Description
A rich, comforting weeknight dinner featuring seared steak and shell pasta tossed in a velvety, smoky paprika cream sauce. Ready in under 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs steak (ribeye or sirloin)
- 12 oz shell pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp salt (for pasta water)
- Splash of oil (for searing)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt.
- Pat the steak dry and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Add the shells to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of oil. Sear the steak for 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove to a cutting board and let rest.
- In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Add butter. Once melted, add onions and cook until soft (about 3 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle smoked paprika over the onions and garlic. Stir constantly for 30 seconds to toast the spice. Pour in beef broth and scrape up browned bits.
- Lower heat to low. Pour in heavy cream and stir gently. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water if needed to adjust consistency.
- Slice the rested steak against the grain into thin strips. Arrange steak on top of the pasta and spoon extra sauce over the meat. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
Slice steak against the grain to ensure tenderness. Do not burn the paprika; keep heat medium-low when adding spices. Reserve pasta water to help emulsify the sauce. Rest the steak before slicing to retain juices.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate with steak a
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 35
Keywords: steak pasta, creamy paprika sauce, weeknight dinner, easy recipes, comfort food, shell pasta, beef recipes