Pasta with Steak and Spinach

This pasta with steak and spinach is a long-time favorite recipe and so easy to make. Tender New York strip steak tossed with spinach, pasta and a tangy Dijon mustard and balsamic dressing. Serve it warm, at room temperature or cold for an easy pasta dinner.

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I have a love/ hate thing with Food Network; on one hand, I credit the 24-hour food and cooking channel with my early cooking education – thanks to the Food Network I learned how to peel and chop garlic, dice an onion, and make the most amazing flourless chocolate cake.

On the other hand, I hate it because it’s gotten so annoying over the years (sort of like what happened to MTV) and there are very few shows I can even tolerate now – Barefoot Contessa (genius) and The Pioneer Woman  (gotta support the bloggers) are the only two. I DVR them so I don’t even have to turn to the channel.

All of this Food Network dust got stirred up after I found an old binder neatly filled with single-page protected printed recipes and, as I flipped through it looking for gems, I realized every single recipe was from the Food Network. Every single recipe! In my hands was the evidence of my old cooking show obsession back when Food Network was the only channel I watched – back then I had no idea what was going in the world, but I could tell you, in stalker-like detail, what Ina made for Jeffery that day, where they ate it, and what I learned from watching it. I was such an earnest student.

One recipe in the binder, Giada’s pasta with beef and arugula, caught my eye and instantly transported me back to the days before the blog when I was building out my go-to recipe repertoire. The recipe is simple  – sort of like Giada’s show back when she was just a girl making approachable Italian food – and one that I turned to again and again.

I even remember the episode – in it, she wrapped up the beef and pasta in cute take-out boxes and surprised her husband at work with lunch. They ate it in his office with chopsticks. Why I remember things like this I have no clue, but I made it for dinner that night (with some minor adjustments) and it was just as I remembered – simple and flavorful.

Ingredients for Steak Pasta

• New York strip steak
• Italian seasoning
• Garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• Penne
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Spinach
• Parsley
• Crumbled feta cheese

Can I use a different kind of steak?

• The best steak for this pasta is one that cooks fairly quickly and is tender. Readers have made it with tenderloin, filet mignon, and rib-eye.
• You can also use leftover steak instead of cooking one – just skip the steak cooking part and just toss it with the pasta and dressing.

How to Make Pasta with Steak and Spinach

• Season the steak with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Boil the penne according to package directions. While the pasta boils, cook the steak in a hot pan with the olive oil until it’s seared and cooked to about medium-rare.
• Mix the olive oil, vinegar, and mustard together in a bowl. Slice the steak against the grain.
• Place the spinach, parsley, steak and pasta in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss it all together. The spinach will wilt as you toss it with the hot pasta. Garnish with the crumbled feta cheese.

Happy cooking!

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More Easy Pasta Recipes

I love easy pasta recipes! Here are a few more of my favorite ones you might like, too!

• 5-Ingredient Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta 
• One-Pan Spaghetti Bolognese
• 15-Minute Mediterranean Pasta
• 15-Minute Bacon Orzo Pasta with Crab

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The nutrition information in this recipe is an estimate only and was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.