Garlic Butter Beef Pasta

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🧄 Garlic Butter Beef Pasta

Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients

The Beef & Pasta:

  • 1 lb Sirloin steak or Ribeye (cut into 1-inch bite-sized cubes)
  • 12 oz Pasta (Penne, Rigatoni, or Pappardelle work best)
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • Salt & Black pepper (generous amount)

The Garlic Butter Sauce:

  • 6 tbsp Unsalted butter
  • 6 cloves Garlic, minced (don’t hold back here!)
  • ½ cup Beef broth (or dry white wine)
  • ½ cup Grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional, for a tiny kick)
  • 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup Reserved pasta water (the “liquid gold”)

Instructions

  1. Boil the Pasta: Cook your pasta in heavily salted water until al dente.Crucial Step: Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. You’ll need this to make the sauce creamy.
  2. Sear the Beef: While the pasta cooks, pat the beef cubes dry with a paper towel and season heavily with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef in a single layer and sear for 2 minutes per side until browned. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside on a plate.
  3. The Garlic Butter Base: Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant (don’t let the garlic burn!).
  4. Deglaze: Pour in the beef broth (or wine). Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all those flavorful brown bits (the fond). Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes until reduced by half.
  5. Emulsify: Toss the cooked pasta into the skillet. Add the seared beef (and any juices from the plate).
  6. The Finish: Add the Parmesan cheese and about ¼ to ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything vigorously over medium heat. The starch in the water and the fat in the butter/cheese will create a glossy, thick sauce that clings to the noodles.
  7. Garnish: Top with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan.

💡 Pro-Tips for Success

  • Room Temp Meat: Take your steak out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Cold meat won’t sear well; it will just steam.
  • The “Gloss”: If the pasta looks dry, add more pasta water one tablespoon at a time. It’s better to have it a little “loose” than sticky.
  • Veggie Add-ins: This goes incredibly well with seared mushrooms or baby spinach folded in at the very end.

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