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Can you believe that fettuccine Alfredo is already over a century old? It became so trendy in the ’80s, a time when even Wendy’s was selling it, that it’s often associated with that decade. It wasn’t entirely unknown during the preceding 60 years, though, since Hollywood “It” couple Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford introduced it to the U.S. after returning from their 1920 Roman honeymoon. The recipe has evolved quite a bit as it moved into a new millennium, and may now include such luxurious upgrades as the steak topper you see here.
Recipe developer Patterson Watkins describes her steak Alfredo as “one luxe dish,” what with its creamy, cheesy sauce and thick, juicy steak slices. The steak doesn’t just sit there and look pretty atop a pile of noodles because, as she explains, it also contributes to the sauce. “Those seared tasty brown bits that gather on the bottom of the skillet act as an additional ‘happy accident’ ingredient in the Alfredo, infusing those salty, peppery, and meaty moments into the sauce [and] enhancing all those fabulous savory and umami elements,” she explains. She also cites “the contrasting sharpness of the sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan with the richness of the cream and unctuous steak,” all of which contribute toward making a meal that manages to be both fast and fancy. It’s even somewhat economical, too, since it allows you to stretch a single steak far enough to make four servings.
Read more: 8 Cuts Of Steak You Should Always Buy And 4 You Should Avoid
Gather The Ingredients To Make Elevated Steak Alfredo
noodles, raw meat, milk, cheese, and seasonings – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
The Alfredo sauce in this recipe is made from butter, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, white wine, flour, Italian seasoning, milk, cream, and Parmesan. You’re also going to need fettuccine noodles (cooked to al dente), sirloin or strip steak, salt, pepper, and olive oil, along with parsley and basil for garnishing.
Step 1: Dry The Steak
raw steak on paper towels – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Pat the steak dry with paper towels.
Step 2: Salt And Pepper The Steak
salted raw steak on a white plate – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Season the steak, on both sides, with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Heat Oil In Skillet
oil in a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 4: Sear The Steak
steak in a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Once hot, add the steak, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until thoroughly seared (for medium-rare).
Step 5: Rest The Steak
steak next to a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Remove the steak from the skillet and set aside to rest.
Step 6: Melt The Butter
butter in a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the skillet.
Step 7: Cook The Shallot, Tomatoes, And Garlic
chopped vegetables in a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Once the butter has melted, add the shallot, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes, or until tender.
Step 8: Reduce The Wine
chopped vegetables and liquid in a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Deglaze the skillet with wine and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine has reduced by half.
Step 9: Stir In The Flour And Italian Seasoning
chopped vegetables and flour in a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Add the flour and Italian seasoning to the skillet and stir to combine the roux. Cook for 1 minute more.
Step 10: Pour In The Milk And Cream
chopped vegetables and milk in a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Add the milk and cream, whisk to combine with the roux, and bring to a simmer.
Step 11: Simmer The Sauce
orangish creamy liquid in a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Step 12: Add The Cheese
orangish creamy liquid and parmesan cheese in a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheese has melted.
Step 13: Cut Up The Steak
sliced steak on a white board – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Slice the steak into thin strips.
Step 14: Toss The Noodles With The Sauce
orangish creamy liquid and noodles in a black frying pan – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Add the cooked fettuccine noodles to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce.
Step 15: Top The Noodles With Steak And Herbs
noodles with steak and herbs in a white bowl – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
Divide the pasta between plates or bowls and top with the steak slices. Garnish the steak Alfredo with chopped parsley and basil before serving.
What To Serve With Elevated Steak AlfredoElevated Steak Alfredo Recipe
Overview
Ingredients
1 thick sirloin or strip steak
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound fettuccine, cooked according to the instructions on the package for al dente
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Directions
Pat the steak dry with paper towels.
Season the steak, on both sides, with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Once hot, add the steak, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until thoroughly seared (for medium-rare).
Remove the steak from the skillet and set aside to rest.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the skillet.
Once the butter has melted, add the shallot, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes, or until tender.
Deglaze the skillet with wine and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine has reduced by half.
Add the flour and Italian seasoning to the skillet and stir to combine the roux. Cook for 1 minute more.
Add the milk and cream, whisk to combine with the roux, and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheese has melted.
Slice the steak into thin strips.
Add the cooked fettuccine noodles to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce.
Divide the pasta between plates or bowls and top with the steak slices. Garnish the steak Alfredo with chopped parsley and basil before serving.
What Are Tips For Making Alfredo Sauce?
noodles with steak and herbs in white bowls – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
The key to this dish, besides a well-cooked steak, is a sauce that is both smooth and creamy. In order to achieve such a thing, it’s necessary to use plenty of butter since this ingredient not only adds flavor and richness to the sauce, but also helps to thicken it. Even though the recipe also calls for oil, this is used strictly for searing the steak. Both fats are necessary, so don’t try to swap one for another.
Even though this dish is fairly quick-cooking, a certain amount of patience is necessary when it comes to reducing the wine used to deglaze the pan. It needs to be simmered until half of the liquid has evaporated, since this preserves its acidity but takes away the boozy bite. After the wine has simmered down to where it needs to be, make sure to add the Italian seasoning along with the flour. This ensures that the dried herbs and spices have a few extra moments to intensify their flavor before the liquid is added.
If you have enough time (and perhaps a glove to prevent scraping your knuckles), you might want to grate your own Parmesan instead of using the kind that comes in a canister. The reason is that the latter might include anti-clumping agents that could alter the texture of the sauce.
Could I Add Vegetables Or Other Ingredients To The Pasta?
Steak Alfredo in two bowls – Patterson Watkins/Chowhound
If you want to turn this pasta and steak combo into a true one-pot meal, you could add some vegetables to the sauce. Asparagus, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and spinach would all work, while you may go ahead and toss in other vegetables such as broccoli, kale, or zucchini if any of these appeal. The best way to add the vegetables would be to saute them by themselves before stirring them into the sauce at the same time you add the noodles. Doing so will allow you to cook off any moisture they release so there’s no excess liquid to thin out the sauce.
Other ingredients may also be used to dress up the dish. Grated lemon zest would add a little zing, while crumbled bacon would make for a tasty topper since bacon makes everything better. Chopped chiles could be used to spice things up — pre-cook those the same way you would the vegetables. You could also bring the heat with the addition of gochujang, thus transforming the dish into a Korean-Italian-American fusion cuisine.
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Dining and Cooking