Seared Steak Tartare

Jump to Recipe

This easy recipe for seared steak tartare gives this classic appetizer a little bit of heat! It takes your everyday burger to all new heights.

Jump to:

Why we love this recipe
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
How to make this recipe
Equipment we used for this recipe
Recipe FAQs
What should I serve with this recipe?
Other steak recipes we love
Could you leave us a review?
Seared Steak Tartare

Why we love this recipe

Let me start by saying that yes, I realize that this recipe for seared steak tartare is breaking all kinds of steak tartare rules. The main one being that steak tartare is supposed to be, well, raw. And I am definitely one of those people who loves a good traditional steak tartare in all of its uncooked glory. So let me go on record as saying that.

However, there are also folks out there who aren’t quite into the whole totally raw meat thing…and I understand that, but I also can’t bear for you to live without the glory that is steak tartare. (And if you really want your burger cooked, I hear you and boy do I have a cheeseburger for you right here!)

So for you I present a seared steak tartare…a chopped filet mignon that is still super rare on the inside, but with a quick char on the outside, and cooked with garlic and rosemary and drizzled with olive oil and capers and oh my my. Let’s make it!

Ingredients you need

Ingredients needed for seared steak tartare.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Steak: As with regular steak tartare you need a super tender cut of steak. We always go for filet mignon, but a strip steak would also work.
Rosemary: You need the fresh stuff for this recipe…look for it in the produce section of your supermarket.
Capers: These little picked berries add a little sass to your steak tartare burger. You can find them in the condiments section, near the pickles!

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.

How to make this recipe

Chopped filet mignon in a food processor.

STEP 1: Get yourself a nice boneless filet mignon or strip steak (you need a very tender cut of beef for this recipe) and cut it into large chunks, and then pulse it in your food processor until it is chopped into teeny pieces…you don’t want it as fine as ground beef, you want it in nice little roughly 1/4 inch bits.

Steak Tartare burgers on a cutting board ready for the skillet.

STEP 2: Toss the chopped steak with a little salt and pepper and then form it into two loose patties.

Cast iron skillet with salt scatter in it.

STEP 3: Now heat up a dry skillet over high heat for five minutes until it is super hot (a cast iron pan is perfect for this!) and sprinkle it liberally with coarse salt.

Seared steak tartare cooking in a cast iron skillet.

STEP 4: Place your patties in the skillet and cook them until they have a nice sear…about one or two minutes. We are looking to get just the outside edge seared – we want to keep the inside as raw as possible. Carefully flip them over (I love my fish spatula for all kinds of careful flipping) and then pour a couple tablespoons of canola oil into the pan. Don’t fret if they come apart a little – they are still going to be delicious! Add a few sprigs of rosemary and some smashed garlic cloves to the pan.

Seared steak tartare with garlic on a plate.

STEP 5: Cook the patties for another 1 or two minutes, and then transfer each one to a place. Top with the rosemary and garlic, drizzle a little more olive oil over the top, scatter on some capers and sea salt and fresh ground pepper and serve it on up.

Equipment we used for this recipe

These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!

Cast Iron Skillet: My favorite piece of cookware in the entire kitchen, for everything from these steak tartare burgers to a giant chocolate chip cookie.
Food Processor: Here’s ours…one of the few appliances that is allowed to live on our kitchen counter because we use it All The Time.
Fish Spatula: This super thin spatula is perfect for scooting under these burgers to flip them.

Welcome to the steak tartare side, all you cooked food lovers!

Recipe FAQs

What kinds of steak can I use?

We feel Very Strongly that beef tenderloin is the way to go for both this seared version and the classic version of steak tartare. You just can’t beat it for the tenderness you need. We have heard that strip steak can also work though!

What are capers?

Capers look like little green berries, but they are actually the buds of caper bushes. They are brined and taste like little teeny tiny pickles, and you can find them in the condiments section of your supermarket.

I don’t have a cast iron skillet – what should I use?

Choose your sturdiest, heaviest skillet and heat it up for a good five minutes and your steak tartare burgers will be fine! (And add that cast iron pan to your holiday wishlist! 😃)

Have a question I didn’t cover?

Leave your question (or comment or suggestion) in the Comments box below the recipe and I will answer pronto!

What should I serve with this recipe?

We always love a potato salad with steak and this sour cream potato salad is our current fave! And if mashed potatoes are more up your alley, these baked mashed potatoes are amazing.

And since we are being fancy for supper, let’s be fancy (but still easy!) for dessert with this strawberry peach sorbet!

Other steak recipes we love

Could you leave us a review?

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.