Beef Steaks with Onions

Why This Beef Steaks with Onions Beats Every Other Version

Most steakhouse versions cost too much and come out overcooked. I paid $32.99 for one at a chain place last month and the center was gray. The onions were barely cooked.

Online recipes drive me crazy because they want you to make a complicated pan sauce or rest the meat for twenty minutes while everything gets cold. This beef steaks with onions method stays in one skillet. You sear the meat hard, throw in the onions, splash in a little water, and finish with green onions.

The water pulls up all the browned bits. The onions turn sweet fast. I tried it once without the water and the pan was dry and the onions stuck. Never again.

You get a real steak dinner with almost no dishes.

What You Need for Beef Steaks with Onions

• 2 ribeye or sirloin steaks, about 1-inch thick (the $12.47 pack at the store meat counter works fine)
  Thinner steaks dry out. Don’t buy those.
• 1 large onion, sliced
  Yellow onions caramelize better than red ones here.
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp oil (the basic vegetable oil is fine)
• ½ cup water
• Salt and black pepper

USDA has the safe temperature chart for beef if you want the official numbers: USDA beef

How I Actually Make Beef Steaks with Onions

1. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Season both sides hard with salt and pepper. Let them sit ten minutes while the pan gets hot.
2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Lay the steaks in and do not touch them for four minutes. You want a deep brown crust.
3. Flip with tongs and sear the other side three to four minutes for medium-rare. The smell of the meat browning fills the kitchen.
4. Push the steaks to the side. Add the sliced onion and stir so it picks up the browned bits.
5. Pour in the water. It will steam and bubble. Scrape the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium and let it all cook together four minutes until the onions soften.
6. Sprinkle the chopped green onions over everything. Turn off the heat and let the steaks rest three minutes in the pan.

The oil sizzles loud when the steaks go in. The finished meat feels tender with a little chew on the crust and the onions are soft and sweet.

I once crowded the pan with three steaks and they steamed instead of seared. Next time I did two at a time and the crust was better.

Mid-article CTA

I keep a free list of my favorite skillet dinners on the site. Grab it if you want more ideas. No spam.

Leftovers, Storage, and Random Stuff

Day-two beef steaks with onions are still good if you keep the onions and juices with the meat. Store in a container in the fridge up to three days.

Reheat at 300°F for ten minutes covered so they do not dry out. Microwave works but the edges get tough.

I left a plate out once after dinner and the onions got weird. Had to toss it.

For a basic onion side I make with other meats see my quick caramelized onions. The simple seared steak I do when I skip the onions is here.

Wikipedia has a clean page on steak cuts if you want the differences: Steak

Beef Steaks with Onions FAQs

How do I get a good crust on beef steaks with onions?

Pat the meat dry and use a hot pan. Do not move the steaks for the first four minutes.

Can I use a different cut?

Yes. Sirloin or strip both work. Just keep them about one inch thick so they stay juicy.

What if the onions burn?

Add the water sooner and stir more. The liquid keeps them from sticking.

Can I make beef steaks with onions ahead?

The steaks taste best fresh. You can slice the onion earlier and keep it in the fridge.

Go make beef steaks with onions tonight. The pink center and sweet onions are worth the ten minutes of actual cooking.

Grab the free list if you want more.

Recipe Card

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 ribeye or sirloin steaks (1-inch thick)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• ½ cup water
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Pat steaks dry and season both sides. Rest 10 minutes.
2. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high.
3. Sear steaks 4 minutes without moving.
4. Flip and sear 3-4 minutes more.
5. Add onion and stir.
6. Pour in water, scrape the pan, and simmer 4 minutes.
7. Sprinkle green onions, rest 3 minutes, then slice. (Yes the pan looks messy. Keep going.)

Notes
(Don’t move the steaks while the first side sears.)
(Use a thermometer if you want exact doneness — 130°F for medium-rare.)