve. Rest 3 minutes, scatter with fresh parsley, and serve hot — over cauliflower rice, mash or a big green salad. |
Pro tips
- Dry steak sears; wet steak steams. Pat it down properly.
- Never crowd the pan — two batches beats one grey batch.
- Use tongs for the hot pan, never fingers near the oil.
- Pull the bites at medium-rare to medium; they keep cooking in the butter toss.
- Let the steak sit at room temperature 15 minutes before cooking for an even sear.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 380 |
| Protein | 38g |
| Net carbohydrates | 2g |
| Total carbohydrates | 2g |
| Fiber | 0g |
| Total fat | 24g |
| Sodium | 520mg |
Per serving (4 servings), locked from the cover: 38g protein, 2g net carbs and 380 calories. Exact macros vary with steak cut and fat trimming.
Variations
Chimichurri
Double the parsley, add oregano and a splash of red wine vinegar off the heat.
Mushroom
Sear sliced mushrooms in the garlic butter before tossing the steak back in.
Cajun
Swap the seasoning for 2 tsp Cajun seasoning and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Blue cheese
Crumble blue cheese over the hot bites so it just starts to melt.
Storage
| Method | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Up to 3 days | Airtight container with the garlic butter juices |
| Freezer | Up to 2 months | Freeze cooked bites; texture is best reheated gently |
| Reheat | — | Quick hot skillet, 1–2 minutes — don’t microwave to death or they’ll toughen |
