You are going to love cooking frozen steak in an air fryer. It's so easy to do and only takes 15 minutes. The steaks turn out so juicy and tender that you'll never want to barbecue your steaks again!

Why you will love this recipe:
- It's so easy! Forgot to take your steaks out to thaw? No worries! Cooking frozen steak in an air fryer will save you so much time.
- Even though the steaks are cooked from frozen they turn out so juicy and tender!
- You can cook any type of steak from frozen in an air fryer: whether it's frozen T-bone steak in air fryer, frozen Filet Mignon in air fryer, frozen Sirloin steak in air fryer, frozen Ribeye steak in air fryer, or frozen New York Strip steak in air fryer.
- No matter how you like your steak, whether it's medium rare, medium, or well done, I've included directions for how to cook your steak exactly how you like including a handy air fryer steak cooking chart.
- This frozen steak air fryer recipe is so versatile. You can use your favourite cooking oil, whether that's olive oil, butter or avocado oil and season your steak however you like.
- Air fryer frozen steak is ready in no time so it's a great meal prep option.
- When you air fry frozen steak the clean up is so simple and easy.
- This method works for all types of air fryers including Ninja Foodi, Ninja Air Fryer, Ninja Foodi Grill, Instant Vortex, Emeril Air Fryer, Cuisinart Air Fryer and Chefman Air Fryers.
Taste and texture:
The taste and texture of your steak will depend on the type of steak you cook, and how well done you like it, but in general, steak turns out so juicy and tender when you cook it in the air fryer. The steak will basically melt in your mouth as you eat it.
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Frozen steaks - No matter what cut of steak you have, whether it be frozen filet mignon, frozen ribeye, frozen New York Strip or frozen T bone steaks this method of cooking will work for any of them. Note that I use grass fed and grass finished steaks. If you use grain fed steak you will likely need to modify the cooking times.
- Cooking oil - I love using either avocado oil or butter but any type of oil will work. This helps the steaks turn out extra tender and juicy.
- Seasonings - I love just salt and pepper but feel free to use your favorite steak seasoning instead.
How to cook:
Step one:
First, coat both sides of the frozen steaks with the oil (or butter), salt and pepper.
Step two:
Next, place the frozen steaks on the rack or in the basket of your air fryer and cook them for 15 minutes at 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
Note, please refer to the air fryer steak cooking chart below for cooking time variations depending on how you like your steak cooked.
Step three:
Remove the cooked steaks from the air fryer and allow them to rest for a few minutes before serving. After they have finished resting, serve them and enjoy!
Frozen Air Fryer Steak Cooking Chart:
The recipe card and instructions above includes the cooking time for medium rare steaks. If you like your steak cooked another way, please refer to the cooking times below (these are all for frozen steaks) and modify the time accordingly. Note, all cooking times are based on a cooking temperature of 360 degrees Fahrenheit using a steak that is 0.5 lbs and 1 inch thick and cooked in a Chefman 6.3 Quart Air Fryer. These times should serve as a guide. You may need to modify them based on the air fryer you have and the steak you are cooking.
- Rare - 13 mins
- Medium-rare – 15 minutes
- Medium – 17 minutes
- Medium well done – 19 minutes
- Well done – 21 minutes
Chef's tips:
- Every model of air fryer is different, so you may have to adjust the cooking time if you are using a different model than I do. This is especially true if you are using a basket style air fryer as I have not tested this recipe in a basket style air fryer.
- I use grass fed and grass finished steaks and the cooking times are based on that. If you are using grain fed beef you may have to adjust the cooking times.
- The steaks I used for this recipe were ribeyes that were 0.5 lbs, and 1 inch thick - if your steaks are a different size or thickness you will need to modify the cooking times.
- If you have any leftover frozen steaks that you don't cook, put them back in the freezer to cook at a later date.
- If you have any leftover cooked steak, put it in an air tight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then reheat it when you are ready to eat it.
Variations and add ins:
- You can use any type of cooking oil that you like for this recipe - avocado oil, olive oil, butter or ghee all work really well.
- Feel free to season your steaks however you like - I like simple salt and pepper but you could easily use your favorite steak spice instead.
- I like my steaks cooked medium rare, and the cooking time in the recipe card is based on that. If you like your steak cooked another way, please refer to the air fryer steak chart below and modify the cooking time accordingly.
- If you are using a basket style air fryer, you will need to flip the steaks half way through the cooking time.
What to serve with steak:
- A side of cooked vegetables such as broccoli, bell peppers or cauliflower.
- A side salad such as Caesar salad, coleslaw or broccoli salad or potato salad.
- Potatoes - roasted, baked or mashed are all delicious.
- French fries or sweet potato fries.
How to store:
Store any leftover cooked steak in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Frequently asked questions:
Yes! It's so easy to cook frozen steak in an air fryer and only takes 15 minutes to cook at 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
How long a frozen steak will take to cook in an air fryer will depend on the size of the steak and how well done you like your steak. For rare steak it takes about 13 minutes, for medium rare 15 minutes, medium 17 minutes and well done 21 minutes, using a temperature of 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
Yes! You can air fry any cut of frozen steak, including sirloin steak.
You can but you don't need to. You can cook steak from frozen in the air fryer, but if you prefer to thaw it first it will take even less time to cook.
You don't have to, but you will want to. Letting your steak rest for a few minutes after cooking it ensures the juices stay in, and don't seep out which happens if you slice it right after cooking it. If you want the most juicy, tender steaks possible you will want to let your steaks rest for 5 or so minutes.
There are so many things that go with steak but here are some of my favourites:
French Fries - I love cooking these from frozen in my air fryer too!
Steamed Broccoli
Potato Salad
Your favorite coleslaw - I love both my Asian Coleslaw and Apple Coleslaw or this really simple Keto Coleslaw
Broccoli Salad
Other air fryer recipes you will love:
- Air Fryer Onion Rings
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Air Fryer French Fries
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Frozen Steak in an Air Fryer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 steaks
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other cooking oil of choice)
- sea salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Coat both sides of your frozen steaks with the oil, salt and pepper.
- Place the steaks on the rack of your air fryer and cook for 15 minutes at 360F.
- Let the steaks rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- The steaks I used for this recipe were ribeyes that were 0.5 lbs, and 1 inch thick - if your steaks are a different size or thickness you will likely need to modify the cooking times.
- This method is for medium rare steak - if you like your steak cooked more or less please refer to the chart in this post to modify the cooking time accordingly
- Feel free to use any type of cooking oil that you like. I've tried avocado oil, coconut oil, butter and ghee and they all work.
- Nutritional information will vary depending on the specific steak you use, the oil you use and the spices you use.
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