Are you ready to create a truly show-stopping, steakhouse-quality pasta dinner in your own kitchen? A meal so rich, so savory, and so incredibly decadent, it’s perfect for your next date night, anniversary, or special celebration? This incredible, from-scratch Steakhouse Pasta is that perfect meal. Imagine tender, smoky, grilled skirt steak, served over silky pappardelle noodles, all smothered in a luscious, creamy, and complex tomato-brandy and blue cheese sauce.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a guide to mastering a truly impressive, restaurant-worthy dish that is secretly straightforward to make. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to grilling a perfect, tender skirt steak and building a luxurious pan sauce with layers of incredible flavor. Get ready to create a new special occasion favorite that will have everyone thinking you hired a private chef.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Steakhouse Dinner at Home
What makes this Steakhouse Pasta so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, multi-layered flavor profile and its elegant presentation. The dish features intensely flavorful grilled skirt steak, which is rested and thinly sliced to tender perfection. The pasta is beautiful, wide pappardelle, the perfect vehicle for the show-stopping sauce. The sauce is a masterpiece of classic techniques: a savory tomato base is deglazed with rich brandy, then made impossibly creamy and complex with the addition of both melty fontina and pungent blue cheese, heavy cream, and a surprising, zesty kick from prepared horseradish.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 45 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Intermediate |
| Servings | 4 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Decadent Pasta
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality ingredients to create its signature rich and savory flavor.
- The Steak (Skirt Steak 101):
- The Cut: For the best, most intensely beefy flavor, this recipe uses skirt steak. This long, thin cut is prized for its rich flavor and loose grain, making it perfect for quick, high-heat grilling.
- The Slicing Technique: The number one, non-negotiable secret to a tender, not chewy, skirt steak is to slice it very thinly, against the grain.
- The Luxurious Sauce:
- Brandy: A splash of a good quality brandy is used to deglaze the pan. It adds a deep, complex, slightly sweet, and wonderfully aromatic flavor that is the hallmark of a classic steakhouse pan sauce.
- The Cheeses: This recipe uses a brilliant, two-cheese combination for the perfect balance of flavor and texture. Creamy, mild fontina provides a luscious, smooth melt, while a bold, pungent blue cheese adds a sharp, tangy, and unforgettable kick.
- The “Secret Weapon” (Horseradish!): A tablespoon of prepared horseradish is a fantastic, unexpected ingredient that adds a zesty, spicy, and peppery bite that perfectly cuts through the richness of the cream and cheese.
- The Pasta:
- Pappardelle: These long, wide, and tender egg noodle ribbons have a wonderful, silky texture that is the ideal partner for a rich, hearty sauce like this one.
Step-by-Step to Perfect Steakhouse Pasta
This elegant meal comes together in a few simple stages.
Step 1: Cook the Pasta and Grill the Steak
Step 1: First, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add your 1 1/2 pounds of pappardelle and cook according to the package instructions until it is perfectly al dente.
Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, prepare your steak. Brush your grill with vegetable oil and preheat it to medium-high.
Step 3: Sprinkle your 12 ounces of skirt steak generously on both sides with the seasoning salt, lemon pepper, and kosher salt.
Step 4: Place the steak on the hot grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side for a perfect medium-rare.
Pro Tip: The only 100% foolproof way to guarantee a perfectly cooked steak is to use an instant-read thermometer. For medium-rare, you want to pull the steak from the grill when the internal temperature registers about 135°F (57°C).
Step 5: Transfer the cooked steak to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 10 minutes while you finish the sauce. This is the most crucial step for a juicy steak!
Part 2: Build the Creamy Tomato-Brandy 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 minced garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Step 2: Turn the heat off, then carefully add the 1/2 cup of brandy. Turn the heat back on and let the brandy cook and reduce by half, which will take about 1 minute. Step 3: Add the drained, 28-ounce can of 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 about 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 until they have melted. Step 5: Stir in the 3/4 cup of heavy cream and the 1 tablespoon of prepared horseradish. Let the sauce cook for another minute or two, tasting and adding more seasonings as needed. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little of the half-and-half to thin it out.
Part 3: Finish the Pasta and Serve
Step 1: At the 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 and generously coated. Step 3: While the pasta is mixing, thinly slice your rested steak against the grain. Step 4: To serve, portion the saucy pasta into warm, shallow bowls. Artfully arrange the sliced 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.
Creamy Steakhouse Pasta (Restaurant-Style Recipe!)
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 restaurant-quality meal is at its absolute best when it is served fresh.
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive meal, you can get a head start by preparing the entire creamy tomato-brandy sauce up to 3 days in advance. 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 grill your steak and cook your fresh pasta.
- Storage: Store any leftover pasta and steak in separate, airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Use a Different Cut of Steak: If you can’t find skirt steak, this delicious and versatile recipe is also absolutely fantastic with other flavorful grilling steaks, like a flank steak, a sirloin, or even a decadent ribeye.
- Make it a Creamy Gorgonzola Pasta: For an even bolder, classic “steakhouse” flavor, you can substitute both the fontina and the blue cheese with an equal amount of a rich, creamy Gorgonzola cheese.
- Use a Different Pasta Shape: If you don’t have pappardelle on hand, this delicious and hearty sauce is also absolutely fantastic with other sturdy pasta shapes, like fettuccine, rigatoni, or penne.
Enjoy Your Ultimate Steakhouse Dinner!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of rich, savory, and sophisticated flavors. This classic 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 an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to tender, not chewy, skirt steak?
The secret is all in how you slice it! You must, must, must slice your cooked and rested skirt steak thinly, and against the grain. The “grain” refers to the direction that the long, tough muscle fibers are running in the meat. By slicing perpendicularly across these fibers, you are shortening them and creating incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth pieces of steak.
Q2: What does it mean to “deglaze” a pan with brandy or wine?
Deglazing is a simple but brilliant cooking technique. After you have sautéed aromatics in a pan, you pour in a cool liquid (like brandy, wine, or broth). The liquid will sizzle and release all the delicious, caramelized brown bits (the fond) that are stuck to the bottom of the pan, incorporating them into your sauce. This is the key to a deep, restaurant-quality flavor.
Q3: Can I make this dish ahead of time for a party?
This dish is at its absolute best when it is assembled and served fresh. However, you can save a ton of time by preparing the entire creamy sauce and storing it in the refrigerator. Then, you can simply reheat the sauce while you grill your steak and cook your pasta just before your guests arrive.
Q4: What is fontina cheese?
Fontina is a classic, semi-soft, cow’s milk cheese from Italy. It has a wonderfully mild, nutty, and slightly sweet flavor and is prized for its incredible, smooth melting quality, which makes it a perfect cheese for a creamy sauce.
Q5: Can I make this recipe without the alcohol?
Of course! If you prefer to cook without alcohol, you can simply substitute the 1/2 cup of brandy with an equal amount of a high-quality, low-sodium beef broth or chicken broth.