30-Minute Steak Carbonara for Two
A basic carbonara gets an upgrade with some thin-sliced sirloin steak. This steak carbonara is a twist on the classic but still so easy to make in less than 30 minutes.
Carbonara Pasta with Steak
On the list of things to make when I’m starving but don’t want to exert a lot of energy making dinner, a basic carbonara tops the list of go-to options. Because I always have pasta, cheese, and eggs on hand, carbonara is just a no-brainer.
But sometimes it’s fun to dress it up as is the case with this steak carbonara. It’s a spin on the classic and still easy to make, clocking in at about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- Sirloin steak: My basic carbonara has cooked bacon, guanciale, or pancetta, but I leave it out for this steak version. I like to use sirloin because it’s thin and cooks fast in a hot pan. While the pasta is boiling, you can cook the steak with plenty of time left to make the sauce.
- Eggs: A carbonara sauce starts with whole eggs. When you toss the beaten eggs with the pasta, the heat from the pasta cooks the eggs, and they thicken to create a light sauce.
- Grated Parmesan cheese: Some of it gets mixed in with the eggs with a little extra for serving.
- Fresh basil: Parsley or chives work well, too!
- Pasta: Any long pasta will work, like fettuccine, spaghetti, linguini, or bucatini.
How to Make It
- Boil the pasta in a large pot until al dente. While it boils, cook the steak with olive oil in a large skillet. Cook it on both sides until it’s done to your preference. Let it rest on a cutting board.
- Combine the eggs, cheese, basil, and salt in a large bowl. Drain the pasta and then add it, while it’s hot, to the egg mixture. Toss the pasta for a minute until the egg mixture thickens and coats the pasta evenly. The hot pasta will cook the eggs creating a velvety sauce.
- Slice the steak and add it to the pasta. Toss it all again and then garnish with more cheese, if desired.
This steak carbonara recipe makes two generous servings best served on a weeknight when a little pasta pick-me-up is in order.
Happy cooking,
More Quick & Easy Pasta Recipes
- Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
- Balsamic Mushroom Pasta
- Creamy Gruyere Spaghetti for Two
- 15-Minute Tomato Pasta
- Pasta with Olive Oil and Garlic
📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe, along with your recipe star rating.
PrintSteak Carbonara
A basic carbonara gets an upgrade with sliced sirloin steak and fresh basil. This dinner for two is so easy to make an takes less than 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
- 6 ounces fettuccine
- 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 (6-ounce) sirloin steak, seasoned with salt and pepper (see note)
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. While the pasta cooks prepare the rest of the recipe.
- In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Place the steak in the pan and cook it on one side for 3 to four minutes. Turn the steak and cook it on the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest on a cutting board for a couple of minutes. Thinly slice the steak against the grain.
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the cheese, basil, and salt and stir to combine. When the pasta is ready, drain it and place it in the bowl with the eggs. Toss the pasta with the eggs and cheese for a minute or until the pasta is evenly coated in the sauce (the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs). Add the sliced steak and toss a few more times. Divide the pasta between two bowls and top each serving with 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan and a few pinches of ground black pepper.
Notes
I prefer my steak cooked medium-rare to medium, so you may want to increase the cook time by a minute or so if you prefer yours more well done.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
- Calories: 575
- Sugar: 2.8g
- Sodium: 1154.6mg
- Fat: 18.6g
- Saturated Fat: 9.6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 66.1g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 33.5g
- Cholesterol: 226.2mg
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
Aww that’s no good that you were sick on holidays, why does that always seem to happen?! This pasta looks so delicious, and comforting, perfect for cold weather. I love poached eggs, it’s the only way I eat them these days, and that drippy yolk would be just perfect on the pasta!
This is soo smart! I’ve played with one pot pasta before, but never thought to incorporate pan sauce from steak. Such a good idea.
The steak carbonara is another winner. My family rated it A+. I doubled the recipe and used Parmesan from my local Italian groceria because I find it to have more flavor. Love these quick and easy – yet tasty – meals for busy evenings.
Hello. Can’t wait to make this. Sounds and looks really good! For about 6 servings, maybe 16 ounces of linguine, we prefer, how many eggs would you suggest?
I think you would need five to six eggs for that amount.
Just for clarification: the eggs ste raw when mixed with pasta. What cooks the eggs?
When you toss the egg mixture with the hot pasta, the heat from the pasta cooks the eggs and creates a sauce. Hope that helps!