This easy steak alfredo recipe is one of my favorite ways to dress up a weeknight dinner! Juicy seared steak gets tossed with fettuccine in a super creamy homemade Parmesan sauce, and it all comes together in one skillet in about 35 minutes. It's simple enough for a busy family dinner and fancy enough for a romantic date night at home.
In this Article:
This homemade alfredo recipe is great for the family or even a dinner for two. Pair this dish with a crisp salad and some buttery garlic knots, then dive in!
This is one of my all time favorite pasta recipes and a great option for Valentine's Day dinner as well.
This Easy Steak Alfredo recipe is...
- Made with homemade alfredo sauce
- Paired with tender and juicy steak
- Easily made gluten-free with gluten-free noodles
- Easy to make
- Elegant - great for date night at home
And if you love this steak alfredo, be sure to check out my crab alfredo and lobster alfredo too.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
You only need a handful of ingredients for this steak alfredo pasta, so each one counts. Here's what I use and what you can easily swap.
- Steak. I love New York strip here because it's tender and stays nice and juicy. Ribeye and sirloin work great too, and sirloin is the budget-friendly pick. Look for boneless steaks about 1 inch thick so they get a good sear without drying out. Leftover steak works too! Just slice it thin and warm it in the sauce at the end.
- Pasta. Fettuccine is the classic choice because those wide, flat noodles hold onto all that creamy sauce. Linguine, spaghetti and penne are all fine swaps. For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free fettuccine and check the label on your Parmesan.
- Heavy cream. Cream is what makes the sauce rich and silky. Half-and-half will make a lighter sauce, but it's thinner and more likely to separate, so keep the heat low if you try it.
- Parmesan cheese. Grate it yourself from a block if you can. The pre-shredded bags can make the sauce a little grainy. Parmigiano-Reggiano is my favorite, but any good Parmesan or Pecorino Romano works.
- Butter and garlic. These build the base of the sauce right in the steak pan, so you pick up all the tasty browned bits the steak leaves behind. Fresh garlic tastes best here.
- Olive oil, salt and pepper. A little olive oil helps the steaks sear, and a good sprinkle of salt and black pepper is all the seasoning they need.
How to Make Easy Steak Alfredo
- Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the water.
- In a skillet, heat oil and sear seasoned steaks.
- Once steaks are done, remove from the pan and cover with foil to rest.
- To the empty skillet, add butter and garlic.
- Add cream, pasta water, and parmesan.
- Cook to thicken sauce, and add more water if needed.
- Toss in the cooked pasta and steak.
- Garnish and serve.
Full directions for how to make Easy Steak Alfredo are in the printable recipe card below.
Helpful Tips for Easy Steak Alfredo
Don't toss the pasta water!
When making the alfredo sauce, you will use some of the pasta water that you cooked the fettucine in. The starch in the pasta water will help thicken up your sauce, and it makes a big difference!
Use a big skillet.
A 12-inch large skillet gives the steaks room to sear and still has space for all the pasta at the end. A pair of kitchen tongs makes it super easy to toss the noodles in the sauce.
Let the steak rest, then slice it thin.
Give your steaks about 5 minutes under foil before slicing. You can make the sauce while they rest, so you aren't losing any time. Then cut across the grain (the lines running through the meat) into thin strips. Every bite stays tender that way.
Check doneness with a thermometer.
If you're never quite sure when your steak is done, a meat thermometer takes out the guesswork. Pull the steaks a few degrees early, around 130°F for medium rare, since they keep cooking a little as they rest.
Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer.
Once the Parmesan goes in, keep the heat at medium-low. A hard boil can make the cheese clump. If the sauce gets too thick, just splash in a little more pasta water.
Variations
- Add some veggies. For an even healthier and heartier steak alfredo, you can toss in some veggies. Broccoli is a great choice! Just steam or cook your broccoli and then add it into the pan to mix and coat in the sauce.
- Mushrooms. Cook sliced mushrooms in the butter for a few minutes before adding the garlic. It gives the dish a cozy steakhouse feel.
- Cajun steak alfredo. Season the steaks with Cajun seasoning instead of plain salt and pepper for a little kick.
- Spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir a handful of baby spinach and chopped sun-dried tomatoes into the sauce right before the pasta. The spinach wilts in seconds!
- Swap the protein. The same sauce is delicious with shrimp or chicken if you're not in a steak mood.
Serving Ideas
Steak alfredo pasta is pretty rich, so I like to serve it with something fresh and green. A simple Caesar or a crisp side salad with a lemony vinaigrette is perfect next to that creamy sauce. Roasted veggies are great too, like my grilled asparagus with gremolata or balsamic and maple roasted Brussels sprouts.
And don't forget the bread! Warm garlic bread or a basket of homemade garlic knots is perfect for swiping up every last bit of sauce. Making this for date night? Finish with a classic creme brulee and you've got a restaurant-style dinner without leaving the house.
Storing & Freezing
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, warm it gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of cream or water, stirring often, so the sauce stays creamy and the steak doesn't overcook.
I don't recommend freezing steak alfredo. Cream sauces tend to separate after thawing, and the pasta gets soft. If you want to get a head start, cook and slice the steak up to a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Then make the sauce and pasta fresh when you're ready to eat.
Easy Steak Alfredo FAQs
What type of steaks should I use for steak alfredo?
You can use any type of steak you want for this steak alfredo recipe. I used New York strip steaks and they worked really well. But rib eye or sirloin would also be great. You could even use pre-cut steak bites for this.
The most important thing to consider is that you use a boneless steak or that you remove the bone before you serve it over top of your pasta.
How done should the steaks be?
You can cook your steaks rare, medium rare, or well done - based on your own preference. Just remember that, as you allow your steaks to rest, they may cook a bit more. So it's always best to take them out of the pan when they are slightly underdone.
What type of pasta should I use for steak alfredo?
The classic pasta in a steak alfredo is fettuccine. But you can use any pasta that you prefer - spaghetti, angel hair, or penne pasta would also be delicious.
How should I store leftovers?
You can store leftover steak alfredo in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. Just know that the pasta will soak up some of the sauce as it sits in the fridge. If you need to, add a little bit of water or heavy cream to the pasta before reheating.
More Tasty Recipes
If you love this steak alfredo, be sure to check out all of my pasta recipes or these other delicious ideas:
- Easy Lobster Alfredo
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- One-Pan Skillet Steak
- DIY Pasta Bar
- 15+ Date Night Dinner Ideas
Recipe
Easy Steak Alfredo
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook fettuccine noodles until al dente. Check package directions, as cook times vary by brand. Drain pasta, but reserve about 1 cup of cooking water and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper.
- Add steaks to skillet and cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until desired doneness is reached. Transfer steaks to a plate, cover with aluminum foil and let them rest for about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. In the same skillet, melt the butter, then add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Then add the cream and ½ cup reserved pasta water.
- Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted, then bring to a gentle simmer.
- Allow sauce to cook for 5-6 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Add more pasta water if needed to achieve desired consistency.
- Add cooked noodles to pan and toss in alfredo sauce until fully coated.
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain and add it to the noodles. Toss gently to combine.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition details are an estimate, per serving.
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