Garlic Butter Steak Rigatoni (Easy & Creamy Family Favorite) Recipe
Garlic Butter Steak Rigatoni is an easy, creamy, and flavorful family favorite pasta dish featuring tender seared steak, a rich garlic butter cream sauce, and perfectly cooked rigatoni. This comforting meal comes together quickly and can be customized with optional sautéed mushrooms or spinach for added veggies.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz rigatoni
Steak & Seasoning
- 1 lb sirloin or ribeye steak, cubed
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish & Optional
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Optional: sautéed mushrooms or spinach
Instructions
- Cook Rigatoni: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until just al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining the rigatoni.
- Sear Steak: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed steak with salt and pepper. Sear the steak in two batches until nicely browned and just cooked through. Remove steak to a plate and set aside.
- Make Garlic Butter: In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Add Cream and Simmer: Pour in the heavy cream while scraping up any browned bits from the skillet. Let the cream simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until it slightly thickens.
- Incorporate Parmesan: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is melted and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni to the cream sauce. Stir gently to evenly coat the pasta. If the sauce becomes too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to thin it to your desired consistency.
- Combine Steak and Finish: Let the steak rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Then add it back into the skillet with the pasta and sauce. Stir to combine and finish off with chopped fresh parsley.
- Serve: Serve the garlic butter steak rigatoni hot, optionally alongside bread or garlic butter green beans for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use a microplane to grate Parmesan cheese finely so it melts smoothly into the sauce.
- Letting the steak rest before combining it with the pasta keeps the meat juicy and tender.
- Reserve some pasta cooking water to adjust the sauce consistency as needed for a silky texture.
- For extra veggies, stir in sautéed mushrooms or fresh spinach before serving.
Keywords: Garlic butter steak rigatoni, creamy steak pasta, easy family dinner, rigatoni recipes, steak pasta dinner