Garlic Butter Steak And Potato Skillet Recipe
Steak and potatoes form a quintessential meal that checks the meat and starch boxes. Whether you're a fan of mashed or roasted spuds, it's easy to whip up a savory feast with a few staples. Today Meal recipe developer Deniz Vergara takes this classic combination in another direction that might just become a new household favorite. Her garlic butter steak and potato skillet recipe features chopped garlicky steak, tater tots, and cheese baked in a skillet. The result is deliciously decadent, with crispy tots coated in gooey cheese to accompany each piece of succulent beef.
"I like how this recipe takes the familiar concept of steak and potatoes but switches up the type of potato," Vergara says. "It's it a fun meal that works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!" Indeed, if you're a steak and eggs for breakfast kind of person, this tasty variation will delight your senses. As a bonus, it's ready in half an hour, so there's no need to toil away in the kitchen to satisfy your appetite.
Gather the ingredients for this garlic butter steak and potato skillet recipe
For the marinade, grab avocado oil, sea salt, minced garlic cloves, and garlic powder. Next, you'll need skirt steak, frozen tater tots, salted butter (cut into four cubes), shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced scallions.
Step 1: Combine oil and seasoning
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the oil, salt, garlic, and garlic powder.
Step 2: Marinate the steak
Place the skirt steak into the bowl and coat it in the marinade.
Step 3: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Step 4: Prep a tray with tater tots
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the tater tots on it in a single layer.
Step 5: Bake the tater tots
Cook the tater tots according to the package instructions until they are golden and crispy (about 12–14 minutes).
Step 6: Heat a skillet
Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat.
Step 7: Sear the steak
Place the steak in the pan and sear on one side for about 3 minutes.
Step 8: Add butter and finish searing
Flip the steak, place the butter on top of the seared side, and cook for another 2 minutes (until it is medium).
Step 9: Transfer the steak to rest
Remove from the pan and place on a cutting board to rest for a few minutes.
Step 10: Remove the tater tots
When the tater tots are done, remove them from the oven.
Step 11: Cut the steak
Slice the steak into bite-sized pieces.
Step 12: Add steak, tater tots, and cheese to skillet
Place the cut-up steak back into the skillet, top with the cooked tater tots, and then sprinkle the cheese on top.
Step 13: Bake the skillet
Place the skillet back in the oven for about 3 minutes, just until the cheese has melted.
Step 14: Remove the skillet
Remove from the oven.
Step 15: Garnish
Top with scallions.
Step 16: Serve with condiments or toppings
Serve immediately with ketchup, hot sauce, or any of your favorite toppings.
Can you use another cut of steak in this skillet recipe?
Skirt steak comes from the cow's belly and features muscles rippling through the meat, giving the cut a pleasantly chewy consistency and plenty of flavor. It's generally on the thinner side, too, which means it quickly absorbs marinade for even more flavor. It tends to be pretty cheap, making it a good option for a comfort food skillet dish. That said, if you can't get skirt steak, Vergara recommends using top sirloin, flank, or strip steak as a substitute. These cuts are fairly lean, offering a similar outcome as to when you use skirt steak.
With plenty of flavor and a tender consistency when cooked right (hot and fast), top sirloin is an easy swap. Meanwhile, since flank steaks are usually thicker, you might want to let the meat sit for longer in the marinade and cook it more. Strip steaks are lean, which makes them a good alternative to skirt steaks for a quick sear.
What other mix-ins can you add to this skillet?
While this garlic butter steak and potato skillet recipe is an obvious winner as is, Vergara points out that "It's such a fun and versatile dish!" Just keep the main ingredients the same but switch up the garnishes to customize the dish for your taste and desires. Vergara offers a few suggestions depending on the time of day: "For breakfast, you can serve this with some sunny side eggs on top and drizzle with hot sauce and ketchup," she says. Sprinkle the top with crunchy bacon bits for the ultimate treat.
Meanwhile, the toppings can also transform the dish to suit certain cuisines. "If you want this to be more of a fun dinner, you can top it with guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream," Vergara recommends. Alternatively, add chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro and parsley, for a vibrant touch, or incorporate them into condiments — try a chimichurri sauce.
- 1 ½ teaspoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound skirt steak
- 4 cups frozen tater tots
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, cut into 4 cubes
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 scallions, sliced
- Ketchup or hot sauce, for serving
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the oil, salt, garlic, and garlic powder.
- Place the skirt steak into the bowl and coat it in the marinade.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the tater tots on it in a single layer.
- Cook the tater tots according to the package instructions until they are golden and crispy (about 12–14 minutes).
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat.
- Place the steak in the pan and sear on one side for about 3 minutes.
- Flip the steak, place the butter on top of the seared side, and cook for another 2 minutes (until it is medium).
- Remove from the pan and place on a cutting board to rest for a few minutes.
- When the tater tots are done, remove them from the oven.
- Slice the steak into bite-size pieces.
- Place the cut-up steak back into the skillet, top with the cooked tater tots, and then sprinkle the cheese on top.
- Place the skillet back in the oven for about 3 minutes, just until the cheese has melted.
- Remove from the oven.
- Top with scallions.
- Serve immediately with ketchup, hot sauce, or any of your favorite toppings.
| Calories per Serving | 383 |
| Total Fat | 28.5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13.1 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.9 g |
| Cholesterol | 109.3 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 2.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.3 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.3 g |
| Sodium | 365.6 mg |
| Protein | 29.7 g |
