Description
A quick and flavorful 30-minute dinner featuring tender steak and cheese tortellini in a rich garlic butter cream sauce. Perfect for using leftover steak and family-friendly meals.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
- 8 ounces (225g) cooked and sliced steak (ribeye or sirloin recommended)
- 4 tablespoons (60g) butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (120ml) beef broth (low sodium preferred)
- 1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or mix of oregano, basil, thyme)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil (extra virgin preferred)
- Optional add-ins:
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Slice cooked steak into thin strips or bite-sized pieces. Mince garlic cloves finely. Wash and slice fresh spinach or mushrooms if using. Measure out cream, broth, and Parmesan cheese.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add tortellini and cook about 8 minutes for fresh or 9-10 minutes if frozen. Drain well, reserving about 1/4 cup pasta water.
- If using raw steak, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper and sear 2-3 minutes per side until browned but juicy. Remove and set aside. Skip if using leftover cooked steak.
- Lower heat to medium and add butter to skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes if using. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden but not burnt.
- Pour in beef broth and simmer for 1 minute to reduce slightly. Stir in heavy cream and dried Italian seasoning. Let sauce simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Remove skillet from heat and gradually stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Add sliced steak back to skillet and toss to coat with sauce.
- Add drained tortellini to skillet and gently toss everything together. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water to loosen. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper. Optionally sprinkle fresh herbs like parsley or basil.
Notes
[‘Use fresh minced garlic for best flavor; jarred garlic is not recommended.’, ‘Save some pasta water to loosen sauce if needed.’, ‘If starting with raw steak, sear quickly to keep it juicy.’, ‘Keep sauce at gentle simmer to avoid cream or cheese breaking.’, ‘Use freshly grated Parmesan for best melting and flavor.’, ‘Butter is essential for sauce richness; do not substitute with margarine.’, ‘Add fresh spinach or mushrooms at the end for extra nutrition and color.’, ‘For extra creaminess, stir in a tablespoon of cream cheese or mascarpone at the end.’, ‘Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently with added liquid.’, ‘Freezing is not recommended as cream sauce may separate.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about
- Calories: 520
- Sodium: 520
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 28
Keywords: garlic steak tortellini, quick dinner, easy pasta recipe, leftover steak recipe, creamy garlic sauce, family-friendly dinner