• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

What Molly Made

Eat to Feel Good

  • About
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Snacks
    • Side Dishes
    • Drinks
    • Special Diet
    • Holiday
    • Cooking Method
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • PCOS
    • PCOS Recipes
    • PCOS Tips + Resources
    • Clean Living
    • FREE PCOS Email Course
  • Cookbook
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Special Diet
  • PCOS
  • Appetizers
  • Snacks
  • Holiday
  • Cookbook
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Creamy Balsamic Steak Pasta

    Published on: May 12, 2022 - Molly ThompsonLeave a Comment

    Dairy Free RecipesDF
    Gluten Free RecipesGF
    Jump to Recipe

    This steak pasta features perfectly cooked balsamic marinated steak on top of a creamy pasta sauce tossed with spinach. Drizzle balsamic glaze on top for an easy, delicious dish.

    steak pasta in a white bowl with balsamic glaze
    Jump to:
    • Creamy Steak Pasta
    • Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
    • What Steak to Use for Pasta?
    • How to Make Steak Pasta (step by step)
    • Pro Tip - Cooking Your Steak To The Right Temperature
    • Storage and Reheating
    • More Pasta Recipes
    • Recipe

    Creamy Steak Pasta

    This is the ultimate comfort food recipe! The creamy pasta is rich and satisfying and the steak packs so much protein and iron. We have options to keep this gluten-free and dairy-free (as usual!) and we just can't get enough of the balsamic glaze. 

    Marinating the steak in balsamic and searing it with a crispy crust makes all the difference.

    Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

    ingredients for creamy balsamic steak pasta

    For the steak

    • Sirloin steak: I love a top sirloin because it comes from the top side of the cow, making it extra tender because of it's minimal use. A similar cut of steak is the ribeye, which has a bit more marbling. Both are great options for this steak pasta!
    • Balsamic vinegar: this is not to be confused with balsamic glaze! The vinegar helps break down some of the tissue in the beef and makes it even more tender.
    • Salt and black pepper

    For the pasta

    • Fettuccine: this long, thick cut of pasta is a favorite of ours with a cream sauce. We used Barilla gluten-free fettucine. It breaks apart a little easier, but still has great texture. Penne is another great option if you have that on hand.
    • Butter: we use butter as the base of the sauce to create a roux, but a quality vegan butter or coconut oil is a great dairy-free option.
    • Fresh garlic: this makes all the difference!
    • Flour: this ingredient is critical to thicken the cream sauce. We tested this with a 1:1 gluten free flour (like Bob's Red Mill) and it turned out great.
    • Milk: whole milk or a dairy free milk are both solid options.
    • Salt and pepper
    • Parmesan cheese: this salty variety of cheese adds a lot of flavor to the sauce. Swap this for the similar nutty, salty ingredient, nutritional yeast, for a dairy-free option.
    • Spinach: use fresh spinach if you can! We tested this with frozen and while it worked out ok, I found the fresh spinach to be much butter.
    • Sun-dried tomatoes: these add a great bite of acid, flavor and texture. 

    What Steak to Use for Pasta?

    Our favorite cuts of steak to use for pasta are ones that are naturally tender, so they don't require a ton of marinating. I also love a steak on the thinner side because they cook quickly. For these reasons, we love a good sirloin or ribeye steak. Ribeye is going to have more marbling (fat), so it will have a little richer flavor.


    How to Make Steak Pasta (step by step)

    how to make steak pasta
    1. Marinate the steak: Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper and place in a ziplock bag with the balsamic vinegar and marinate for 20-30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
    2. Sear the steak: Heat a large skillet over medium high heat place the marinated steak on the hot pan, without any additional oil. Discard any remaining marinade. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side or until it reaches your desired doneness. Remove the steak to a cutting board to rest.
    3. Make the cream sauce: Melt the butter (or vegan butter) in a deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes then sprinkle in the flour (or gluten-free flour) and stir well to create a paste (aka a roux). Slowly whisk in the milk then add the salt and pepper. Continue to stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until thickened. Add the parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast) and stir until melted and/or combined.
    4. Cook and add the pasta:  cook and simmer the pasta according to the package directions, to al dente, while the steak is marinating or the sauce is thickening. When it's done, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water for later, then drain the rest. Add the cooked pasta to the thickened sauce and mix well. If the sauce seems too thick, pour in the reserved pasta cooking water a few tablespoons at a time to reach your desired consistency.
    5.  Stir in the veggies:Stir in the spinach and sun dried tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the spinach is wilted.
    6. Slice steak and top the pasta:Slice the steak into thin pieces against the grain and top the pasta. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with gorgonzola and parsley if desired.
    medium rare sliced steak on top of creamy pasta

    Pro Tip - Cooking Your Steak To The Right Temperature

    The FDA recommends steak be cooked to 145°F for medium-rare.That results in a cooked steak with a slightly pink center. That's the way we love to enjoy this steak pasta and what I recommend, but you can look at our guide to determining beef doneness to reach your desired steak temp.

    I highly recommend using or investing in an Instant Read Thermometer to help you know when the steak is done. I like to remove my steak from the heat when it reaches about 135°F to allow for 10-15 degrees of carryover cooking.

    Storage and Reheating

    • Store: place leftovers in an air tight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
    • Freeze: although it won't be as creamy and fresh, you can freeze steak pasta. Place in an air tight container in the freezer. If it's well sealed it should last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    • Reheat: allow any frozen food to come to thaw overnight in the fridge. The best way to warm up this dish is by adding the pasta back to a pan with additional milk to warm it through and thin it out. Warm the steak separately in the microwave or a pan and enjoy!
    steak pasta in a bowl with gorgonzola cheese and balsamic glaze

    More Pasta Recipes

    • Salmon pesto pasta
    • Easy taco pasta
    • Creamy cajun shrimp pasta
    • Spicy chicken chipotle pasta

    Recipe

    creamy balsamic steak pasta in a white bowl with gorgonzola

    Creamy Balsamic Steak Pasta

    This steak pasta features perfectly cooked balsamic marinated steak on top of a creamy pasta sauce tossed with spinach. Drizzle balsamic glaze on top for an easy, delicious dish.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Marinade Time:: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 487kcal
    Author: Molly Thompson
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    Steak

    • 1 1/2 lbs sirloin or ribeye steak
    • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
    • salt and pepper

    Creamy Pasta

    • 12 oz fettucine we used Gluten free
    • 3 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 3 tablespoons flour or 1:1 gluten free flour
    • 2 cups milk or almond milk
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
    • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
    • 3 cups fresh spinach
    • 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes roughly chopped
    • Optional toppings: balsamic glaze, gorgonzola, fresh chopped parsley

    Recommended Equipment

    • Large, deep skillet or dutch oven

    Instructions

    Marinate the steak

    • Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper and place in a ziplock or reusable storage bag with the balsamic vinegar and marinate in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.

    Cook the pasta

    • While the steak is marinating, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water then drain the pasta from the rest of the water and set aside.

    Sear the steak

    • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove the steak from the fridge and place it on the hot pan, without any additional oil. Discard any remaining marinade. Cook the steak for 4 minutes on each side or until it reaches your desired doneness. We like to remove the steak when it reaches an internal temp of 135°F to allow for 5-15 degrees of carry-over cooking while it rests to achieve a medium-rare steak (145°F).

    Make the cream sauce

    • While the steak is resting, melt the butter, or vegan butter, in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the flour (or gluten-free flour) to the butter and stir well to create a paste, also known as a roux.
    • Slowly whisk in the milk then add the salt and pepper. Continue to stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until thickened. Add the parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast) and stir until melted and/or combined.
    • Stir in the cooked pasta. If the sauce seems too thick, pour in the reserved pasta cooking water a few tablespoons at a time to reach your desired consistency. Add the fresh spinach and sun dried tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the spinach is wilted.
    • Slice the steak into thin pieces against the grain and top the pasta. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with gorgonzola and parsley if desired.

    Notes

    Ingredients: if you have a specific question about the ingredients or recommended brands, scroll up to the “ingredient notes and substitutions” in the post to read more.
    Dairy-free: use a vegan butter, almond milk and nutritional yeast.
    Gluten-free: use GF pasta and 1:1 gluten free flour.
    Store: place leftovers in an air tight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
    Freeze: although it won't be as creamy and fresh, you can freeze steak pasta. Place in an air tight container in the freezer. If it's well sealed it should last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    Reheat: allow any frozen food to come to thaw overnight in the fridge. The best way to warm up this dish is by adding the pasta back to a pan with additional milk to warm it through and thin it out. Warm the steak separately in the microwave or a pan and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 51.3g | Protein: 37.2g | Fat: 13.6g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 468mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 4.9g | Vitamin A: 173IU | Vitamin C: 5.9mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_MollyMade or tag #whatmollymade!
    « Avocado Crema
    Easy Strawberry Compote (Sauce) »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    molly thomspon from what molly made in the kitchen with her cookbook

    I'm Molly! I'm so grateful you're here. My hope is that my recipes bless your home and your bodies. I want my website to be a tool to help you feel your best and nourish you with recipes you (and your family) look forward to making!

    More about me →

    Recipe Key:

    Dairy FreeDF
    Gluten-FreeGF
    Low CarbLC
    PaleoP
    Refined Sugar FreeSF
    VeganVg
    VegetarianV
    Whole30W

    Popular Recipes

    • Banana Oatmeal Pancakes [Gluten Free | Blender]
    • Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
    • Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
    • One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta [Dairy Free]

    Pre-Order My Cookbook!

    the cover of the anti inflammatory diet made simple cookbook

    Amazon | Barnes&Noble

    Learn more about the book here →

    Footer

    Stay Connected

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2022 · Privacy Policy