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Air fryer steak skewers are smothered in a homemade garlic parmesan butter and prepared in an air fryer for extremely tender juicy steak.
If you’ve recently tried my garlic parmesan chicken skewers, you are going to be head over heels for their sister version – these cajun garlic parmesan air fryer steak skewers.
This steak is seasoned up with a cajun seasoning then seared on the outside and super tender and juicy on the inside. Cooking steak in the air fryer couldn’t be easier and it makes a dinner the whole family will love. Of course, if you don’t have an air fryer, I have listed instructions for how to make these in the oven, on the grill, or on the stove.
Air Fryer Steak Key Ingredients:
There are just a handful of ingredients needed to make these cajun garlic butter steak skewers. Be sure to read through the full recipe for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Steak – start with a 1″ thick cut of quality steak such as ribeye, New York, or Tri Tip
Butter – salted butter is the base of the sauce.
Garlic – lots of fresh garlic is used in this recipe, you can use less if you prefer.
Parmesan – we use grated parmesan as it easily incorporates into the butter sauce.
Parsley – flat-leaf parsley adds the perfect freshness.
Cajun seasoning – I make mine homemade, but you can buy premade seasonings. We use this on the steak and in the sauce.
How to Make Cajun Garlic Parmesan Steak in the Air Fryer:
In just a few easy steps you can have these air fryer steak skewers prepared for your gathering or dinner. Here’s how:
Step 1: Marinate Steak – Cut the steak into pieces 2″ wide pieces, then add them into a bowl or zip-top bag along with olive oil and seasonings. Marinade them for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight. While the steak is marinating, soak the skewers in water (if using wood).
Step 2: Make the garlic parmesan butter on the stove or in a bowl in the microwave. Start by melting the butter and garlic together, then add cajun seasoning and the grated parmesan. Mix well until it’s incorporated, then remove from the heat and add the fresh parsley.
Step 3: Thread the marinated steak onto the skewers, packing them closely together to ensure they stay juicy as they cook. Preheat the air fryer (if your model requires you to do so) to 400 degrees.
Step 4: Air fry skewers – baste the skewers on both sides with the butter mixture. Cook the skewers, a few at a time, into the air fryer basket and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches your desired doneness. As they cook baste them with the garlic parmesan butter, flipping them once. I like to hit them with more garlic parmesan butter once they are done cooking.
Steak Temperatures
For reference, here are the internal temperatues for steak. Be sure to take a reading of your steak temp and pull it a few minutes before your desired doneness is reached. The steak will continue cooking as it rests.
- Rare: 125°F
- Medium-Rare: 135°F
- Medium: 145°F
- Medium Well: 155°F
- Well: 160°F
Tips for Cooking the Perfect Air Fryer Steak:
Alternate Cooking Methods – You can cook these on the stove, on the grill, or in the oven if you do not have an air fryer. I’ve listed all of the instructions in the recipe card below.
Room Temp Steak – be sure to remove your steak from the fridge after it’s done marinating about 30 minutes before you cook it to remove the chill. Cooking cold steak will result in a tougher texture.
Homemade Seasoning – I always prefer to use my own seasoning blends for all my recipes. Not only can you control the sodium, but you can also adjust to make it more flavorful.
Better Browning – adding olive oil when you marinate the steak will help them brown better in the air fryer.
Rest Steak – as with all steak recipes, it’s vital to rest the steak on a plate for at least 5 minutes with loosely tented foil to allow the juices to redistribute.
Tools I Love
Air-Fryer Sized Skewers
Metal Air Fryer Sized Skewers
Ninja Foodie Dual Zone Air Fryer (BPA-Free)
Stainless Steel BPA-Free Air Fryer
Looking for More Skewer Recipes?
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
Hot Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers
Food Court Bourbon Chicken Skewers
Spicy Ranch Chicken Skewers
I hope you enjoy this easy air fryer steak skewer recipe. Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback! If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!
Cajun Garlic Parmesan Air Fryer Steak Skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs steak ribeye, New York, tri tip, sirloin, etc.
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- prepared cajun seasoning
Garlic Parmesan Butter Sauce
- 1 stick stick butter 8 tablespoons
- 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated
- 1 tbsp hot sauce more if desired
- 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp prepared cajun seasoning
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon mild paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
Instructions
- Cut the steak into pieces 2" wide pieces, then add them into a bowl or zip-top bag along with olive oil and a few spoonfuls of cajun seasoning, enough to well coat the steak. Marinade them for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight.
- Soak the skewers in water before using (if using wood skewers) for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the garlic parmesan butter on the stove or in a bowl in the microwave. Start by melting the butter and garlic together, then add cajun seasoning and the grated parmesan. Mix well until it's incorporated, then remove from the heat and add the fresh parsley.
- Thread the marinated steak onto the skewers, packing them closely together to ensure they stay juicy as they cook. Preheat the air fryer (if your model requires you to do so) to 400 degrees.
- Baste the skewers on both sides with the butter mixture. Cook the skewers, a few at a time, into the air fryer basket and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches your desired doneness.
- As they cook baste them with the garlic parmesan butter, flipping them once. I like to hit them with more garlic parmesan butter once they are done cooking.
Notes
-
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet or pan over medium-high heat until hot.
-
Sear the steak pieces in batches for 2-3 minutes each side until edges are crispy and browned, adding extra oil as needed. Set aside.
-
Reduce heat to medium. Add a several spoonfuls of the garlic parmesan butter into the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.
-
Remove pan from the heat and throw in the steak bites back in and toss through the garlic parmesan butter to evenly coat. Serve warm.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place steak skewers on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and cook for 14 minutes, flipping half way through and basting with butter a few times throughout the baking process.
- Switch the oven to broil and cook an additional 2 minutes so get the tops golden brown. Remove from the oven and baste it one last time with the butter sauce and sprinkle with leftover parmesan.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high. Place the prepared skewers over direct heat and cook each side for 5-6 minutes each, basting with butter throughout the cooking process.
- Remove from the grill and baste it one last time with the butter sauce and sprinkle with leftover parmesan.
- Rare: 125°F
- Medium-Rare: 135°F
- Medium: 145°F
- Medium Well: 155°F
- Well: 160°F
