Creamy Garlic Butter Steak Pasta Recipe

Steak night and pasta night in the same bowl, which is how this creamy garlic butter steak pasta happened in the first place thanks to Ogi's recommendation. Everything cooks in one skillet, the sauce gets built right on top of the browned bits the steak leaves behind, and it looks so much fancier than the effort it takes.

The sauce is not an alfredo, by the way! Tomato paste goes in with the garlic and onion and cooks down until it turns deep and a little sweet, so you get all that richness without it tasting like straight cream.

One thing I'd tell you before you start: sear the steak whole, not in strips. Strips go grey before they get a crust. Slice it after it rests and you keep that pink middle every time.

If you want the same sauce without the steak, my Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is the closest cousin on the site. For a fuller-bodied version, there's The Best Lasagna.

Ingredient Notes

• Striploin steak. Sear it whole and slice after resting. Swap: ribeye, sirloin or flank. Flank needs slicing against the grain or it'll be chewy.
• Tomato paste. 3 tablespoons, and it needs the full 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. Raw tomato paste tastes tinny and it doesn't go away later.
• Heavy cream. 2 cups. Nothing lighter holds up to this much simmering without splitting.
• Fusilli. The spirals hold sauce better than a smooth shape. Swap: penne or rigatoni.
• Parmesan. Off the heat, always. Add it to a simmering sauce and it goes stringy instead of melting in.

See recipe card for remaining ingredients & quantities.

Instructions

Sear steak & set aside. Sauté veggies with the tomato paste.

Add in the heavy cream & let the sauce thicken!

Pour in the al dente fusilli pasta!

Top with steak & enjoy!!

Creamy Garlic Butter Steak Pasta

Striploin seared hard for a crust, then rested and sliced while the sauce comes together in the same pan. Butter, onion, garlic and tomato paste, then cream, tossed through fusilli and finished with parmesan.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 1293

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x?

• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1.5 lbs Striploin steak
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 3 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Optional: Flour slurry 1 tablespoon flour + ⅓ cup water
• 12 oz fusilli pasta cooked al dente
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan
• Salt & pepper to taste

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Large Skillet

Method

 

1. Sear the steak: Season your striploin generously with salt and pepper. Make sure the steak is at room temperature for a good sear. Heat oil over medium-high heat until you see wisps of smoke, then add the steak in a single layer. Sear 2–3 minutes per side until a deep crust forms. Check the internal temperature if needed, then transfer the steak to rest.
2. Deglaze with melted butter: Add butter to the bottom of the skillet and let it melt, scraping up all those browned bits, this is key to big, rich flavor.
3. Cook the aromatics: Stir in the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until fragrant and softened.
4. Build the flavor: Add tomato paste, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Cook 2–3 minutes to deepen the flavor. If you like, splash in a touch of white wine or beef broth to enhance the sauce even more.
5. Make it creamy: Pour in the heavy cream. If it’s thin, mix in a flour slurry off heat to avoid clumps. Return to a gentle simmer, this is where the creamy sauce starts to come together.
6. Let it thicken: Simmer 5–10 minutes until silky. Stir in the al dente fusilli, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
7. Combine the sauce and pasta: Let everything simmer for another 5 minutes so the tender pasta absorbs all that garlic-butter goodness.
8. Finish & serve: Turn off the heat and stir in parsley and shredded Parmesan cheese. Slice your juicy steak and place it right on top of the pasta. Serve immediately for the best texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 1293kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 55gFat: 86gSaturated Fat: 44gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 294mgSodium: 470mgPotassium: 1063mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2768IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 308mgIron: 5mg

Notes

Storage

• Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and reheat gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of cream or water to bring the sauce back, since it tightens up as it chills.
• The steak is the tricky part, it goes from pink to well done fast on a second heating, so if you can, keep the sliced steak separate and add it at the end just to warm through.
• For longer storage, freeze the sauce and steak without the pasta for up to 2 months and cook fresh pasta when you thaw it, because reheated pasta in cream sauce turns soft.

Dry the steak and get the pan properly hot. A wet steak in a warm pan steams grey instead of browning, and that crust is the whole sauce base.

Rest the steak for 5 minutes before slicing. Cut it straight away and the juices end up on the board.

Parmesan goes in off the heat.

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