Get ready for your new favorite comfort food. This Creamy Garlic Butter Steak Cajun Pasta is the ultimate indulgence—perfectly seared, tender steak bites tossed in a rich, spicy, and garlicky cream sauce with your favorite pasta.
It’s a restaurant-quality meal you can easily make at home in about 30 minutes. Whether you need an impressive date night dinner or a serious comfort food fix, this recipe is a total showstopper. The combination of savory steak, spicy Cajun seasoning, and the luscious Parmesan cream sauce is absolutely unbeatable.
🥩 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tender Steak Bites: Searing the steak cubes quickly in garlic butter locks in all the juices.
- The Perfect Sauce: It’s creamy, spicy (you can control the heat!), and loaded with garlic and Parmesan.
- Fast & Easy: This dish looks and tastes gourmet, but it comes together surprisingly quickly on a weeknight.
- Versatile: Easily swap the protein or add your favorite vegetables (see tips below!).
🛒 Ingredients
- 1½ pounds sirloin steak, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (more to taste)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth (or beef broth)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 8 oz fettuccine or penne pasta
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
🧑🍳 Instructions
1. Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta according to the package directions until it’s al dente. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
2. Season and Sear the Steak
- Pat the steak cubes dry with paper towels (this is key for a good sear).
- In a bowl, toss the steak cubes with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add the steak in a single layer (work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding).
- Sear for 1–2 minutes per side until a nice brown crust forms. The steak should be medium-rare inside.
- Remove the steak from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
3. Build the Creamy Cajun Sauce
- In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and the minced garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let the garlic burn).
- Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, followed by the chicken broth and heavy cream.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to thicken.
4. Combine and Finish
- Stir the grated Parmesan cheese into the sauce until it’s melted and the sauce is smooth.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to thin it out.
- Add the cooked pasta and the seared steak (along with any juices from the plate) back into the skillet.
- Toss everything together until the pasta and steak are well-coated in the creamy sauce.
- Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes for the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or Cajun spice if you like.
5. Serve
Serve the pasta hot, garnished with a generous amount of fresh parsley and a little extra Parmesan cheese.
💡 Tips and Variations
- Add Veggies: For extra flavor and color, add sliced bell peppers or mushrooms. Sauté them after the steak and before the garlic.
- Protein Swap: This recipe is fantastic with shrimp or sliced chicken breast instead of steak.
- Make it Spicier: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of your favorite hot sauce along with the Cajun seasoning.
- Don’t Overcook the Steak: A quick sear is all you need. The steak will finish cooking when you add it back to the hot pasta sauce.