This smashed potatoes steak bites recipe skips olive oil for beef tallow, so the potatoes crisp in the same fat that sears the steak. A pinch of baking soda in the boiling water shatters the potato skins into lace-like crunch, while a fast garlic butter bath keeps the steak bites juicy instead of gray and chewy. It's steakhouse flavor built from two components that actually talk to each other.

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Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Butter Steak Bites

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Crispy baking-soda smashed potatoes and juicy garlic butter steak bites, seared and finished in the same rich pan sauce.

Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale

2 lbs baby potatoes, scrubbed
2 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp kosher salt (for boiling water)
3 tbsp beef tallow, melted (or unsalted butter)
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
1.5 lbs sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
4 tbsp unsalted butter
6 garlic cloves, smashed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Freshly cracked black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the kosher salt and baking soda. Add potatoes and boil 18-20 minutes, until fork-tender.
Drain potatoes and let them sit uncovered for 5 minutes to steam-dry, then spread on a rimmed sheet pan.
Using the bottom of a glass, smash each potato to about 1/2-inch thick.
Brush both sides generously with melted tallow and season with salt and pepper.
Roast at 450°F for 20-25 minutes, flipping once, until deeply golden and crisp.
Meanwhile, pat steak cubes very dry and season generously with salt and pepper; let sit at room temperature 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until shimmering. Sear steak in a single layer, in batches, 60-90 seconds per side. Remove to a plate.
Lower heat to medium, add butter, garlic, and thyme. Once foaming, spoon the garlic butter over itself for 30 seconds.
Return steak to the skillet, toss in the butter 30 seconds off heat, and stir in Worcestershire if using.
If the sauce is thin, add a splash of reserved potato water and simmer 30 seconds to thicken.
Plate the smashed potatoes, top with steak bites, spoon over the garlic butter, and finish with parsley and flaky salt.

Notes

Save fat trimmings from steak to render your own tallow ahead of time. Don’t skip steaming-drying the potatoes before smashing, or they’ll never crisp fully. Leftovers reheat best in an air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes to bring back the crunch.

Author: Ella Whitley
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Method: Roasting and pan-searing
Cuisine: American

Most versions of smashed potatoes steak bites treat the two elements like strangers sharing a plate. The move here is to cook them in the same fat. Rendering a little beef tallow (or just using unsalted butter if you don’t have any on hand) to crisp the potatoes means every bite already tastes like the steak before the steak even touches it, and it gives you a reason to save those fat trimmings instead of tossing them. The second trick is baking soda in the potato boiling water — it raises the pH just enough to break down pectin on the potato’s surface, so when you smash it flat, that craggy exterior fries up shatteringly crisp instead of just tanning in the oven.

The mistake almost everyone makes with steak bites is cutting the steak too small and then walking away from the pan. Small cubes go from seared to gray in under two minutes, and a crowded skillet steams instead of sears, which is why so many steak bites recipes turn out sad and rubbery. Sear in batches over screaming-hot heat, pull the steak the moment it’s browned, and finish it off-heat in the garlic butter — carryover heat does the rest of the cooking without turning the inside to shoe leather. Watch the potatoes the same way: if you skip letting them steam-dry after boiling, the excess moisture will keep them from ever truly crisping, no matter how hot your oven runs.

Substitution-wise, this recipe is forgiving. No tallow? Butter or a neutral oil works, you’ll just lose a little of that beefy backbone in the potatoes. Sirloin is the best value-to-tenderness cut for steak bites, but ribeye or even flat iron will work if you want more marbling. If you want the pan sauce to go further, deglaze with a splash of the reserved potato water instead of stock — the starch in it thickens the garlic butter into something that clings to both the steak and the potatoes instead of pooling on the plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes these smashed potatoes steak bites crispier than a normal roasted potato?

Boiling the potatoes with baking soda raises the water's pH, which breaks down pectin on the potato skins. That craggy, softened surface fries up far crispier once smashed and roasted than potatoes boiled in plain water.

Can I make smashed potatoes steak bites ahead of time?

Boil and smash the potatoes up to a day ahead, then refrigerate uncovered so they stay dry. Roast them fresh and sear the steak bites just before serving, since steak bites lose their texture fast when reheated slowly.

What's the best cut of steak for steak bites?

Sirloin offers the best balance of tenderness and price. Ribeye or flat iron work well if you want extra marbling and richness in the garlic butter sauce.

Can I substitute the beef tallow in this recipe?

Yes, unsalted butter or a neutral oil like avocado oil will still give you crispy smashed potatoes, though you'll lose some of the beefy depth that ties the potatoes to the steak bites.

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