Steak & Blue Cheese Rigatoni Bake Recipe
This Steak & Blue Cheese Rigatoni Bake is a hearty and flavorful pasta dish featuring tender steak pieces cooked in a rich and creamy blue cheese sauce. Combined with rigatoni pasta and topped with melted mozzarella, this baked casserole offers a perfect balance of savory, creamy, and cheesy elements, making it an ideal comfort food for dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
Steak and Vegetables
- 1 lb steak (cut into bite-sized pieces, sirloin or ribeye recommended)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 1 medium bell pepper (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup blue cheese (crumbled)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
Topping and Garnish
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Cook the rigatoni: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni pasta and cook until al dente, typically 10-12 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Sear the steak: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak pieces and sear until browned on all sides but not fully cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Remove steak from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: Using the same skillet, add diced onion and bell pepper. Cook until softened, roughly 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Make the blue cheese sauce: Lower the heat to medium. Pour in heavy cream, stirring to deglaze the pan by incorporating all browned bits. Stir in crumbled blue cheese, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook gently until the cheese melts and the sauce slightly thickens.
- Combine steak and pasta with sauce: Return the steak pieces to the skillet with the sauce, then add the cooked rigatoni. Gently stir everything together to evenly coat the steak and pasta with the creamy blue cheese sauce.
- Prepare for baking: Transfer the combined mixture to a greased baking dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the rigatoni casserole for 15-20 minutes until the mozzarella cheese has melted and turned golden brown.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the bake from the oven and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley to add a pop of color and freshness. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Choose a tender cut of steak such as sirloin or ribeye for best flavor and texture.
- Be careful not to overcook the steak during searing; it will finish cooking in the oven.
- You can substitute rigatoni with other tubular pasta like penne or ziti if preferred.
- Adjust salt and pepper seasoning to taste, especially when using salted cheeses.
- For a stronger blue cheese flavor, add extra crumbled cheese in the sauce or as a topping.
- Ensure to grease the baking dish well to prevent sticking and ease serving.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best results.
Keywords: steak rigatoni bake, blue cheese pasta bake, creamy baked pasta, steak pasta casserole, comfort food pasta