Some nights call for a dinner that feels familiar, cooks fast, and doesn’t turn into a negotiation with a six-year-old.
On those nights, steak bites, frozen potatoes, and peas get the job done. Cutting the steak into quick-cooking pieces keeps things moving, the potatoes do their thing straight from the freezer, and the peas add something green without complaints. It’s a meal everyone recognizes, everyone eats, and no one argues about (exactly what a weeknight dinner should be).
Snapshot
- Implements: sheet pan; heavy skillet (cast iron preferred); oven and stovetop
- Oven setting: 425°F (220°C) for roasting potatoes
- Stove setting: high heat for browning steak in batches, then medium for warming with butter and herbs
- Batch size: 3–4 servings
Ingredients
Main components
- 1 to 1¼ lb top sirloin, thawed
- 1 bag Ore-Ida Potatoes O’Brien (frozen)
- 1 to 1½ cups frozen peas
- Neutral oil (avocado or canola)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Butter and herb baste
- 3 to 5 Tbsp butter total (2–3 Tbsp for potatoes, 1–2 Tbsp for steak)
- 1 smashed garlic clove (optional)
- 1 to 2 sprigs thyme or 1 small sprig rosemary
Optional but approved
- Lemon (for peas)
- Worcestershire sauce (a few drops, not a glug)
- Fresh parsley (finish only)
Method
Roast the potatoes
Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss frozen Ore-Ida Potatoes O’Brien with neutral oil (canola/avocado/olive) and salt. Spread wide on a sheet pan and roast 25–30 minutes until fully browned (don’t rush).
Let them get fully browned first. Pale potatoes are undercooked lies. Color is flavor.
Prep and brown the steak bites
Do this while the potatoes are roasting.
Cut sirloin into even, bite-size chunks. Pat very dry with paper towels. Salt right before cooking.
Moisture is the enemy of browning. This step is not optional.
Heat a cast iron skillet (or heavy skillet) over high heat until properly hot. Add a thin layer of oil. Brown the steak bites in 2–3 batches, adding steak in a single layer for each batch. Do not touch for 60 to 90 seconds per batch. Flip once and brown the second side.
At this point, the steak should be mostly cooked and well-crusted. Set aside all browned steak bites.
Finish the potatoes
When potatoes are fully browned, add small pats of butter (2–3 Tbsp) and allow to melt, about 2 minutes. Toss once, then return to oven for 3–5 minutes to brown and crisp.
Warm the steak bites
Do this at the same time as finishing the potatoes (step 3).
Put all the steak bites back in the pan and add 1–2 Tbsp butter plus herbs (and garlic, if using). Warm on medium heat, tossing with the butter and herbs until everything is heated through.
This is a gentle warm-up, not a sear. Flavor and warmth without overcooking is the goal.
Optional: a few drops of Worcestershire right at the end.
Cook the peas
Start this at the same time as finishing the potatoes (step 3) and warming the steak (step 4).
Add about an inch of water to a pan. Add 1–2 cups frozen peas. Blanch with lid on until hot. Drain off water. Season as desired with butter and salt.
Optional squeeze of lemon.
Serve
Gently toss steak bites with potatoes off heat, or plate separately. Add peas. Finish with black pepper and optional parsley.
Notes, swaps, and guardrails
Why this works (nerd corner, earnest but brief)
- Maillard reaction (steak): requires dry surface plus high heat plus minimal movement
- Batch browning: ensures proper crust without steaming; set aside and warm gently at the end
- Crisp starch (potatoes): requires space plus oven time; two-stage butter addition for crisp exterior
- Timing alignment: browning steak while potatoes roast maximizes efficiency
- Gentle warm-up: finishing steak with butter and herbs at medium heat avoids overcooking
- Peas: sweetness plus color plus mercy; blanching from frozen preserves texture
Trying to cook all of this in one pan is how good intentions get steamed. We don’t do that here.
Variations (if you feel like it)
- Fried egg on top (brunch energy)
- Swap peas for green beans or asparagus (same logic, different green)
- Add pickles or something acidic on the side (contrast amplified)