Best Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes

This garlic steak bites and potatoes recipe has saved my butt on so many crazy weeknights. After 12 years of trying to get dinner on the table for my family, I've finally nailed down this one-pan meal that works every single time. What started as me cutting up leftover steak has turned into the dinner Emma begs for twice a week - he calls them "the little steak squares" and gets so excited when I pull out the cast iron pan.

Black dish of garlic steak bites and golden baby potatoes, garnished with herbs and minced garlic on a wooden board.

Why You'll Love This Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes

I've made this garlic butter garlic steak bites and potatoes dish for so many families that I know exactly why it works. First, it's all done in one pan, which means way less dishes when you're already tired. Second, it's ready in 30 minutes, so you can have dinner faster than waiting for pizza delivery. Emma loves helping me cut the potatoes (with his plastic knife), and even the pickiest kids I know ask for seconds.

The best part? You probably have everything sitting in your kitchen right now. No weird ingredients or fancy tools - just a good pan and regular stuff from your fridge. Plus, it tastes like you cooked all day when really you just tossed everything together and let it do its thing.

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes
Ingredients for Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes
How To Make Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes Step By Step
Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes Variations
Smart Swaps for Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes
Equipment For Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes
Storing Your Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes
What to Serve With Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes
Top Tip
Grandma's Hidden Recipe: A Family's Legacy
FAQ
Time to Fire Up That Pan!
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garlic Steak Bites And Potatoes

Ingredients for Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes

The Steak:

Sirloin steak
Salt and black pepper
Garlic powder
Smoked paprika

The Potatoes:

Baby potatoes or small red potatoes
Olive oil
Salt
Fresh thyme

Overhead shot of seasoned sirloin steaks on a wooden board, a bowl of baby red and gold potatoes, and small dishes of olive oil, salt, thyme, and smoked paprika.

The Garlic Butter:

Butter
Fresh garlic cloves
Fresh parsley
Lemon juice

If You Want:

Fresh rosemary
Onion powder
Red pepper flakes

See recipe card for quantities.

Top-down view of small ceramic bowls filled with paprika, chili flakes, garlic powders, plus fresh parsley on a light surface.

How To Make Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes Step By Step

Get Everything Ready:

Cut potatoes in half (quarters if they're big)
Cut steak into 1-inch pieces
Chop up garlic
Heat your cast iron pan

Overhead view of bowls with diced steak, cubed potatoes, butter, Worcestershire sauce, dried herbs, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme/rosemary on marble.

Start with Potatoes:

Pour oil in hot pan
Throw in potatoes with salt
Cook 15-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes
They should be golden and mostly soft

Close-up of whole baby potatoes sizzling and steaming in a cast-iron skillet, speckled with herbs and crisped skins.

Add The Steak:

Push potatoes to one side
Season steak with salt, pepper, garlic powder
Put steak on empty side of pan
Let it sit 2-3 minutes
Flip and cook 2 more minutes

Top-down shot of browned steak cubes sizzling in a cast-iron pan; tongs rest at the side and a bowl of potatoes sits nearby.

Garlic Butter Time:

Taste and add more salt if you want
Drop butter in the pan
Add chopped garlic
Mix everything together for 1 minute
Sprinkle parsley and squeeze lemon

Cast-iron skillet of seared steak bites and golden potatoes tossed with herbs; a wooden spoon scoops in melted garlic butter.

Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes Variations

Loaded Style:

Throw in bacon bits
Sprinkle cheese on top
Sour cream on the side
Green onions for looks

Italian Way:

Use Italian seasoning
Toss in cherry tomatoes
Finish with parmesan
Basil instead of parsley

Spicy Version:

Red pepper flakes
Extra paprika
Hot sauce drizzle
Jalapeño slices

When Company Comes:

Add mushrooms
Use fresh rosemary
Drizzle balsamic at the end
Serve with good bread

For Picky Kids:

Skip the garlic (sorry!)
Extra butter
Just salt and pepper
Ketchup on the side

Smart Swaps for Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes

Different Meat:

Sirloin → Ribeye (costs more but super tender)
Regular → Strip steak
Beef → Chicken thighs (cut into chunks)

Potato Swaps:

Baby potatoes → Regular potatoes (cut smaller)
Red → Yukon gold
Fresh → Frozen (thaw first)

No Fresh Garlic:

Fresh garlic → Garlic powder (use way less)
Regular → That jar stuff from the store
Garlic → Onion powder

Butter Options:

Regular butter → Plant butter
Salted → Unsalted
Butter → Olive oil (not as tasty but works)

Herb Switches:

Fresh → Whatever dried stuff you have
Fresh parsley → Dried parsley
Thyme → Rosemary

Equipment For Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes

Cast iron skillet (12-inch works best)
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Wooden spoon or spatula

Storing Your Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes

In the Fridge (2-3 days):

Let it cool down completely first
Put it in a container with a lid
When you reheat it, use a pan not the microwave
Add a little butter when reheating

Reheating Tips:

Heat up a pan first
Add the leftovers
Stir it around for a few minutes
Don't microwave - it makes everything soggy

Make-Ahead:

You can cut everything up earlier in the day
Keep steak and potatoes separate until cooking
Season right before cooking, not ahead of time

Freezing:

Honestly, don't freeze this one
The potatoes get weird and mushy
The steak gets tough
Just make fresh when you want it

What to Serve With Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes

From making this for so many family dinners, here's what goes great with it. For easy weeknight sides, I usually do a simple green salad with ranch, steamed broccoli (Emma actually eats this!), or just some corn on the cob. If I want bread, crusty dinner rolls or garlic bread work perfect - you can never have too much garlic. When company comes over, I might do a Caesar salad and roasted Brussels sprouts to make it look fancy, but honestly the steak and potatoes are so good they don't need much help.

Most nights I just microwave some frozen vegetables and call it dinner. The steak and potatoes are filling enough that you don't need anything crazy on the side. For the kids, mac and cheese from the box or plain green beans usually make everyone happy. If you want this to feel like a special dinner, just grab a bagged salad and some store-bought rolls - nobody will know you didn't spend all day cooking.

Top Tip

The biggest mistake people make with this garlic steak bites and potatoes recipe is moving the steak around too much once it hits the pan. When you first add those seasoned steak pieces, don't poke at them or flip them right away. Let them sit there for a full 2-3 minutes so they can get that beautiful golden-brown crust. That's what gives you those crispy, caramelized edges that make this dish so good.

I know it's hard to just stand there and wait when you're hungry, but those extra few minutes of leaving everything alone is what makes the difference between okay steak bites and the amazing ones that disappear fast. Emma used to try to help by stirring everything constantly, and we'd end up with gray, steamed meat instead of those crispy brown pieces we wanted.

Grandma's Hidden Recipe: A Family's Legacy

My grandma never wrote down her version of garlic steak bites and potatoes, but I watched her make it every Sunday for years. She had this trick where she'd keep a little jar of bacon grease on her counter, and when she made this dish, she'd add just a spoonful to the pan before the potatoes went in. "Everything tastes better with a little bacon love," she'd say with a smile. That tiny bit of smoky fat made the potatoes taste amazing and gave them this golden color you just can't get with regular oil.

Her other secret was the timing. While everyone else would dump everything in the pan at once, she'd start those potatoes and let them get almost done before the steak even touched the heat. "Good things take time," she'd tell me as we waited. Then she'd add the steak for just long enough to get it brown on the outside but still soft inside. Now when I make this dish, I can almost hear her telling me to slow down and let each step happen right.

FAQ

Which cut of meat is best for garlic steak bites and potatoes?

Sirloin is my go-to because it stays tender when cut small and doesn't cost a ton. Ribeye works great too if you feel like spending more - it's super tender and tasty. Don't use tough cuts like chuck roast since they need hours to get soft.

Should I cook potatoes or steak first?

Always start with the potatoes! They take way longer to cook through and get crispy. I give them about 15-20 minutes to get golden and almost soft, then add the steak. If you do it backwards, your steak will be tough by the time the potatoes are done.

What to marinate garlic steak bites and potatoes in?

You don't really need to marinate them for this recipe. Just season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder right before cooking. If you want to marinate, keep it simple - olive oil, garlic, and herbs for 30 minutes tops. Any longer makes the meat weird and mushy.

What goes with Garlic Steak Bites and Potatoes?

Keep it simple! A green salad, steamed vegetables, or some bread all work great. I usually just microwave frozen broccoli and call it dinner. This dish is filling enough that you don't need anything fancy on the side.

Time to Fire Up That Pan!

Now you know how to make perfect garlic steak bites and potatoes - from getting the timing right to Grandma's bacon grease trick. This one-pan dinner has saved me on so many crazy weeknights, and I know it'll do the same for you. Emma still gets excited every time I pull out the cast iron pan because he knows those "little steak squares" are coming.

Want more comfort food? Try our Healthy French Onion Soup Recipe that tastes just like the restaurant stuff. Need another quick dinner? Our Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe comes together fast and beats takeout every time. And check out our Best Cream Corn Recipe - it's perfect when you want something a little special on the side.