Frozen Steak in the Air Fryer

Name: Frozen Steak in the Air Fryer
Cook time: 11 min
Ingredients: 2 6-oz sirloin steak; 3 tbsp softened butter; 1 tbsp steak seasoning; 2 tsp minced garlic

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Can you cook frozen steak in the air fryer? Heck yeah! And – it will be a delicious and tender steak! There’s an easy trick to it and I’ll share all the details! You’ll be eating a perfectly cooked steak – right from the freezer – in less than 15 minutes!

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Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Steak Recipe

Who hasn’t gotten home after a long day and thought – WHAT AM I GOING TO EAT?! Well – most of the time – we stare at the fridge in dismay! But NO MORE! Now, you can open up the freezer and grab a steak and make the perfect steak with NO PREP TIME! (The best part about using the air fryer is your veggies can go in at the same time!)

Ingredients for Air Fryer Frozen Steak

Steak is simple to cook – let the beef speak for itself! You just need a few ingredients:

Steak! I used a 6 oz sirloin for this recipe – but any steak will do.
- Keep in mind, if you use a larger steak – it will add a couple minutes onto the cooking time.
Butter – nothing seasons like butter! Cow it up!
Garlic – I use the jarred, minced garlic but fresh is great as well. If you don’t have either – you can always add a little garlic powder.
Steak Seasoning – I’m a fan of the Texas Roadhouse seasoning and always have a homemade jar on hand! This also already has the salt & black pepper – so no need to add more.

How to Make Steak from the Freezer in the Air Fryer

There is a trick to making food from frozen in the air fryer. You basically have to partially thaw your steak while air frying. Then, once the steak is thawed a bit, you can season and it will stick!

Place frozen steak in the air fryer basket and heat at 320º for 5 minutes
Open air fryer and sprinkle with steak seasoning. Flip steak, add more seasoning and dot with butter.
Air fry at 350º for an additional 4 minutes
Open the air fryer and dot with more butter and sprinkle on minced garlic – you can also mix them together and make a garlic butter
Air fry at 350º for an additional 2 min
Remove steak and let rest for 3-4 minutes so juices absorb back into the steak

The time & temps here are for a 6 oz sirloin to be cooked to medium-rare. If you have a larger steak or want it more done – add time in 2 minute increments. Test your meat with an instant read thermometer to make sure it’s exactly how you like it!

Tips, Tricks & FAQs

Can you cook frozen steak in the air fryer?

Yes – you can still get tender, juicy steak – even from frozen in your air fryer.

How long do you cook frozen steak in an air fryer?

For a 6 oz sirloin steak to medium rare – it was 11 minutes.

Because there are so many cuts of steak, keep in mind that time will change based on the size of steak and desired doneness. A round steak might only take 8 minutes, but a filet mignon (because of it’s thickness) might take 13 minutes.

Is frozen steak as good as fresh?

Well – now that’s a tough question. Is it AS GOOD as on the grill? No – probably not – because I like to use a marinade as well on fresh steak or let the meat rest in the refrigerator with seasoning. That said – is it JUST ABOUT as good? Yup!

When is steak in the air fryer done?

Grab your instant read meat thermometer to test the internal temperature – it’s the way you’ll always know your meat is done the way you like it. Here are the temps to aim for:

Rare (125°-130°F) – Rare is lots of red and slightly cool in the center
Medium Rare (130°-140°F) – Medium rare is warm on the inside
Medium (140°-150°F) – Medium is more pink and definitely warm throughout
Medium Well (150°-160°F) – Why? Haha – this is little to no pink
Well (Over 160°F) – I can’t even discuss this. Haha

Does frozen steak made in the air fryer taste good?

Yes! You just need to season along the way and you’ll have a delicious meal!

Do I need to use oil when cooking air fryer steak?

I used butter – but you could swap out with a sprinkle of olive oil. Do you NEED it? No – I guess if you don’t like butter and deliciousness – you could leave it out. If you want to use less oil or butter – you an spray lightly with olive oil spray.

How do you store & reheat leftover steak?

Store in an airtight container and I find that reheating back in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes is the best best. I have been known to microwave a time or two as well.

More Air Fryer Recipes for Beef

Air Fryer Beef Ribs
Steak Fajitas in the Air Fryer
Air Fryer Ribeye Steak (not from frozen)
Frozen Hamburgers in the Air Fryer

What to Serve with Steak

Salads that pair well with Steak!

Best Air Fryer Accessories

Here’s my ultimate list of best air fryer accessories – whether you have a basket- or oven-style! I’ve also included a price guide as well as my favorite recipes for those accessories.