Mediterranean Steak Bites are a flavorful addition to any backyard BBQ or quick weeknight dinner. Tender sirloin is marinated in a zesty Mediterranean blend of warm spices, fresh herbs, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice.
The steak is quickly grilled and served with your favorite Mediterranean salad, couscous, or rice bowl.
Today’s recipe is sponsored by the Ohio Beef Council. As always, opinions are 100% my own.
If you like Mediterranean beef recipes you also might like my Mediterranean Kabobs, Lebanese Meat Pie, Mediterranean Ground Beef Skillet, or this Mediterranean Ground Beef Stir Fry.
The Ohio Beef Council and I are celebrating Father’s Day with these steak bites. The perfect meal to make the dad in your life!
They’re juicy, tender, and packed with warm Mediterranean flavors. I balance the richness of olive oil with bright red wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice, then add garlic, parsley, and a mix of my favorite dried seasonings to create a marinade that infuses the steak with incredible depth.
For the best results, marinate the beef for about two hours—but even a quick 30-minute soak will still deliver great flavor. These steak bites are delicious on their own with a dipping sauce like tzatziki or tahini yogurt, or you can serve them over salads, rice bowls, or Buddha bowls for a complete meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Here are more reasons it’s a must-try dish:
- Easy Preparation: Steak bites are super simple to prepare, just place the marinade ingredients in a bag along with the beef and set aside for a couple of hours to marinate.
- Quick to Cook: Once marinated the beef only takes 10 minutes to grill and rest then it’s ready to enjoy!
- Versatile Recipe: This recipe is a great one to make for meal-prep, a backyard BBQ or a quick weeknight meal. You can use these steak bites in all kinds of ways from adding them to salads, serving them over hummus, or pairing them with rice or couscous.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions.
- Oil: I like to use a good extra virgin olive oil or regular olive oil as it has the best nutty flavor. You also can use avocado oil.
- Steak: I like to use sirloin steak, making sure to cut it into even-sized 1-inch cubes.
- Shallots: I add 2 finely minced shallots but you can skip these if you want. You also can swap them for red onion or sweet onion.
Mediterranean Marinade Ingredients:
- Oil: For the best flavor I use extra virgin olive oil in the marinade.
- Acid: I add both red wine vinegar and lemon zest and fresh lemon juice to the marinade for acidity.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley is a great addition to a beef marinade. I used flat leaf parsley but curly parsley will also work. Make sure to finely mince it.
- Garlic: For the best flavor I use freshly minced garlic, although you could use frozen garlic, garlic powder or garlic puree.
- Seasoning: I flavor the marinade with a variety of spices including dried oregano, dried thyme and paprika.
Recipe Variations
- Steak – I used sirloin steak, but you can also use ribeye, beef tenderloin {filet mignon} or New York strip. You will want to cut into bite size pieces.
- Citrus – I used lemon juice in the marinade, but lime juice would also work well.
- Fresh Herbs – I use a combination of fresh parsley and garlic in the marinade, but you could also use other Mediterranean herbs like thyme, rosemary, dill, mint or basil.
- Spices – You can adjust the spices and seasoning in the marinade to suit your own tastes. Try adding za’atar, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, shawarma seasoning or chili powder.
- Chili – Add some chili heat with some cayenne red pepper or red pepper flakes.
How to Make Mediterranean Steak Bites
Step 1. Marinate the Steak: In a large bowl, or a large Ziplock bag, add all the ingredients for the marinade and toss well to combine. Add the cubed steak into the large bowl and mix well until the seasoning is covering the steak.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until 2 hours.
Step 2. Grill the Steak: Preheat the grill to 400 degrees F. Place either a grill safe pan or a cast iron skillet into the grill to warm up.
Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil to the cast iron skillet or grill pan. Add the cubed steak to the pan in an even layer. Use a basting brush to brush the remaining marinade on the steak.
Step 3. Finish Cooking the Steak: Grill the steak for 3-4 minutes, then turn the steak over and grill another 3- 4 minutes or until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Remove from the grill and tent with foil for 5 minutes.
Step 4. Garnish and Serve: Pair with potatoes, grilled veggies and a tzatziki sauce or tahini yogurt sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill.
Expert Tips for Perfect Mediterranean Steak Bites
- If time allows, I recommend marinating the beef for 2 hours as it will intensify the flavor of the marinade. Marinate in a food-safe plastic bag or in a non-reactive container such as glass or plastic. Turn or stir the beef occasionally to allow even exposure to the marinade.
- Add olive oil or non-stick cooking spray to the skillet or grill pan to stop the steak from sticking.
- Save a small portion of the marinade before adding it to the beef. You can brush this on the steak bites as they grill to add more flavor.
- Always use a meat thermometer when trying to determine beef’s doneness! Temperature should read 145°F for medium rare beef, 160°F for medium, and 170°F for well done. Keep in mind that beef’s internal temperature will continue to rise, even after it’s removed from the grill.
- Always allow time to rest the beef and allow the juices to be redistributed. This will ensure juicy and flavorful steak bites. I like to cover the finished steak bites with foil for 10 minutes to help lock in the flavor and juices.
Storage Tips
Steak bites are best enjoyed fresh as reheating steak can lead to overcooking it and the steak becoming tough.
If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. When ready to enjoy, place them back into a hot skillet and only cook until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
I like to use good quality frying steak like sirloin steak, New York strip steak, flat iron, ribeye, rump or tenderloin. These cuts cook quickly and have good depth of meaty flavor.
If your steak bites are tough the most likely cause is overcooking the steak. I like to cook my steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F, which is medium rare. I also recommend allowing the beef to rest for 5 minutes once cooked, this allows the juices to redistribute through the steak and results in juicier bites of steak. The best way to avoid overcooked or tough steak is to cut the beef into even sized 1-inch cubes, so they cook evenly.
More Grilled Steak Recipes
If you tried this Mediterranean Steak Bites Recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Mediterranean Steak Bites
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds sirloin, Cut into one inch cubes
For the Mediterranean marinade:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 shallots, finely minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley or curly parsley, finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, or a large Ziplock bag, add the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, shallots, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, paprika, sea salt and black pepper, and stir well to combine. Add the cubed steak into the large bowl and mix well until the seasoning is covering the steak.
- Optional: You can save a small portion of the marinade to the side to use to brush on the steak bites as they grill.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until 2 hours.
- Preheat the grill to 400 degrees F. Place either a grill safe pan or a cast iron skillet into the grill to warm up.
- Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil to the cast iron skillet or grill pan. Add the cubed steak to the pan in an even layer. Use a basting brush to brush the remaining marinade on the steak.
- Grill the steak for 3-4 minutes, then turn the steak over and grill another 3- 4 minutes or until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Remove from the grill and tent with foil for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, dill and serve with a tzatziki sauce or tahini yogurt sauce.
Notes
- If time allows, I recommend marinating the beef for 2 hours as it will intensify the flavor of the marinade. Marinate in a food-safe plastic bag or in a non-reactive container such as glass or plastic. Turn or stir the beef occasionally to allow even exposure to the marinade.
- Add olive oil or non-stick cooking spray to the skillet or grill pan to stop the steak from sticking.
- Save a small portion of the marinade before adding it to the beef. You can brush this on the steak bites as they grill to add more flavor.
- Always allow time to rest the beef and allow the juices to be redistributed. This will ensure juicy and flavorful steak bites. I like to cover the finished steak bites with foil for 10 minutes to help lock in the flavor and juices.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Loved this one! Thanks for sharing it, a new fav for sure.