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Steak Bites with Sweet Potatoes

Steak bites and sweet potatoes with curry aioli for dipping–you heard that right! Can you think of a more delicious skillet dinner?

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Garlic steak bites with sweet potatoes in a cast iron pan with curry aioli on a spoon.

Easy Steak Bites Totally Count As Dinner!

If your house is filled with meat lovers, you’re going to make a lot of people happy with this meal. We make this recipe when we're entertaining, because you can cook up a big batch and it's fairly easy to prepare. Just make sure you have more hidden somewhere for replenishment because they go fast. In other words, this sirloin steak bite weeknight dinner recipe doubles as a crowd-pleasing (gluten free) appetizer!

Garlic steak bites with sweet potatoes in a cast iron pan next to curry aioli in a small bowl.

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How to Make Steak Bites and Potatoes For Dinner:

The key to getting tender and crispy steak bites is a hot skillet. We love cast iron, but any skillet will do. Here's how to make a steak and sweet potato skillet dinner that comes out perfectly every time:

  • You want your skillet to be piping hot. In fact, you should actually look for little (very little, though!) wisps of smoke to know it’s ready to go.

  • Be sure not to crowd the pan. Ideally you'll cook the steak in a single layer, or the steak bites won't get that nice brown color that you want. If you need to, work in batches. We like our sirloin steak bites cooked to medium-rare, so we turn the steak often to be sure they're not over-cooked.

  • Keep an eye on the cook time. They should cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, until browned. You can cook them for an additional 1-2 minutes per side if you prefer your steaks medium+.

ingredients laid out for steak bites sweet potatoes, garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil and steak pieces.
sweet potatoes sautéed in a cast iron pan
steak bites browned in a cast iron pan.
garlic steak and sweet potatoes cooked in a cast iron pan.

How to Perfectly Season Those Yummy Steak Bites:

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • Garlic

That’s it?! Yep! Sounds easy enough right? We call for fresh garlic, as it adds a delicious flavor to the whole dish, but if mincing garlic isn’t your jam, garlic powder works just fine.

curry aioli ingredients in three bowls. garlic, curry and mayonnaise.
curry aioli in a small bowl with a spoon

What Goes Well With Steak Bites?

Don’t get us wrong, these steak bites are great on their own. You could serve them with Crispy Shallot Mashed Potatoes, a good salad (like this crunchy Broccoli Salad or flavorful Chickpea Salad), or just give your littles some toothpicks and make eating extra fun. But, to make this a really satisfying, complete meal we pair these tender bits of sirloin (flat iron steak is also a good, budget-friendly cut to use!) with sweet potato bites. If you want to save time, you could Roast Sweet Potatoes in the oven while you cook the steak in the skillet. Once your meat is done cooking, just stir the pre-cooked sweet potatoes in with the seared sirloin steak juices and all that fresh garlic (can you taste it?!) and dinner is almost done.

Did You Say Curry Aioli?

Yes, you could stop there, but what fun would that be when instead you can drizzle, dip or dredge all that goodness into the world’s easiest 3-ingredient curry mayo (we wouldn’t complain if our steak bites showed up with Homemade Ranch Dressing or Burger Sauce, to be honest). If you're feeling extra flair, you could sprinkle minced fresh cilantro or parsley over the entire dish before serving.

Garlic steak bites with sweet potatoes in a cast iron pan
Garlic steak bites recipe with sweet potatoes in a cast iron pan with curry aioli on a spoon.

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Steak bite on a fork dipped into curry aioli.

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Steak Bites with Sweet Potatoes

  • Serves: 4
  • Prep Time:  15 min
  • Cook Time:  40 min
  • Calories: 875

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • Minced fresh cilantro, optional

Method

  1. In a small bowl mix together mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and curry powder until smooth.

  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the sweet potatoes to the pan in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Cook, stirring, another 10-12 minutes, or until fork tender. Transfer to a plate.

  3. Meanwhile, season the steak all over with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same pan over high heat. Working in batches as needed, add the steak in a single layer, making sure they aren’t touching, and cook, undisturbed, until browned and cooked to desired doneness, about 1-2 minutes per side.

  4. Return the sweet potatoes to the pan with the steak. Add the remaining garlic and cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant.

  5. Divide between plates, garnish with cilantro if using and serve with curry aioli on the side.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories875
  • Protein48 g
  • Carbohydrates29 g
  • Total Fat62 g
  • Dietary Fiber4 g
  • Cholesterol145 mg
  • sodium1755 mg
  • Total Sugars14 g

Steak Bites with Sweet Potatoes

Questions & Reviews

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  • michelle

    We love this dish, but my husband can't stand mayo. How can I make the curry mayo sans mayo? I wouldn't think a straight yogurt substitute would be the same because of the texture/denseness.

    There is no great sub for mayo in the aioli recipe, we'd recommend he just uses a different dip that he enjoys.

  • Kelli

    Is this recipe really 875 calories per serving?

    Yes it is. If you are closely tracking nutrition we recommend running your exact ingredients through a nutrition calculator so that it is as accurate as possible. Hope you enjoy Kelli.

  • Rachel

    Should I drain the steak before adding the potatoes to the pot?

    No need unless you prefer to not have the juices. Hope you enjoy!

  • Jen

    How does this store? I don't have 4 to serve and want to cut the recipe in half. Does it reheat well?

    Yes, it re-heats fine. Just slowly reheat so you don't overcook the steak.

  • Ayvee

    Any subs for curry powder for the aioli?

    We have a recipe for garlic aioli. You could use that one instead. Hope you enjoy Ayvee!

  • Jess

    Such an easy, delicious dinner! Roasted the potatoes in the oven to save myself some time…leftovers were requested for packed lunches the next day which is always a good sign! Thank youuuu as always!

    YAY! Thanks Jess!

  • Erica

    So, so good. I added about a half a teaspoon more curry powder to the mayo, as I personally wanted a stronger curry flavor. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing.

    Thanks Erica, we are so happy you loved it!

  • Megan

    We devoured this—first time in months we had NO leftovers. I did add some lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the aioli, though, because without it, it tasted a bit too mayonnaise-y. Once that was fixed, this recipe was completely bomb! Making our way through many of your recipes lately and this was another hit!

    Thanks Megan, so glad you enjoyed this one!

  • Christine

    Made this last night for dinner and it was addictive, especially with the aioli! I reheated leftovers in a pan for dinner tonight and served with eggs over easy - just as delicious the next day!

    Thanks Christine, glad you loved it!

  • Lori

    The aioli…..chef’s kiss 💋. This was a hit. I couldn’t keep the dads from standing at the counter and eating it all.

    YAY! Thanks Lori, so happy it was a hit!