Description
Tender, perfectly seared steak tips bathed in rich garlic butter served over creamy, cheese-covered rigatoni pasta. This restaurant-quality meal comes together in under 40 minutes for an impressive weeknight dinner or special occasion feast.
Ingredients
1.5 pounds sirloin steak tips, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced (for marinade)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (for sauce)
6 cloves garlic, finely minced (for sauce)
1/4 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 pound rigatoni pasta
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter (for pasta)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta.
2. In a large bowl, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 4 cloves minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, thyme, smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add cubed steak and toss to coat. Let marinate for 15-20 minutes at room temperature.
3. Pat marinated steak pieces completely dry with paper towels to remove excess marinade.
4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking hot, about 3-4 minutes. Add a thin layer of oil.
5. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add steak pieces in a single layer. Sear without moving for 2-3 minutes until deeply browned on bottom.
6. Flip each piece and cook another 2 minutes for medium-rare (130-135°F internal temperature). Remove to a plate.
7. Reduce heat to medium and add 4 tablespoons butter to the same pan. Once melted, add 6 cloves minced garlic and cook 30-45 seconds until fragrant.
8. Add beef broth and scrape up browned bits from pan bottom. Simmer for 1 minute to reduce slightly. Stir in fresh parsley.
9. While steak cooks, cook rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
10. Return drained pasta to pot. Add 2 tablespoons butter, heavy cream, mozzarella, Parmesan, and garlic powder. Toss over low heat until cheese melts and coats pasta. Add reserved pasta water as needed for creamy consistency.
11. Let steak rest for 5 minutes, then return to garlic butter sauce and toss to coat.
12. Plate cheesy rigatoni and top with garlic butter steak tips. Spoon extra sauce over everything and garnish with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan.
Notes
Pat steak extremely dry before searing for the best crust and flavor development.
Don’t overcrowd the pan when searing steak. Cook in batches if necessary to maintain high heat.
Use an instant-read meat thermometer for perfect doneness every time. Remove steak 5°F before target temperature as it continues cooking while resting.
For richer cheese sauce, add cream cheese along with the mozzarella and Parmesan.
Store leftover steak and pasta separately to maintain best texture. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freeze cooked steak in garlic butter sauce for up to 2 months. Do not freeze cooked pasta.
For keto version, substitute pasta with zucchini noodles or cauliflower florets.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Dinner
- Method: Pan-Seared, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (about 6 oz steak + 2 cups pasta)
- Calories: 845
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 68g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 52g
- Cholesterol: 165mg
Keywords: garlic butter steak tips, cheesy rigatoni, steak and pasta, easy steak dinner, garlic butter pasta