Description
Tender Cajun-spiced steak tips paired with cheesy penne in a creamy Parmesan sauce.
Ingredients
450 g sirloin or ribeye steak, cubed
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp garlic butter
300 g penne pasta
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup pasta cooking water, reserved
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
1. Pat steak dry, cut into bite-size cubes, and toss with Cajun seasoning.
2. Cook penne in salted water until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
3. Heat olive oil in a hot skillet; sear steak 1–2 minutes per side to medium-rare (130–135°F / 54–57°C). Transfer to a plate and rest.
4. In the same skillet, melt garlic butter; add heavy cream and whisk to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan and paprika until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Adjust with reserved pasta water.
5. Toss penne with sauce. Serve with steak tips and parsley on top.
Notes
Use freshly grated Parmesan—pre-shredded blends don’t melt as smoothly.
Let the steak rest 3–5 minutes after searing so the juices redistribute.
Control heat: start with less Cajun seasoning, then add more to taste at the end.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
Keywords: steak tips, cajun pasta, parmesan cream