GARLIC BUTTER PAN FRIED STEAK (2024)

Simple recipe for Pan-Fried Steak topped with garlic butter that everyone raves about! Done in 15 minutes & easily the BEST recipe for steak cooked on a stove EVER.

This steak recipe is so simple, yet it will give you delicious steakhouse quality steaks from the comfort of your own home. When finished in the oven, the butter and parmesan cheese melt together and leave a nice buttery, cheesy crust on top of your juicy steak.

What type of steak is best for stove cooking?

No, you can use it for any cut of steak your meat loving heart desires. I used a rib eye, because that’s my favorite cut, but I also make Filet Mignon this way, for my wife. Remember, you will have to adjust times for thicker or thinner steaks. You don’t want to overcook your steak.

How to make Pan Fried Steak

Start by removing the thawed steak from the refrigerator and let sit for about an hour. This allows the meat to come to room temperature, making for a more evenly cooked steak.

Lightly coat the entire steak in the oil of your choice. I like to use olive or canola oil. Sprinkle the seasonings on the top, bottom and sides of the steak.

Pan Fry the Steaks on the stove top

Heat a cast iron skillet to medium/medium high heat. You can use any type of skillet, but I’ve found that a cast iron skillet can get a better crust on your steak, without over cooking it. Cast iron skillets are incredible tools for cooking meet. Check out how to cook tri tip roast in a cast iron skillet here.

Also, if you are going to finish the steaks off in the oven, you don’t have to transfer the steak to an oven safe dish. You can just place the whole cast iron skillet in the oven. If you are going to finish the steaks off in the oven, now would be the time to preheat it to 400 degrees.

Once the skillet is heated up, place your steak in it and let it cook for 5 minutes. Turn it and let it cook on the other side for 5 more minutes. If you are cooking thicker steaks, you can also lay the steak on its long side and cook for a minute on each side. Use a meat thermometer and the steak temperature chart below to cook your steak perfectly.

My all-time favorite meat thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great meat thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well!

After the steaks have been cooked on the stove top, spoon the butter over the steaks, then rest and serve.

Finish cooking steak in the oven

Thicker steaks can finish cooking in the oven. Place the entire cast iron skillet in the oven until it is done to your preferred temperature. If you did not use a cast iron skillet, you will need to transfer your steak to an oven safe dish. Cook for an additional 2-5 minutes, then spoon the butter over the steaks, rest and serve.

Steak Temperature Chart

The temperate of cooked steak depends on how you like your steak! Here’s a chart that shows what temperature to aim for, depending on how well-cooked you enjoy your steak.

Should steaks rest after cooking on stove?

Yes, steaks should rest for a few minutes after cooking. Once the steak is done cooking, remove from heat, loosely cover with aluminum foil and let rest for a few minutes. This allows the juices in the steak to redistribute, giving you a more tender, juicy flavorful steak.

How to make garlic butter

To make the garlic butter topping for your steak, combine the softened butter, add the garlic, parmesan cheese and pepper together in a small bowl and mix together. Once thoroughly mixed, place in the refrigerator so it can harden a bit.

Garlic Butter Pan Fried Steak recipe ingredients

Here’s what you need to make our Pan Fried Steak:

–one 12-16-oz steak of your choice (I used a ribeye)

–1/4 tsp black pepper

–1/2 tsp salt

–1 TBSP olive oil

Garlic Butter topping:

–4 oz butter, softened to room temperature

–1 TBSP parmesan cheese, shredded

–¼ teaspoon minced garlic

–1 tsp black pepper

How to cook steak on the stove

Lightly coat your entire steak with oil. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the entire steak. If you are cooking a thicker steak and will be finishing it off in the oven, make sure to preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Heat your skillet to medium/medium high heat. Once heated, add steak and cook for 5 minutes on each side. If you have a thicker steak, you can also cook on each of the long sides for 1 minute.

To make the Garlic Butter, combine the butter, parmesan cheese, garlic and butter in a small bowl. Place in the refrigerator to cool and harden.

Finish cooking thick/ large steaks in a 400 degree F oven for 2-5 minutes. This is where a cast iron skillet comes in handy, you can put the skillet in the oven without having to transfer the steak to an oven safe dish. Use a meat thermometer and the steak temperature chart to cook your steak perfectly.

Remove from heat and top with garlic butter. Let rest for a few minutes, while loosely tented with aluminum foil.

How many steaks can cook in a pan at once?

You can cook as many steaks as will fit in your skillet. But the more steaks you put in the skillet, the lower the surface temperature of your skillet will be. This will cause your steaks to cook slower and you may not get that nice crust on the outside. Also, the ingredients listed are for a single steak. If cooking more than one steak, make sure to increase the ingredients accordingly.

How to season pan-fried steak

You can use any seasonings you like, but don’t go overboard. You don’t want to over power the taste of a good steak. While I primarily only use salt and pepper, sometimes I’ll substitute in seasoning salt instead of regular salt, or add a touch of garlic powder, maybe even some natures seasoning. Keep it simple though.