For our Air Fryer Cube Steak we have chosen to season our steaks simply with Montreal Steak Seasoning. I know for us, and most families, it is important to save money when meal planning. This is a great option for making an easy meal that is inexpensive because you only need a few ingredients.
Add a starchy side dish like potatoes, a veggie like green beans or corn, and a simple side salad and you have a well rounded, affordable, and delicious meal. Plus, cooking cube steak in the air fryer makes getting dinner on the table quick and easy!
I find that we are air frying more and more because you can use less oil to cook, it’s quick, and you can cook so many different foods in it. It’s also the perfect way to cook in the summer when you don’t want to heat the house up with the oven. I received my air fryer as a gift but they are relatively inexpensive. You can get one for around $60 and can probably find an even better deal around Prime Day or Black Friday. It really is a great investment.
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What you will love about this recipe
- It is a flavorful dish that only requires 3 ingredients.
- This cooking method results in tender and juicy steak with a slightly crispy exterior.
- It is an inexpensive cut of steak making it an affordable main dish.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Cube Steak – one steak per person.
Montreal Steak Seasoning – this spice mixture varies depending on the restaurant or manufacturer but the main spices are garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dill seed, and salt. This is a great way to add tons of flavor using just one ingredient.
Non-stick Cooking Spray – any variety will work. We usually buy olive oil spray but the only type my local grocery store had that day was the vegetable oil kind, so that is what I bought.
How to Make Air-Fried Cube Steak
- Spray the inside of the air fryer with cooking spray.
- Place cube steaks on plate and spray the tops of the steaks with cooking spray, season with Montreal Steak Seasoning on one side. Place steaks seasoned side down in a single layer in the air fryer basket, spray with cooking spray and season with seasoning.
- Cook at 380° for 6 minutes, flip over and cook another 3-4 minutes or until steaks are cooked to the desired doneness.
- Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Helpful Tips
- Allow steaks to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before air frying them.
- Cube steaks that are cooked rare or medium rare will be chewy so cook the steak until the center is cooked, it can be very slightly pink.
- Steaks are done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°. I almost never use mine, I just cook them until they look and feel done.
- As you can see in the photo the steaks touch each other when I put them in the air fryer basket but will shrink after a short time cooking, this is fine. If the steaks are too big then either cut them down a bit so they fit or cook them in batches.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover cube steak in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The kitchn has a great article about how to reheat steak.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cube steak or cubed steak is an inexpensive cut of beef, usually top sirloin or top round, that is tenderized by pounding it with a meat tenderizer (a meat mallet that usually has points protruding on one side and is flat on the other side). I have seen them made of metal and wood. Pounding the steak breaks down the fibers making it tender.
We cook our steaks at 380°. I would not go higher than 400° and would decrease the cook time a little if cooking higher than 380°. They are thin steaks and you don’t want the outside to brown too much before the inside gets cooked.
We love to serve it with a starchy side like potatoes, rice or mac n’ cheese and a fresh vegetable like Oven-Roasted Asparagus, Oven-Roasted Broccoli or Pan Fried Green Beans.
A salad would also be great.
We use Montreal seasoning or salt and pepper most of the time. You can use garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, or your favorite seasoning blend.
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Air Fryer Cube Steak
Ingredients
- 4 cube steaks 4-6 ounces each
- Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste
- Nonstick cooking spray
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Instructions
- Spray the inside of the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Place cube steaks on a plate and spray with cooking spray and season with Montreal Steak Seasoning on one side. Place steaks seasoned side down in a single layer in the air fryer basket, spray with cooking spray and season the second side with seasoning.
- Cook at 380° for 6 minutes, flip over and cook another 3-4 minutes or until steaks are cooked to the desired doneness.
- Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
I just made this for the first time in my air fryer, followed directions to a tee. I had a kaiser roll that I toasted in my air fryer, sliced it in half, topped each half with a slice of cheese, then cut the steak in half and put it on top of the cheese. Topped that with 1/2 can of mushrooms and a bit of butter. OMG, IT WAS THE BEST SANDWICH I’VE HAD IN A LOOONNNGG TIME!!! This was so easy, no prep required, it cooked quickly, it was SO tender, and I now have a new favorite meat to use! Thanks SO much for posting this!
What a great idea and I’m so glad you love this recipe! Thank you for commenting and reviewing!
I subbed Montreal with misses dash table blend and garlic powder turned out beautiful
Great idea, I’ve never had it so I think I’ll have to give it a try. Thanks for commenting!
What can you use instead of Montreal steak sauce?
It isn’t steak sauce, it’s a dry seasoning blend. A good substitute would be just salt and pepper, or maybe a little garlic or onion powder. Just whatever seasonings you would season your favorite steak with.
This is a good flavorful and tender way to cook cube steak. Thank you
You’re welcome, thank you for commenting!
Very good tender and tasty. Will use again. Thanks fot posting..
You’re welcome, thanks for commenting!