Description
Tender, seared steak bites tossed with al dente rotini in a silky garlic-Parmesan cream sauce. Cozy, crowd-pleasing, and weeknight-friendly.
Ingredients
1 lb sirloin or ribeye steak, cut into bite-size cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
12 oz rotini pasta
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken or beef broth
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (garnish)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil; cook rotini to al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Pat steak dry; season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Sear 2-3 minutes per side until browned; transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter in the same skillet; add 3 minced cloves of garlic and cook 30-60 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute.
4. Gradually whisk in milk and broth until smooth. Simmer 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly; stir in Parmesan until melted. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
5. Toss pasta into the sauce. Fold in steak bites and any juices; loosen with reserved pasta water as needed. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Notes
Use a 12-inch skillet to avoid overcrowding the steak. Freshly grated Parmesan melts smoother than pre-shredded. Sauce thickens as it cools—loosen leftovers with a splash of milk when reheating. Add sauteed mushrooms or spinach for extra veggies, or swap steak for chicken or shrimp.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate (~420 g)
- Calories: 940
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 71 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 62 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg