I’ve recently taken to cooking steak on weeknights. It cooks quickly…much quicker than a roast or brisket. It cooks faster than chicken. It’s about the same time as it takes to cook fish, which was my previous weeknight go-to for a quick meal. This Creamy Steak and Portobello Pasta comes together in about thirty minutes. The longest step is the time it takes to boil the noodles. The steak itself cooks in just a couple of minutes. As written, this recipe is gluten and dairy free. You can mix it up with vegetables of your choosing. This flavorful, filling dish will make a great addition to your weeknight menu round-up.
PREPARING THE STEAK
I recently figured out that I like to slice steak before it’s cooked. I do this if I plan to slice it anyway after cooking. (This works well for serving on salads or with pasta.) Obviously, this doesn’t work if you plan to grill the steak, but I prefer to pan cook anyway. Pasture raised and finished beef tastes best when it’s cooked with added fat, whether you choose olive oil, butter, or lard.
To slice the steak in very thin pieces, I slice the steak while it’s still mostly frozen. If it thaws too much, the meat becomes squishy, and it’s then hard to slice evenly. After slicing, I allow the pieces to lay on a paper towel. This allows them to thaw completely and dry at the same time. They thaw very fast once they are cut apart from one another.
SEASONING AND COOKING THE STEAK
I like for the beef to come close to room temperature before cooking. The pieces are so thin, I don’t want to shock the beef by going from a cold refrigerator to a hot pan. If they are already closer to the pan temperature, they cook in just one-two minutes per side.
Before I add the steak to a hot pan, I sprinkle sea salt and white pepper over the steak. I will often add garlic or onion powder and a bit of black pepper too. This really is about personal preference. Take my suggestions or do what you know you like.
Once the steak is done cooking, I recommend that you cook the portobello mushrooms in the same pan. If you add them to the other vegetables for cooking, the sauce may turn a dingy brown color.
I hold both the steak and mushrooms aside. I place them atop a bowl of pasta once it’s ready to be served.
THE PASTA
Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. When they are done, drain, rinse in cold water, and set them aside.
After returning the empty pasta pot to the stovetop, add olive oil to the pot. When the oil is hot, add your chopped vegetables. As pictured, I used garlic, onion, red pepper, and asparagus. I also cooked portobello slices, but I did those in the separate steak pan so as not to turn this sauce a dingy brown color.
Once the vegetables are cooked to your liking, sprinkle the flour over them, stirring continuously. When everything is well coated, add the stock slowly while stirring. Make sure everything is well incorporated before adding more. To up the creaminess factor, I used a bit of dairy free milk at the end. You could also choose to use a few tablespoons of dairy free yogurt.
(The amount of liquid is a recommendation. You want to add just enough to have the sauce be creamy and sticky so that it coats the noodles well. If you add a bit too much liquid, the sauce won’t stick to the noodles.)
Creamy Steak and Portobello Pasta (GF and DF)
Ingredients
For the Steak and Mushrooms:
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1 lb sirloin steak (or New York strip), sliced thin while mostly frozen
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2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
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2 tbsp olive oil (or other cooking fat)
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Sea salt to taste
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White pepper to taste
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Garlic powder (optional)
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Cracked black pepper (optional)
For the Pasta:
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1 pkg gluten free pasta, cooked to package instructions
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2 tbsp olive oil
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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1 sweet onion, sliced
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1 red pepper, sliced
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1 bunch asparagus, sliced into thirds
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Sea salt to taste
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White pepper to taste
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1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
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1 lemon, juiced
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1/4 c gluten free flour
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1 & 1/2 c stock
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1/4 – 1/2 c dairy free milk (or 2 tbsp dairy free yogurt)
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Chopped parsley for serving
1. While the steak is still partially frozen, slice it into thin pieces. (I generally shoot for 1/4 inch or less.) Place the sliced steak on a paper towel so that it dries as it continues to thaw. Allow the steak to come closer to room temperature while you cook the noodles and prep the other ingredients.
2. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain. Rinse. Set aside.
3. While the pasta is cooking, mince the garlic. Slice the onion, red pepper, asparagus, and portobello mushrooms. Chop the parsley. Set all of these aside.
3. Once the pasta is done, place the empty pasta pot over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the pot. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, onion, and red pepper. Sauté until fragrant. Then add the asparagus. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Continue to stir and sauté until everything reaches your desired texture.
4. Reduce the heat a bit. Once the vegetables have cooked down, add the juice of one lemon to help deglaze any caramelization at the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle the flour over everything. Stir. Once everything is well coated, slowly add the stock. (Any stock will do, though beef stock may cause the sauce to have a darker color.) Stir continually. Once the sauce is smooth, reduce the heat to low. Allow this to simmer while you cook the steak and mushrooms.
5. Use a paper towel to pat the top of the steak pieces dry. Use salt, pepper, and garlic powder to season the steak.
6. Heat a separate pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tbsp olive oil (or other cooking fat). Once the oil is hot, use tongs to place the steak into the pan. Be sure that each piece lays flat against the pan. If your piece are very thin, they will cook in one-two minutes per side. It’s very quick. Remove the steak pieces from the pan once they are done to your preference.
7. Add the portobello mushrooms to the steak pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the steak and reserve for serving.
8. Mix the cooked pasta into the vegetable sauce. Sprinkle with parsley. Stir. If desired, add a milk alternative (or dairy free yogurt) to the pasta sauce before serving.
9. Serve the pasta in a bowl. Top each serving with some steak and mushrooms. Enjoy!
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If you like this recipe, check out Jennifer’s new book, “The Grass-Fed Guide.” In this book, you will learn how to: find a local farmer, understand the labels and lingo, identify the cuts, and calculate the best deals. You will also learn how to cook with each of the varied cuts that come when buying beef in bulk.
Here on SpringForestFarm.com, Jennifer Taylor Schmidt writes beef recipes for the busy, natural homemaker. It is possible to seek optimal health with limited time and money. Join Jennifer in future posts as she explores the possibilities found in a 1/4 and a 1/2 beeve. You can also find her thoughts and personal health journey on RealFoodRealHealing.com.
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