Steakhouses aren’t traditionally known for their pasta dishes, yet Steakhouse Pasta is basically the whole steakhouse experience in a pasta dish! And what an experience it is! Tender noodles in a rich, creamy, and sweet tomato sauce topped with steak would already be a dream, but then Steakhouse Pasta goes one step further. The sauce has notes of fontina cheese, blue cheese, and horseradish, classic steak companions that balance out the rich beefy flavor of the meat with sharpness and even a little heat. This will certainly save you a trip to a restaurant, because the true 5-star experience is helping yourself to another bowl of this!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for oiling the grill
- 1 1/2 pounds pappardelle pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (12-ounce) skirt steak
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 heaping cup fontina cheese, grated
- 3 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled, divided
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 1/3 cup half-and-half, optional
- 3 cups baby spinach
- fresh basil leaves, optional, to taste, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Brush the grill grates with the vegetable oil.
Step 2 –Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Step 3 –In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 4 –In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
Step 5 –Add the garlic to the hot oil and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 6 –Turn off the heat and add the brandy to the garlic.
Step 7 –Turn the heat back on to medium-high heat and cook until the brandy is reduced by half, about 1 minute.
Step 8 –Add the diced tomatoes, the sugar, the red pepper flakes, the kosher salt, and the pepper to the brandy mixture and cook, while stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are softened and the flavors have melded together, about 10 minutes.
Step 9 –Sprinkle one side of the steak with 1/2 teaspoon of the seasoning salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the lemon pepper, the kosher salt, and the black pepper.
Step 10 –Place the steak seasoned-side down on the hot grill and cook until browned on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 11 –Sprinkle the upward-facing-side of the steak with the remaining seasoning salt, the remaining lemon pepper, the kosher salt, and the black pepper.
Step 12 –Flip the steak and cook until the meat is medium-rare, reaching an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 13 –Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest.
Step 14 –Reduce the heat under the tomato sauce to low.
Step 15 –Stir the fontina cheese and 1 tablespoon of the blue cheese into the tomato sauce.
Step 16 –Stir the heavy cream and the horseradish into the sauce mixture.
Step 17 –If the sauce is too thick, add a few teaspoons of the half-and-half until it reaches your desired consistency. You may not need all of the half-and-half.
Step 18 –Add the spinach to the sauce and toss to coat.
Step 19 –Cook the sauce until the flavors meld together, the spinach is wilted, and the cheese is melted, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 20 –Taste the sauce for seasoning, adding more of the salt and the pepper if needed.
Step 21 –Slice the steak against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick strips.
Step 22 –Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, stirring to combine.
Step 23 –Place the steak slices on top of the pasta.
Step 24 –Serve garnished with the basil and the remaining blue cheese.
