Air Fryer Sirloin Steak is beautifully seared on the outside and stays juicy and tender on the inside. Air frying steak is quick and easy, and makes a delicious meal for the whole family.
Learn how to perfectly cook Air Fryer Sirloin Steaks and get it right every single time! I experimented with different recipes and air frying times, and here I’m sharing with you the best way to cook sirloin steaks in the air fryer!
Air frying a steak is easier than grilling a steak or pan-searing a steak. You don’t have to go outside and fire up the grill, and won’t have to get your cast iron pan and fill the kitchen with smoke. Air frying is done quickly, you don’t have to pay too much attention to it, and you certainly won’t make a mess!
Serve these steakhouse quality steaks hot with pieces of divine herb butter on top, and your favorite sides. Go for Twice Baked Potatoes, a Classic Caesar Salad, or Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes. Or serve the steak cold and make a delicious Steak Salad!
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you need to cook sirloin steaks in the air fryer:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Beef Sirloin steaks: I’m using two sirloin steaks that I cut myself from a large roast into 1-1¼” inch thick steaks. If yours are thinner or thicker, you will have to adjust the cooking time. Look for steaks that are 8-10 ounces each, and of course, more marbling means more flavor. A well-marbled steak will render nicely as it cooks, and will leave you with a tender and juicy steak that’s full of flavor.
- Olive oil: The olive oil adds flavor to the steak, helps form a crust, and helps the seasonings stick.
- Salt and pepper: Always season your steaks generously with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
- Italian Seasoning: This seasoning is optional and you can change it to any other steak seasoning or rub that you like, but I think Italian Seasoning adds a wonderful flavor!
Tip!
Kosher salt is best for seasoning your steak. The larger grains are easier to sprinkle and will dissolve more, which will help draw out the moisture from the meat and create a nice crust.
How To Air Fry Sirloin Steak
- Preheat The Air Fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/200°C for 5 minutes. If you don’t have a preheat button, you simply run the air fryer for 5 minutes at the desired temperature.
- Season. Make sure that you take the steaks out of the fridge about half an hour before you cook them. Pat them dry with paper towels, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning if using.
- Air Fry. When the air fryer is preheated, put the steaks in the basket and air fry for about 7-8 minutes, flipping halfway through cook time for medium-rare doneness.
- Rest and serve. Once the steaks are cooked to your perfect doneness, transfer them to a plate and loosely cover with foil. Let them rest for 10 minutes before serving. Top with a pat of garlic herb butter for the most delicious air fryer steak!
Recipe Tips
- Room Temperature: Allowing the steak to come to room temperature before cooking does not make a big difference, I explain this in my Pan Seared Steak recipe. However, if you have the time, you can take the steak out of the fridge about 15 minutes prior to cooking so it is not fridge-cold when you cook it.
- Steak Thickness: My sirloin steaks were about 1-1¼” inch thick, and took 7 minutes until the internal temperature reached 125°F/52°C for medium rare. If your steaks are thinner, they will cook faster to keep an eye on them. My advice is to always check steak doneness with a kitchen thermometer, and you won’t have to worry about messing anything up!
- Overcrowding: Do not overcrowd your air fryer basket. If it fits only one steak, then cook one steak at a time. I use the Cosori XL Air Fryer that comes with a square basket and could only fit 2 steaks without overlapping. Cook in batches if needed.
- Other Cuts: This recipe is specifically written for an air fryer sirloin steak, but you can use other cuts of meat as well such as new york strip, tri-tip, top sirloin, or ribeye.
Steak Temperature
Keep in mind that all air fryers are different, and may cook at different rates. So you have to keep an eye on your steak, and keep checking with a kitchen thermometer to cook to your preferred doneness.
Also, always remember that the steak temperature will continue to rise by 5-10 degrees as it rests (whether you use an air fryer, grill, oven, or pan). Below is a steak doneness chart that will help you cook your steaks to your preferred doneness.
The steaks in my images in this post are cooked to 125°F, then removed from the Air Fryer and reached 130°F after resting. As you slice the steak, it might not be rosy, but give it a minute or 2 to oxidize and give you the right color.
- For rare, remove at 6 minutes. The temperature will be 115°F and will rise to 120°F after resting.
- For medium rare, remove at 7 minutes. The temperature will be 125°F and will rise to 130°F after resting.
- For medium, remove at 8-9 minutes. The temperature will be 130°F and will rise to 135°F after resting.
- For medium well, remove at 11 minutes. The temperature will be 135°F and will rise to 140°F after resting.
- For well done, remove at 12-14 minutes. The temperature will be 145°F and will rise to 150°F after resting.
Storing Tips
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Steak can be gently reheated in the Air Fryer at a low temp (300°F/150°C), for just a few minutes so you don’t risk overcooking it.
It can also be served cold on a steak salad or in a wrap.
More Air Fryer Recipes To Try
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
FAQs
Beef is labeled with USDA grades from prime to select, depending on how much marble there is. Prime beef has a lot of marbling, choice beef has a moderate amount of marbling and select beef is the leanest variety.
You need to flip the air fryer steak at least once as it cooks. I don’t like opening the basket too many times, as the heat will escape from the air fryer quickly. So I flip it once at the 3-4 minute mark and continue cooking it on the other side. Flipping it a few times is also a good idea and will help cook the steaks evenly, but only if you can do this very quickly.
You certainly can! I can’t guarantee that the steak will cook as evenly as if you were cooking a fresh/thawed one, but it will cook fine. Adjust the cooking time to 12-18 minutes for 1″ thick steak depending on the desired doneness.
You won’t believe how good Air Fryer Sirloin steaks will come out! Your whole family is going to love it! Don’t forget to pin this recipe, to easily find it later!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Air Fryer Sirloin Steak
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1-2 sirloin beef steaks 1 to 1½ inches thick
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/200°C for 5 minutes. If you don’t have a preheat button, you simply run the air fryer for 5 minutes at the desired temperature.
- Make sure that you take the steaks out of the fridge about half an hour before you cook them. Pat them dry with paper towels, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning if using.
- When the air fryer is preheated, put the steaks in the basket and air fry for about 7 minutes (see chart below for more times and temps), flipping halfway through cook time for medium rare doneness.
- Once the steaks are cooked to your perfect doneness, transfer them to a plate and loosely cover them with foil. Let them rest for 10 minutes before serving. Top with a pat of garlic herb butter for the most delicious air fryer steak!
Notes:
Storing
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Steak can be gently reheated in the Air Fryer at a low temp (300°F/150°C), for just a few minutes so you don’t risk overcooking it. It can also be served cold on a steak salad or in a wrap.Steak Doneness Chart
Keep in mind that all air fryers are different, and may cook at different rates. So you have to keep an eye on your steak, and keep checking with a kitchen thermometer to reach your preferred doneness. The times below are indicative.- For rare, remove at 6 minutes. The temperature will be 115°F and will rise to 120°F after resting.
- For medium rare, remove at 7 minutes. The temperature will be 125°F and will rise to 130°F after resting.
- For medium, remove at 8-9 minutes. The temperature will be 130°F and will rise to 135°F after resting.
- For medium well, remove at 11 minutes. The temperature will be 135°F and will rise to 140°F after resting.
- For well done, remove at 12-14 minutes. The temperature will be 145°F and will rise to 150°F after resting.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Sue B says
The rib eye steak was delicious! I followed the directions to the letter and it turned out great!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
I’m so happy to hear that! Rib eye steaks are my favorite. Thank you so much for your feedback and the review!
Lucinda DeVries says
Thank you for this. I’ve never been a red meat eater, especially steak so I was clueless on how to prepare it. The steak came out perfect. I did 5 minutes each side and let it sit as instructed.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Amazing! Thank you so much for the review and feedback, Lucinda.