Are you craving the rich, decadent, and completely satisfying experience of a high-end steakhouse dinner, but in the comfort of your own home? This incredible, from-scratch Steakhouse Pasta brings all of that luxury right to your kitchen table. Imagine tender, perfectly grilled steak, sliced and fanned over wide pasta ribbons, all tossed in a luscious, creamy, and complex tomato-brandy-blue cheese sauce. It’s the ultimate special occasion meal that is surprisingly easy to master.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s your guide to creating an unforgettable, restaurant-quality dining experience. We’ll show you the simple secrets to a perfectly cooked steak and how to build a sophisticated pan sauce that is bursting with layers of incredible flavor. This is the perfect, impressive dish for a date night, a dinner party, or any time you want to celebrate with a truly spectacular meal.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Steakhouse Dinner at Home
What makes this Steakhouse Pasta so spectacular is its incredible, multi-layered, and sophisticated flavor profile that truly mimics a high-end restaurant dish. The star is a perfectly grilled skirt steak, known for its rich, beefy flavor. This is served over a bed of wide pappardelle noodles enrobed in a magnificent pan sauce. The sauce is a masterpiece of flavor-building: it starts with a brandy reduction, incorporates a savory tomato base, and is finished with a luxurious combination of creamy fontina, tangy blue cheese, heavy cream, and a surprising kick of horseradish.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 45 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 25 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Intermediate |
| Servings | 4 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Gourmet Pasta
This recipe uses a handful of high-quality ingredients to create its signature rich and complex flavor.
- The Steak:
- Skirt Steak: The recipe calls for skirt steak, which is a fantastic choice. This long, thin cut is prized for its incredibly rich, beefy flavor. It cooks very quickly over high heat, making it perfect for grilling or pan-searing. Be sure to slice it against the grain for maximum tenderness.
- The “Steakhouse” Sauce: This is the heart of the dish.
- Brandy: Deglazing the pan with a good quality brandy adds a deep, fruity, and slightly sweet complexity that is a classic foundation for steakhouse pan sauces.
- The Cheeses: The combination of two cheeses is the secret to a perfect texture and flavor. Fontina cheese is a wonderful Italian cheese that melts beautifully into a smooth, nutty, and creamy sauce. A pungent blue cheese adds that signature, sharp, tangy, and savory flavor that is a classic pairing with steak.
- Horseradish: This is a brilliant, unexpected ingredient! A tablespoon of prepared horseradish adds a wonderful, sharp, spicy, and peppery kick that perfectly cuts through the richness of the cream and cheese.
- The Pasta:
- Pappardelle: These wide, flat, and long pasta ribbons are the perfect, elegant choice. Their broad surface is ideal for catching and holding onto every last drop of this rich, creamy sauce.
Step-by-Step to a Perfect Steakhouse Pasta
This is a restaurant-style dish, which means a few components will be cooking at the same time. Read through the steps first to get your timing down!
Part 1: Cook the Pasta and Grill the Perfect Steak
Step 1: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the 1 1/2 pounds of pappardelle and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, prepare your grill. Brush the grill grates with vegetable oil and preheat it to a medium-high heat.
Step 3: Season one side of your 12-ounce skirt steak generously with 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of lemon pepper, and a pinch of kosher salt.
Step 4: Place the steak on the hot grill, with the seasoned-side down. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. While the first side is cooking, season the top side with the remaining salt and pepper.
Step 5: Flip the steak and cook it for another 3 to 4 minutes for a perfect medium-rare. Remove the steak from the grill to a cutting board and let it rest while you finish the sauce.
Pro Tip: Letting the steak rest for 5-10 minutes is a non-negotiable step! It allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, guaranteeing a tender and juicy result.
Part 2: The Creamy Steakhouse Pan Sauce
Step 1: In a large skillet over medium heat, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Step 2: Turn the heat off for a moment, and then carefully add the 1/2 cup of brandy to the skillet. Turn the heat back on and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until the brandy has reduced by half.
Step 3: Add the 28-ounce can of drained, diced tomatoes to the skillet, along with the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, the 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let the sauce cook for 10 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
Step 4: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the 1/2 cup of grated fontina and 1 tablespoon of the crumbled blue cheese. Stir until the cheeses have melted into the sauce.
Step 5: Stir in the 3/4 cup of heavy cream and the 1 tablespoon of prepared horseradish. If the sauce seems too thick, you can thin it out with a little bit of the half-and-half. Let the sauce cook for another minute or two. Give it a taste and add any more seasonings if needed.
Part 3: Bring it All Together
Step 1: At the very last minute, add the 3 cups of baby spinach to the hot sauce and toss to coat until it has just wilted.
Step 2: Drain your cooked pasta and add it directly to the skillet with the sauce. Mix everything together until the pasta is beautifully coated in the creamy sauce.
Step 3: Thinly slice your rested steak against the grain.
To serve, divide the pasta among shallow bowls. Artfully arrange the slices of steak on top of the pasta. Garnish the dish with some fresh basil leaves and the remaining 2 tablespoons of blue cheese crumbles. Serve immediately, straight from the skillet.
The Best Creamy & Easy Steakhouse Pasta
A rich and decadent steakhouse-style pasta dish featuring pappardelle in a complex, creamy sauce, topped with grilled skirt steak. The sauce is built on a base of garlic and diced tomatoes, deglazed with brandy, and then enriched with a combination of fontina cheese, blue cheese, heavy cream, and a kick of horseradish. Fresh baby spinach is wilted into the sauce at the last minute before it’s tossed with the pasta. The dish is finished with slices of seasoned, grilled steak and more crumbled blue cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for the grill
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 pounds pappardelle
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup brandy
- One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 12 ounces skirt steak
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated fontina
- 3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 1/3 cup half-and-half (optional)
- 3 cups baby spinach
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high and brush the grates with vegetable oil.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pappardelle according to package directions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Cook the garlic for 1 minute. Turn off the heat, then add the brandy. Return the heat to medium and cook for about 1 minute, until the brandy is reduced by half.
- Add the drained diced tomatoes, sugar, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, season one side of the steak with half of the seasoning salt, black pepper, and lemon pepper. Place the steak seasoned-side down on the hot grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Season the top side with the remaining seasonings, then flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare.
- Remove the steak to a cutting board to rest.
- Reduce the heat under the sauce to low. Stir in the fontina cheese and 1 tablespoon of the blue cheese until melted. Stir in the cream and horseradish. Add half-and-half if the sauce is too thick. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Slice the rested steak into 1/2-inch strips.
- Just before serving, add the baby spinach to the sauce and toss to wilt. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the sauce, mixing everything together.
- Serve the pasta topped with the steak strips. Garnish with fresh basil and the remaining 2 tablespoons of blue cheese.
Notes
- This recipe involves concurrent cooking of the pasta, sauce, and steak for an efficient workflow.
- Turning off the heat before adding the brandy to the hot pan is an important safety step to prevent flare-ups.
- Letting the steak rest after grilling is a key step to ensure it remains juicy and tender.
- The dish is best served immediately, straight from the skillet.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This decadent pasta dish is at its absolute best when it is served fresh.
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast assembly, you can prepare the entire creamy pan sauce up to 2 days in advance. Let it cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the sauce gently on the stovetop while you cook your pasta and grill your steak.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb more of the sauce as it sits.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Use a Different Cut of Steak: If you can’t find skirt steak, this recipe is also absolutely fantastic with a well-marbled flank steak, a sirloin steak, or even a luxurious ribeye.
- Add Some Earthy Mushrooms: For an even more classic steakhouse flavor, you can sauté about 8 ounces of sliced cremini mushrooms with the garlic at the beginning of the sauce-making process.
- Make it a Creamy Peppercorn Sauce: For a different classic steakhouse flavor, you can omit the tomatoes, the blue cheese, and the horseradish. Instead, after you have reduced the brandy, add the cream and about 1-2 tablespoons of coarsely crushed black or green peppercorns.
Enjoy Your Ultimate “Steakhouse at Home” Experience!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of rich, savory, and sophisticated flavors. This Steakhouse Pasta is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch meal to bring a feeling of luxury and celebration to your own dinner table. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new favorite for date nights and special occasions.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good, restaurant-quality pasta dish!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the best kind of steak to use for a pasta dish?
A steak with a big, beefy flavor that cooks quickly is the ideal choice. Skirt steak, as the recipe calls for, is a fantastic option. A flank steak or a sirloin steak would also be wonderful. The most important secret is to not overcook your steak and to slice it thinly against the grain.
Q2: What does it mean to “deglaze” a pan with brandy?
Deglazing is a simple but crucial technique for building a flavorful pan sauce. After you have sautéed your aromatics, you pour in a liquid (in this case, the brandy). The liquid will bubble up and release all the delicious, caramelized brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of your pan (this is called the “fond”). This is where all the deep, savory flavor for your sauce comes from!
Q3: Can I make this dish ahead of time?
This dish is at its absolute best when the components are cooked and assembled right before serving. However, for a fantastic time-saving trick, you can prepare the entire creamy tomato and cheese sauce up to 2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. This turns the final meal into a very quick process of just grilling the steak and boiling the pasta.
Q4: I don’t like blue cheese. Is there a good substitute?
If you are not a fan of the sharp, pungent flavor of blue cheese, you can simply omit it from the recipe. The sauce will still be wonderfully rich and creamy from the fontina and the heavy cream. You could also add an extra 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a salty, nutty kick instead.
Q5: What is the best way to slice skirt steak so that it is tender?
The number one, non-negotiable secret to a tender skirt steak is to slice it against the grain. Look closely at the steak after you have cooked it. You will see the muscle fibers running in one direction. You want to use a sharp knife to slice the steak in the opposite direction (perpendicular) to those lines. This simple trick will result in incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth strips of steak.