Air Fryer Cajun Butter Steak Bites with Mushrooms | Swanky Recipes (2024)

Tender pieces of filet mignon fried in the air fryer with Cajun seasoning and butter. You’ll fall in love with this super quick and simply delicious Air Fryer Cajun Butter Steak Bites with Mushrooms recipe.

The air fryer is taking over my kitchen and my fiancé is a huge fan of it, too. It has so many uses in our day to day life. From making egg toast in the morning to chicken in the afternoon and steak and potatoes for dinner. I can have dinner on the table with very little clean up, plus the air fryer is great at cooking food with a little crisp and I harder ever have to watch what I’m making.

Steak bites are my latest obsession. I’m used to making them on the stovetop (and you still can if you don’t have an air fryer) but it’s nice to not have to worry about the temperature of the grease and flipping the meat over to brown on the other side. These steak bites are quick to cook. In fact, they bake up in just minutes.

How to Make Cajun Steak Bites

1. Cut beef into pieces.
2. Slice bella mushrooms.
3. Marinate beef tenderloin in refrigerator.
4. Preheat air fryer.
5. Place in air fryer basket.
6. Cook at 400°F for 8-10 minutes.
7. Toss in butter.
8. Serve with pasta, rice, vegetables, or a salad.

Air Fryer Cajun Butter Steak Bites Ingredients

Beef: Tenderloin is usually sold as beef tenderloin or filet mignon. Generally, it’s easy to find packages of it that are just under one pound or about one pound. When I make this recipe, I ask the butcher if he has a larger cut behind the counter closer to 2 pounds. It is sometimes sold whole like this. This will feed 3-4 people along with a small side dish like vegetables. Filet mignon is the most tender and lean cut of beef. This makes it incredible to cook. It’s often milder in flavor and pairs greatly with seasoning and sauces.

Typically, this cut of beef is the most expensive. If you’re looking to budget and save money, try sirloin beef. When shopping for beef, pick a cut that is pink and doesn’t have any brown spots on it from oxidation. In addition, you’ll want to use the beef before it starts to turn brown.

Mushrooms: I like to use baby bella mushrooms. They are also called cremini mushrooms, brown mushrooms, or baby portobello mushrooms. Other mushrooms that can be substituted include white mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, or portobello mushrooms. Cremini mushrooms (baby bella) have a more robust flavor than white mushrooms. Avoid mushrooms that look slimy, soft, and spotty when buying them at the supermarket. Choose smooth, firm, and dry. I like to buy mine whole and slice them. Also, take care when washing the mushrooms. They simply need a good rinse.

Seasoning: Includes herbs and spices like chili powder for that spicy heat, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and more. I start with a creole seasoning and adjust it with common pantry spices to achieve that perfect cajun blend.

Oil: Vegetable or olive oil are both great choices. It’s use is mainly for the air fryer but I also use for a quick marinate.

Cajun VS. Creole Seasoning

Cajun and Creole recipes have been popping up across magazines, cooking shows on television, and on social media like Pinterest and Facebook. It’s a trend I see continuing for years to come. Louisiana is a hotspot to dine in for great food that you can’t get anywhere else. It’s no secret that it’s rated in the top 5 foodie locations in the United States. The market is flooded with Creole and Cajun seasoning blends across the country, not just in Louisiana.

Creole and Cajun seasoning are different but I like to start this recipe with classic Creole seasoning and add the remaining ingredients to achieve that same great Cajun flavor. Rest assured that even though I’m using a Creole seasoning is extra spices I add to the mix do make it Cajun.

Cajun seasoning uses dried spices and herbs like paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, cayenne or chili, thyme, and salt. Creole seasoning uses just some of those ingredients. They taste very much alike, however, the cuisine of each is different in a complexity of different styles of cooking and flavor. A lot of the dishes served at restaurants in New Orleans are in fact Creole and not Cajun.

Steak Pairings

• crack carrots
• couscous
• brussels sprouts in the oven
• steamed white rice
• pasta noodles
• ranch roasted broccoli
• quick oven-roasted asparagus
• crunchy green salad
• power bowls
• roasted cauliflower
• air fryer baked potatoes

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