10 Easy but Fancy Sirloin Steak Recipes for a Steakhouse Experience on a Hamburger Budget

You don't need an expensive cut to get the taste of juicy, tender beef.

Serious Eats / Two Bites

In my pre-chef days, the word "sirloin" conjured up visions of a nicely charred, glistening slab of meat at a steakhouse. Today, I know it to be one of the most versatile, not to mention inexpensive, cuts of beef you can cook with. All you have to do is peruse the butcher's case to see the variety of sirloin cuts available—like tri-tip and flap meat (a.k.a sirloin tip)—to imagine the possibilities. Luckily for you, we've rounded up 10 sirloin steak recipes to inspire you. There's gloriously crispy and mouth-watering chicken fried steak, easy Cuban steak and onions, spicy Nigerian beef skewers, Armenian shish kebabs—even cheesesteak nachos and Korean bulgogi burritos. The best part is you don't have to splurge on an expensive cut for a taste of juicy, tender steak.

Chicken-Fried Steak

Serious Eats / Jen Causey

Chicken-fried steak falls into the category of "don't knock it until you've tried it" comfort foods. When done right, it's tender, moist, and gloriously crunchy. To produce the extra-light, delicately craggy crust, coat thinly pounded sirloin tip in cornstarch first, dip it in egg, then toss it in a seasoned flour and buttermilk mixture. Deep fry it until golden brown, then serve it with a generous helping of creamy gravy.

Get Recipe: Chicken-Fried Steak

Palomilla (Cuban Steak and Onions)

Serious Eats / Two Bites

Palomilla, or Cuban steak and onions, is what you want to make on a weeknight when you want a flavorful meal on the table in under 30 minutes. It pairs well with classic Cuban sides like rice, beans, and plantains or even a simple side salad. Pounding your sirloin extra thin and marinating it in salt and lime tenderizes and flavor the meat, while searing the steaks in a hot skillet ensures they brown well.

Get Recipe: Palomilla (Cuban Steak and Onions)

Kenyan Beef Wet Fry

Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Another great easy go-to dinner is this popular Kenyan "wet fry" of tender bite-size beef coated with a thick tomato-based sauce and served with ugali (cooked cornmeal) or white rice. Starting with a more tender cut of meat like sirloin steak, then searing it in small batches, streamlines the cooking process so you can have dinner ready in just 30 minutes.  

Get Recipe: Kenyan Beef Wet Fry

Chacarero Chileno (Chilean Steak and Green Bean Sandwiches)

Serious Eats / Estudio Como

Chacarero Chileno is more than the sum of its parts, but choosing the right cut of beef and cooking it well can make all the difference. Opt for sirloin tip or flap meat, pound it thin, then give it a good sear. Coating the beef in a flavored mayonnaise keeps it tender and juicy—even over high heat on a grill.

Get Recipe: Chacarero Chileno (Chilean Steak and Green Bean Sandwiches)

Khorovats (Armenian Shish Kebabs)

Serious Eats / Andrew Janjigian

Armenians are serious about their grilled meats, and these shish kebabs are a mainstay at every family gathering. Marinating the meat in a mixture of grated onion, red wine, tomato paste, and salt deeply seasons the meat, while also providing a coating that quickly chars on the grill. Though most Armenians prefer the flavor of lamb, flap meat or sirloin tip is the quicker option and equally delicious.

Get Recipe: Khorovats (Armenian Shish Kebabs)

Nigerian Beef Suya (Spiced Grilled Skewers)

Serious Eats / Sho Spaeth

These skewers of spiced, nutty, smoky, charred beef served with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce, and lime juice are Nigerian street food at its finest. Freezing the sirloin steak for 15-30 minutes makes it easier to slice thinly and massaging some of the Yajin Kuli spice blend into the meat seasons it, making each bite incredibly flavorful.

Get Recipe: Nigerian Beef Suya (Spiced Grilled Skewers)

Phat Bai Horapha (Thai-Style Beef With Basil and Chiles)

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

For meat that's tender, beautifully browned, and packed with savory flavor, thinly-slice sirloin, then marinate it in fish sauce, soy sauce, and a bit of sugar before stir-frying it in small batches.

Get Recipe: Phat Bai Horapha (Thai-Style Beef With Basil and Chiles)

Cheesesteak Nachos

Serious Eats / Morgan Eisenberg

We love a good mashup, especially when it results in the kind of food you want to dive right in and devour…like these Cheesesteak Nachos, which take inspiration from Philly cheesecake. Freezing the sirloin steak for a couple of hours allows you to slice the meat as thinly as possible, and swapping out corn tortilla chips with ones made from flour replicates the crisp chewiness of a Philly roll. For a meal that really evokes that flavors of the Philadelphia classic, be sure to top it with melted provolone, homemade cheese sauce, and hot peppers.

Get Recipe: Cheesesteak Nachos

Korean Beef Bulgogi Burritos

Serious Eats / Emily and Matt Clifton

Want your Korean bulgogi on the go? Try wrapping it up in a burrito. Here, a classic marinade with Asian pear tenderizes the sirloin and infuses it with sweet, savory flavor. Roll the bulgogi inside a flour tortilla with cooked short-grain rice, shredded red cabbage, Korean pickled radish, kimchi, scallion, cilantro, and gochujang into a neat package, then tuck in—no utensils required.

Get Recipe: Korean Beef Bulgogi Burritos

Crispy Bulgogi-Filled Scallion Pancakes

Serious Eats / Morgan Eisenberg

Crispy scallion pancake stuffed with sweet, spicy bulgogi beef and melty cheese? Sign me up! In our Korean spin on the quesadilla, the twisty spirals and flaky layers of the traditional scallion pancake help trap in cheese and juices from the beef. Even better, the cheese that oozes out of the sides hits the pan as you fry them, creating crispy browned cheese bits.

Get Recipe: Crispy Bulgogi-Filled Scallion Pancakes

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