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A skillet showing the creamy garlic butter sauce being mixed with rigatoni pasta and seared steak bites.

Garlic Butter Steak and Cheesy Rigatoni: The Ultimate Comfort Meal

This Garlic Butter Steak and Cheesy Rigatoni combines tender steak bites and rigatoni pasta in a luxurious, creamy garlic parmesan sauce. A restaurant-quality meal ready in under 45 minutes!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 1 lb rigatoni pasta
  • 1.5 lbs sirloin or ribeye steak cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1.5 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Large Skillet or Dutch Oven
  • 1 Large Pot

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Set aside.
  2. Pat the steak pieces dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Remove steak from the skillet and set aside.
  3. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and melt the butter. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes until it begins to thicken. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce is smooth.
  4. Add the cooked pasta and seared steak back to the skillet. Toss to coat everything in the sauce. If needed, add reserved pasta water to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Tip 1: For the best sear, make sure your skillet is hot and the steak pieces are dry before adding them to the pan.
Tip 2: Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the smoothest, creamiest sauce.
Tip 3: Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking the steak; cook in batches if necessary to ensure each piece gets a beautiful brown crust.