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.
Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/creamy-steakhouse-pasta/