Dairy Farmers of Ontario shared this recipe for Creamy Lemon Pasta with Buttery Steak, a rich and elegant meal combining silky Parmesan lemon pasta with perfectly seared steak basted in garlic herb butter. Charred rapini and blistered tomatoes add freshness and balance to the creamy, comforting dish. It’s a restaurant-style dinner that’s perfect for date night or an elevated weeknight meal.
Creamy Lemon Pasta with Buttery Steak
Serves 2
Ingredients:
Creamy Pasta
- 200 g dried pasta (rigatoni, penne, or similar)
- 400 ml local 3.25% milk
- 100 ml local 35% whipping cream
- 2 tbsp local butter
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 small onion or shallot, finely chopped
- 50 g local Ontario parmesan, grated (plus more for finishing)
- zest of 1 lemon
- Olive Oil
- Kosher salt & black pepper
Buttery Steak
- 1 flat iron steak (about 10–12 oz) or similar cut
- 2 tbsp local butter
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- A few sprigs of thyme or rosemary
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Vegetables
- 1 bunch rapini (broccoli rabe), trimmed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 – 3 tbsp local butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- One Pot Pasta
– In a heavy pot, over medium heat, add butter, onion, and garlic. Sauté until softened.
– Add milk and cream, bring just to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
– Stir in the pasta. Cook gently over medium-low heat, stirring often so it doesn’t stick or scorch. As the pasta cooks, the milk and cream will thicken into a sauce. Adjust thickness by adding a splash of milk as needed.
– Finish with Parmesan and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning. - Sear & baste the steak (can be done in parallel to the pasta cooking)
– Season the flat iron steak generously with salt and pepper.
– Heat a cast-iron pan over high heat with a drizzle of oil.
– Sear steak until well-browned on both sides. Add butter, garlic, and thyme.
– Tilt the pan and baste with the foaming butter until cooked to your preferred doneness. Rest 5 minutes before slicing. - Char the rapini & blister the tomatoes
– Toss rapini with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill over high heat until lightly charred but still vibrant. Alternatively, cook in a medium pan over medium heat until cooked.
– In a small cast-iron pan, sauté tomatoes with olive oil and a good size pat of butter. Cook until tomatoes are blistered and just beginning to burst. Season lightly. - Assembly
– In a shallow bowl or plate, spoon in the creamy lemon Parmesan pasta.
– Slice the steak and lay it on top of the pasta.
– Arrange charred rapini and blistered tomatoes alongside.
– Finish with a drizzle of the leftover brown butter from the steak pan and add extra grated Parmesan over top.
