Tender, perfectly cooked air fryer steak served with a tangy horseradish cream. No grill, broiler, or BBQ required!

Easy, Hands-Off Air Fryer Steak

This air fryer steak is an easy, reliable alternative to the grill or broiler that produces tender, perfectly cooked steak without turning on the oven or heading outside. Just a quick, no-fuss method that works year-round!

It’s a simple way to get beautifully cooked steak just the way you like it (minus the char). Plus a tangy horseradish cream for dipping or drizzling that gives this steak Sunday supper vibes. I like to toss a handful of shoestring fries into the air fryer while the steak rests for an easy, air fryer steak frites. It’s a great date night dinner that feels fancy (like it came straight out of a bistro kitchen), but really the air fryer is doing most of the work. And I love that for me!

Perfectly medium-rare steak cooked in the air fryer. Plus a tasty horseradish cream for dipping.

How to cook the perfect air fryer steak

The key to a perfect steak is knowing your desired doneness and removing the steak from the heat before it reaches the finishing temperature. The steak will continue to cook off the heat while it rests, so it’s important to pull the steak off the heat when the internal temperature reads slightly less than your desired finishing temperature. This means you want to remove your steak from the air fryer when the internal temperature of the steak reads 125°F for medium-rare, or 136°F for medium.

For more details and to see the full range of doneness temperatures (including rare, medium-well, and well done), see my Steak Doneness Guide.

More air fryer steak success tips

Let the steak sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This takes the chill off and helps the steak cook more evenly. This is also a great time to season the steak with a rub (like my homemade blackened seasoning) or a marinade (I like this one because I always have the ingredients on hand).
Bring the air fryer up to temperature. Let the air fryer preheat to 400°F for about 5 minutes before adding the steak. You wouldn’t add a steak to a cold grill, so don’t add it to a cold air fryer.
Flip the steak halfway. This helps ensure even cooking across both sides of the steak. Depending on the thickness of the steak and your desired doneness, the steak will take anywhere from 8-12 minutes to cook, meaning you’ll want to look to flip it after 4-6 minutes.
Rest the steak before cutting. Transfer the cooked steak to a cutting board or plate and cover it loosely with foil. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. This ensures the juices aren’t lost once you cut into it, giving you a moister, juicier steak.

Tender, medium-rare air fryer steak. No BBQ, broiler, or oven required! Just a quick, no-fuss method that works year-round.

Add fries for steak frites

Make it a meal by air frying some french fries while the steak rests. Simply add a few handfuls of shoestring fries into the air fryer and cook until golden and crispy, tossing occasionally. Season the fries with salt (or my homemade fry seasoning) and serve alongside your steak with horseradish cream or garlic aioli for drizzling and dipping. Voila, easy air fryer steak frites!

Air Fryer Steak (with Horseradish Cream Sauce)

Cook perfectly medium-rare steak in the air fryer. No grill, broiler, or BBQ required! Plus a tasty horseradish cream for dipping and drizzling.

Prep Time 30

Resting Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 50

Servings 4 servings

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Ingredients

2 lbs steak
olive oil, for brushing
kosher salt, to taste
cracked black pepper, to taste

Horseradish Cream

1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to take the chill off. While resting, brush both sides of the steak with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You could also apply a rub or marinade at this time.
In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the horseradish cream until combined.
Preheat the airfryer to 400°F, for at least 5 minutes.
Place the steak in the air fryer and cook for 8-12 minutes, flipping halfway. The steak is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F for medium-rare or 136°F for medium.
Transfer the steak to a plate or cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes. The temperature will continue to rise while resting to reach 130°F for medium-rare and 140°F for medium.
If slicing prior to serving, slice the steak against the grain. Serve with horseradish cream on the side.

Notes

Storage: Store leftover steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The horseradish cream will keep for up to 1 week in a sealed jar in the fridge.

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About Amelia

I’m Amelia, modern homemaker and author of the Sunday Home. I love sharing easy, from-scratch meals made for real life. Personal recipes I’ve developed and refined in my home kitchen using simple, honest ingredients you can trust.