Cracked Garlic Steak Tortellini in Creamhouse Sauce (Printer-friendly)
Sliced steak and cheese tortellini in a rich garlic-cream sauce with herbs and Parmesan.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Steak
01 - 12 oz sirloin steak, trimmed
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
→ Tortellini
05 - 18 oz fresh cheese tortellini
→ Creamhouse Sauce
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 5 large garlic cloves, cracked and finely chopped
08 - 1 medium shallot, finely diced
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
13 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
17 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Optional Garnishes
18 - Extra Parmesan cheese
19 - Fresh cracked black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - Remove steak from refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking. Pat dry thoroughly and season all sides with salt and cracked black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear steak 3–4 minutes per side until medium-rare or desired doneness. Transfer to plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest.
03 - Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water before draining.
04 - In same skillet (wipe out excess oil, keep browned bits), melt butter over medium heat. Add cracked garlic and shallot; sauté 2–3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
05 - Stir in heavy cream, chicken broth, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened.
06 - Slice rested steak thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness.
07 - Add cooked tortellini and reserved pasta water to skillet. Toss gently to coat evenly in sauce.
08 - Fold in sliced steak, parsley, and lemon zest. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and cracked black pepper.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cracked garlic releases bursts of flavor that minced garlic simply cannot achieve, creating little pockets of aromatic intensity throughout the sauce
- Everything comes together in one skillet while the pasta boils, making it feel fancy enough for company but practical enough for Tuesday
- The sauce clings perfectly to each tortellini, and the tender steak turns it into something that could easily cost triple at an Italian restaurant
02 -
- Heavy cream can break and turn grainy if boiled too aggressively, so keep your sauce at a gentle simmer and stir frequently to prevent scorching on the bottom
- Tortellini absorbs sauce quickly as it sits, so toss everything together at the very last moment and serve immediately while the sauce is still silky and coating each piece evenly
03 -
- Crack garlic cloves with the flat side of your knife instead of chopping them—crushed garlic releases more oils and caramelizes beautifully in the butter
- Season your pasta water aggressively until it tastes like the ocean—this is the only chance to flavor the tortellini from the inside out