Garlic Butter Tri-Tip Steak with Asparagus- One Pan Cast Iron Meal

One of our favorite easy, one-pan dinners is garlic butter tri-tip steak with asparagus. This steak and asparagus dinner is simple to make and is sure to be a family meal that you and your family will make on repeat.

I always consider it a win when I find a meal that is both easy to make and that my whole family likes. You really can’t go wrong with a delicious Tri-Tip seasoned with garlic and butter with a side of tender-crisp asparagus.

While you can use your favorite steak in this recipe, I recommend a tri-tip. Tri-tip is a lean, boneless triangular cut of beef that is super tender and juicy, we love cooking with this cut of beef because it doesn’t need to be cooked low and slow so it can be used in quick recipes.

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Steak Bites

Let’s walk through the list of the main ingredients and substitutions you will need to make this garlic butter steak bites with asparagus recipe:

• Tri-Tip Steak– tri-tip is a lean cut of meat that cooks up quickly and is flavorful and tender. A good substitution for a tri-tip would be a flank steak or even a ribeye.
• Garlic– fresh garlic will add the best flavor. I like to use my garlic press to easily mince the garlic.
• Shallot– this mild onion adds such great flavor to this dish. If you have never cooked with a shallot before, this is the recipe to try it in.
• Butter– adds great flavor and a beautiful crust to this steak and asparagus recipe.
• Asparagus– is cooked to tender-crisp and tastes delicious alongside the steak bites in garlic butter.
• Lemon Juice– it’s amazing how a little squeeze of lemon juice can add so much flavor to this dish.

How to Make Steak Bites

1. Prepare the steak– start by setting the steak out and bringing to room temperature. This takes a little planning, but really makes a difference. Slice the steak, against the grain, into bite-sized pieces, season on all sides with salt and black pepper.
2. Prepare the asparagus– remove the woody bottom pieces of the asparagus and then slice the asparagus into thirds, or smaller pieces.
3. Cook the steak– I like to cook steak in a cast iron pan, but any large skillet will work. Heat the oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add in the steak bites, and cook for about 2 minutes on each side.
4. Cook the asparagus– remove the steak bites from the pan and add in the asparagus. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes until tender-crisp.
5. Season and serve- add back in the steak bites with the butter, garlic, and shallots. Cook for about 1 minute, then squeeze over lemon juice and serve.

Recipe Tips and Storage

• Check the temperature of the steak bites. Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of the steak bites so that they aren’t under or over cooked.
  • Rare: 115ºF
  • Medium Rare: 125ºF
  • Medium: 135ºF
  • Medium Well: 140ºF
  • Well Done: 150ºF
• Slice the beef into the same size so that it will cook evenly
• Store any leftover steak and asparagus bites in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To reheat, place in the microwave in 30 second increments or place in a pan over medium heat until warmed through.
• Leftovers of this steak and asparagus recipe are delicious on their own or add to a salad.

Serving Suggestions

This dish can be a meal on its own or even a delicious appetizer. If you choose to serve this as a meal try serving it with a loaf of crusty bread, a side salad, some roasted potatoes or even fruit.