Best Damn Air Fryer Ribeye Steak

No need to fire up the grill for a great steak. These air fryer ribeye steaks come out nicely browned on the outside and juicy in the middle, with a simple seasoning blend that gives them a little extra flavor. You’re gonna love this one!

Keys to Nailing This Recipe

Ribeye isn’t a cheap cut, so it’s worth getting right the first time. These three things make the biggest difference.

1. Cook to temperature, not time — Air fryers run differently and steaks vary in thickness. An instant-read thermometer is the only way to know it’s done.
2. Choose thick, well-marbled steaks — About 1¼ inches gives the outside time to brown before the inside overcooks. The marbling keeps it juicy.
3. Pull them 5 degrees early — The temperature keeps climbing while the steaks rest. Take them out at 130°F for a true medium rare.

How to Make Air Fryer Ribeye Steak

The air fryer works a lot like a small convection oven, moving hot air all the way around the steak. You won’t get the smoke and char of the grill, but you’ll still get a steak that’s nicely browned on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside.

Step 1: Let the Steaks Sit Out

You’ve probably heard this before, but take the steaks out of the fridge and let them sit on the kitchen counter for about a half hour before cooking. This way, we’re not putting an ice-cold steak right on the heat. Steaks don’t like that.

✦ Don’t skip the 30 minutes. An ice-cold center takes longer to warm through, and the outside can overcook while you wait.

Step 2: Pat Dry, Oil, and Season

Unwrap the steaks and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then give them a quick brushing on each side with some extra virgin olive oil. You don’t need a lot, about 1 tsp per steak will do.

✦ Get the steaks completely dry. Any moisture left on the surface steams instead of browning, and the outside stays gray.

Now mix the seasoning. Kosher salt and coarse ground pepper are almost necessities for any steak. The rest of the blend is onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, and a little brown sugar. 

Wait… brown sugar? Yep! No worries, you won’t be making a candied steak. In this small amount, the brown sugar helps the other flavors pop and gives the outside of the steak extra color and caramelization. That’s how we get a nice browned crust without basting in butter.

Apply the seasoning liberally to both sides of the steaks. You should have just enough to coat both. Get some on the edges too. If oregano isn’t your thing, you can leave it out and the rest of the blend still works.

Step 3: Preheat the Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer at 400°F for about 5 minutes. 

This is important. We want those steaks to sizzle as soon as they hit the basket or tray.

Step 4: Air Fry and Flip

Place the steaks in the hot air fryer in a single layer, with a little space between them, and use the air fry setting at 400°F. 

Most steaks need about 8 to 16 minutes, depending on thickness and how you like them. But here’s the important thing. We really need to target the internal temperature more than anything else.

✦ Flip them halfway through. Both sides get the same direct heat and brown evenly. For a 1¼-inch steak cooked to medium rare, that’s at about 6 minutes.

I find that the “average” steak at most supermarkets is about ¾ inch thick. That’s on the thinner side and will reach medium rare in about 9 minutes. Most steaks labeled “thick” are about 1¼ inches and will be closer to 12 minutes for medium rare.

✦ Cut your own thick steaks. If your store only has thin ones, buy a whole boneless ribeye roast and slice it into 1¼-inch steaks. It can also be cheaper per pound.

✦ Start checking a few minutes early. Every air fryer runs a little different. Some run hotter, and bigger ones with more space inside can take longer.

An instant-read thermometer is your best friend here. You can find inexpensive ones at most big box stores, supermarkets, or online.

Step 5: Rest the Steaks

When the steaks are done, carefully move them to a large plate or cutting board and loosely cover them with a piece of foil. 

Let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This lets the muscle fibers relax and the juices spread back through the meat. The internal temperature also keeps rising a few degrees, which is why we pull the steaks about 5°F before the doneness we want.

Want a sauce on the side? My Beef Tenderloin Sauce works just as well on a ribeye.

✦ Slice an overcooked steak thin. Cut it across the grain into thin slices and spoon the resting juices over the top. It eats a lot more tender that way.

Ribeye Doneness Temps and Cook Times

These are the times I use at 400°F. They’re approximate, since every air fryer is a little different, so always go by the thermometer. Times are listed for ¾-inch, 1-inch, and 1¼-inch steaks.

• Rare: pull at 120°F (125°F after resting) Cool to warm red center, soft and tender texture. About 8 / 9 / 10 minutes
• Medium Rare (my pick): pull at 130°F (135°F after resting) Warm center, about 75% red. Perfect steak texture. About 9 / 10 / 12 minutes
• Medium: pull at 140°F (145°F after resting) Hot, pink center with a firmer texture. About 10 / 12 / 13 minutes
• Medium Well: pull at 150°F (155°F after resting) Hot center, just a little pink, firmer texture. About 11 / 13 / 14 minutes
• Well Done: pull at 155°F (160°F+ after resting) Hot center, no pink, much firmer and drier. About 12 / 14 / 16 minutes

What to Serve Alongside

Your steaks are now ready to serve, and there’s really no right or wrong way to do it. I mean, they’re steaks, dig in and enjoy!

For sides, I’m a big fan of green vegetables and potatoes. That covers all the categories for me. Oh, and I love a good buttered roll too. Since the air fryer is busy with the steak, stick with sides you can make on the stove, in the oven, or in the Instant Pot.

Try these:

• Mashed Potatoes
• Sautéed Green Beans
• Oven Roasted Asparagus
• Instant Pot Parmesan Ranch Potatoes
• Beer Battered Onion Rings

Storage and Reheating

Steak is always best right after it’s made, but leftovers reheat well if you take it slow.

To store: Keep leftover steak in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If there are juices left on the plate, save them with the steak. They help keep it from drying out when you reheat it.

Air fryer (my favorite way): Let the steak come to room temperature first. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F, air fry for 2 minutes, and then check it. If it’s not heated through, keep going in 1-minute increments.

Oven: Set the oven to 250°F and put the steak on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Heat until it reaches about 110°F inside. It takes the longest, but it gives good results.

Microwave: Moisten the steak with the saved juices or a little steak sauce, cover it, and heat in 30-second intervals, usually 1 to 2 minutes total.