Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta
Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta — crispy, golden steak bites in a rich, creamy sauce that’s better than takeout. After making this many times, I discovered the trick to perfectly tender steak bites every time. Keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Crispy Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries and One Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta.
Why This Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta Is Pure Comfort
- Crispy, golden steak bites with a tender inside
- Rich, creamy Parmesan sauce that's irresistible
- Easy, one-pan cooking for a quick weeknight meal
- Better than takeout, with a fraction of the calories
What You'll Need for Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 1 lb sirloin steak
- 8 oz pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: Fresh parsley, chopped
- Optional: Red pepper flakes
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Sirloin steak: You can also use flank or skirt steak.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Cast iron skillet — Even heat for perfect searing and cooking → See on Amazon
- High-quality meat tenderizer — Ensures tender steak bites every time → See on Amazon
How to Make Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta
- Step 1: Cut steak into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Remove steak from skillet and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Add steak back to the skillet and cook until heated through. Serve over cooked pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta
- Common mistake and fix: Overcrowding the skillet can lead to steak releasing too much moisture, resulting in boiled steak instead of crispy steak bites. To fix, cook steak in batches.
- Pro tip: For even more flavor, deglaze the skillet with a splash of red wine after removing the steak in step 1. Cook until the wine has reduced by half before adding the garlic and cream.
- Pro tip: To make this dish even quicker, use leftover cooked pasta and a pre-made garlic butter sauce. Simply reheat the sauce, add the steak bites, and serve.
Storing & Reheating Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: You can make the garlic butter sauce up to 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge.
Freezing Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta
Freeze cooked steak bites and sauce separately for up to 2 months.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the garlic butter sauce.
- Best substitution: If you're not a fan of heavy cream, you can substitute it with Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier sauce.
- Make-ahead: You can cook the pasta and slice the steak ahead of time. Simply reheat the steak in the sauce before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
- Troubleshooting: If your sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little bit of milk or pasta water.
Want to level up this recipe?
High-quality meat thermometer — Ensures perfectly cooked steak every time, no guesswork needed → Check price on Amazon
Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb sirloin steak
- 8 oz pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasonings
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Step 1: Cut steak into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Remove steak from skillet and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Add steak back to the skillet and cook until heated through. Serve over cooked pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the garlic butter sauce.
- Best substitution: If you're not a fan of heavy cream, you can substitute it with Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier sauce.
- Make-ahead: You can cook the pasta and slice the steak ahead of time. Simply reheat the steak in the sauce before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
- Troubleshooting: If your sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little bit of milk or pasta water.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked steak bites and sauce separately for up to 2 months.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
- Make ahead: You can make the garlic butter sauce up to 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 670
- Protein: 45g
- Fat: 42g
- Carbs: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Cholesterol: 160mg
- Sat. Fat: 24g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta FAQs
Overcooking or not using a meat tenderizer can lead to tough steak bites. To fix, make sure to cook the steak to your desired doneness and use a meat tenderizer before cooking.
Yes, you can make the garlic butter sauce up to 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge. You can also slice the steak ahead of time. Simply reheat the steak in the sauce before serving.
This dish pairs well with a side of Crispy Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries or a simple green salad.
Adding cold cream to hot butter can cause the sauce to seize and become grainy. To fix, make sure the butter is melted and the skillet is off the heat before adding the cream.
Yes, you can use any type of pasta you like. Just make sure to cook it according to the package instructions.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Cream Pasta and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
