This steak pasta brings pesto, spinach, mushrooms, and pecans together as they planned it. Honestly, they probably didn’t.
I made it when dinner needed to feel impressive with zero emotional effort. Mission suspiciously accomplished.
The steak stays juicy, the pecans add crunch, and the lemon keeps it bright. Leftovers don’t stand a chance.
Pan-Roasted Steak Pasta with Pecans
EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)
- Plate
- Medium saucepan
- Liquid measuring cup
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup basil pesto
- 1½ pounds steak
- 2 tablespoons garlic herb butter
- 8 ounces sliced baby portabella mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8½ ounces fully cooked short pasta
- 1 cup beef broth
- 5 ounces baby spinach
Instructions
- Make the Lemon Pesto: Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and basil pesto to a mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
- Coat the Steak: Place the steak on a plate. Spoon part of the lemon-pesto mixture over both sides of the steak and spread it into an even coating. Reserve the remaining mixture for the pasta.
- Heat the Skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic herb butter and let it melt, swirling the skillet so the bottom is evenly coated.
- Cook the Steak: Place the coated steak in the hot skillet. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side for a steak about 1 inch thick, adjusting the time as needed for its thickness and your preferred doneness. The center should reach about 130°F for medium-rare or 140°F for medium.
- Rest the Steak: Transfer the cooked steak to a cutting board. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes so the juices stay inside the meat.
- Cook the Mushrooms: Add the sliced baby portabella mushrooms to the same skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and brown.
- Toast the Garlic and Pecans: Add the minced garlic and chopped pecans to the mushrooms. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and the pecans are lightly toasted.
- Warm the Pasta: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the fully cooked pasta and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until heated through.
- Add the Broth and Spinach: Pour the beef broth into the skillet with the mushrooms and pecans. Add the baby spinach and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until the spinach wilts.
- Combine the Pasta: Transfer the warmed pasta to the skillet. Add the reserved lemon-pesto mixture and gently toss until the pasta is evenly coated. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the liquid lightly coats the pasta.
- Slice the Steak: Slice the rested steak thinly across the grain to keep it tender.
- Finish the Dish: Remove the skillet from the heat and gently fold in the sliced steak. Toss just long enough to combine and warm the meat without overcooking it. Serve immediately.
Video Recipe
Pan-Roasted Steak Pasta with Pecans: Because Plain Pasta Had Its Chance
I’ve made this enough times to know where dinner can go sideways. Consider this the shortcut-filled version of learning from my mistakes.
Pick a Steak That Behaves
Sirloin, New York strip, or ribeye all work well here, but I usually grab sirloin because it cooks quickly and doesn’t require a small loan. Choose a steak that is close to 1 inch thick so the outside can brown before the center turns into shoe leather. A meat thermometer is cheaper than ruining a good steak.
Let the Pan Get Properly Hot
Give the skillet time to heat before adding the steak. A lukewarm pan steams the meat instead of browning it, which is how you end up with gray steak and quiet disappointment. If you don’t hear a confident sizzle, the pan is not ready.
Don’t Crowd the Mushrooms
Mushrooms need room to brown, so use a large skillet and let them sit for a minute before stirring. If the pan looks packed, cook them in two batches or accept that they’ll be softer and less golden. Mushrooms are dramatic little sponges, and crowding only encourages them.
Swap the Greens Without Overthinking It
Baby kale, chopped Swiss chard, or arugula can replace the spinach. Kale and chard need a few extra minutes to soften, while arugula should be added at the very end so it doesn’t disappear completely. Use the greens you already bought with good intentions.
Make the Pecans Work for You
Walnuts are the easiest pecan substitute, and sliced almonds add a lighter crunch. For a nut-free version, try toasted sunflower seeds or simply leave the crunch out. Toasting any nut or seed for a few minutes makes a huge difference, even when your motivation is running low. Warm nuts taste fancy; raw nuts taste like pantry maintenance.
Use Whatever Pesto Is Handy
Basil pesto gives the dish its classic flavor, but sun-dried tomato pesto or spinach pesto also works. Store-bought pesto is completely acceptable because this is dinner, not a loyalty test. If the pesto is very thick, loosen it with a splash of broth before adding it to the pasta. No one has ever handed out medals for making pesto on a Tuesday.
Take the Garlic Down a Notch
Two tablespoons of garlic gives this pasta a serious garlic punch. Use 1 tablespoon for a milder flavor, especially if your garlic is freshly minced rather than jarred. Add it after the mushrooms have started browning and keep it moving so it doesn’t burn. Golden garlic is delicious; black garlic bits are tiny pieces of regret.
Save Time With Precooked Pasta
Refrigerated precooked pasta makes this meal move fast, but regular dried pasta works perfectly too. Boil it just until al dente, save about ½ cup of the cooking water, and use that water to loosen the sauce if needed. Pasta water fixes more dinner problems than it has any right to.
Slice the Steak the Smart Way
Always let the steak rest before cutting, even when everyone is hovering near the stove asking whether dinner is ready. Slice it thinly across the grain so each bite stays tender. Add the slices after turning off the heat to keep them from cooking twice. The steak already did its job; stop making it work overtime.
Keep the Sauce From Getting Soupy
Add the broth gradually if you prefer a thicker coating on the pasta. Different brands of pesto and precooked pasta hold liquid differently, so you may not need the entire cup. Let the mixture simmer briefly before deciding it needs more liquid. You can always add broth, but removing it requires patience nobody has at 6:30 p.m.
Store the Leftovers Properly
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat them gently in a skillet with a splash of broth or water instead of blasting them in the microwave until the steak becomes jerky. Store extra sliced steak separately when possible and add it near the end of reheating. Low heat is the difference between leftovers and punishment.
