Air Fryer Ribeye Steak Recipe

❤️Why you'll love this

• Quick & easy method. Depending on the thickness of your steak, it can be in and out of the air fryer in roughly 12 minutes if you like it medium rare! It's also completely hands off, so you can work on other things while dinner cooks to perfection. 😉
• Naturally gluten-free, low carb, and protein-packed. Ribeye is naturally super filling, with its higher fat content, and of course, it's naturally gluten free and low carb. A filling dinner in under 20 minutes? Sign us up!
• Makes perfect steak. Listen, just try it! Trust us, you will make a perfect steak every time. You'll wish you tried it sooner! 😉
• Simple ingredients. You only need 7 simple ingredients! It's so easy.

🥩Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.

• Boneless ribeye steak. Fresh. We haven't tried this recipe with frozen ribeyes yet, and we're not sure it would work very well. If cooking from frozen, make sure it's fully thawed.
• Dry seasonings. Plenty of kosher salt and pepper goes on these steaks, along with garlic and onion powder. It's easy to make this steak super tasty with our simple dry rub recipe. This dry rub is super versatile and simple but packs some great flavor into the steaks.
• Olive oil. After seasoning the steaks, we rub them down with some olive oil before air frying. This helps prevent the steak from sticking to the air fryer trays or basket. Avocado oil can also be used.
• Butter. After the steaks are done and ready to serve, with we top them with some salted butter for a little extra flavor. Optional, but totally delicious! You may also enjoy our fan favorite cowboy butter dipping sauce, this roasted garlic butter, or our creamy horseradish sauce!

Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.

✨Substitutions

• Cooking oil. We used olive oil, but feel free to use any cooking oil of your choice. Avocado oil is a great option.

✨Variations

• Fresh herbs. Combine fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or parsley for a delicious herbed crust.
• Spicy. Press crushed peppercorns into the steak or season it with a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes before cooking in the air fryer for bold, spicy flavor.
• Smoky. Add paprika for a delicious smoky flavor.
• Garlic butter. Combine butter with fresh garlic or garlic powder and brush it over the steak after seasoning. You could also serve the steak with a side of it too!

🔪Prep work

• Allow the steak to sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes for best results.
• Dry the steak really well with paper towels before seasoning it.
• Preheat the air fryer to 390°F.

Make your dry rub first. Combine salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl. (Image 1)

Then cover the steaks on all sides with the rub. (Image 2)

⭑Pro Tip: Adjust the amount of salt according to the size of your steak, aiming for about 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat. You do want to be sure to season generously!

Preheat the air fryer to 390°F. Cover steaks with olive oil on both sides and rub it in well. (Image 3)

Place the steaks in a single layer in the air fryer basket or trays. (Image 4)

Air fry for 8-15 minutes depending on your desired level of doneness and thickness of steak. You may want to flip the steaks halfway through to get a little caramelization on both sides. (Image 5)

Note: We like our steak about a medium-rare, which is 130°F, so we take the steak out when it's rare at 120°F, and the steak rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it. Take a look at our temperature guide for more guidance on your preferred doneness level! 

In our air fryer, this took about 10 minutes. It may take less time with a thinner steak, or more time with a thicker steak.

⭑Pro Tip: The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the steak. A digital thermometer is the best way to ensure you don't overcook it. For best results, always use an instant read meat thermometer!

Allow steak to rest for 10 minutes before slicing in. When it's time to serve, melt the salted butter, and drizzle it over top.

Garnish with flakey salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy! (Image 6)

✨Tips and tricks

First time air frying steak? We've got you covered!

• Dry the steak. Pat the steak dry with paper towels before seasoning. This helps achieve a better sear and good crust on the steak. Excess moisture will create more of a "steaming" effect - so we want to make sure to get the steak nice and dry. 
• Generously season the steak. Don't be shy with the seasoning. Season both sides of the steak liberally with kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, especially if you have a thick-cut steak! 
• Use a digital meat thermometer for the perfect air fryer steak! We like this one that allows you to keep an eye on the temperature of the steak while the air fryer cooks it. The thickness of the steak will impact the cook time, so we find it's best to track the temperature to make sure you don't over or under cook it.
• Take the steak out before the desired temperature is reached. Take the steak out 7-10°F degrees before your desired temperature is reached! Air fryers get quite hot, and heat everything thoroughly. Anything you cook in an air fryer will continue to cook for a while after you've taken it out. The steak temperature will increase to your desired temperature if taken out early. If it doesn't, you can always pop it back in the air fryer at 1-minute intervals.
• Let the steak rest before slicing in. Make sure you allow the steak to rest for at least 5 minutes, but preferably a full 10 minutes before slicing in. This allows the steak to stay moist and juicy, and also allows the steak to reach the desired temperature. Remember - the residual heat will continue to cook it!
• Pay attention to the wattage on your air fryer. Ours is 1500 watts. It's always a good idea to check the wattage of your air fryer before cooking. Higher wattage may want to use a lower temperature/shorter cooking time.

♨️Temperature guide

Please note, we can't guarantee cook times when reaching these temperatures. It may take less time with a thinner steak, or more time with a thicker steak, which is why we suggest using a thermometer.

• Rare - 120°F. The center of the steak will be cool to warm, very tender, and a red to pink color.
• Medium rare - 130°F. This is generally considered the "perfect cook" on most steaks. It's a pretty popular temperature to order! The center will be read and warm.
• Medium - 140°F. This cook will have a hot pink center, and the steak will be slightly firmer in texture.
• Medium-well - 150°F. This steak will be mostly brown and firm in the center.
• Well done - 160°F+. Finally, this cook on the steak will have absolutely no pink color in the center. It will be completely brown, firm, and very dry.