Steak is way too expensive to let it go to waste. This Leftover Steak Pasta turns extra steak into a quick, high-protein dinner that's packed with flavor and ready in under 30 minutes. It's an easy, weeknight meal that helps you clean out the fridge while still getting a healthy dinner on the table.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 25 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 3
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 417 kcals and 25 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Cooked steak, gluten-free pasta, broth, carrots, garlic, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A quick and flavorful way to turn leftover steak into a hearty, savory pasta dinner in just 25 minutes.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
If you're wondering what to do with leftover steak, this pasta recipe is one of my favorite solutions. Instead of reheating steak for the second time and hoping for the best, you can turn it into an easy high-protein dinner that kids actually enjoy because it has a slightly sweet taste to it (whoo, maple syrup!)
As a busy mom, I'm always looking for ways to stretch ingredients into multiple meals. Leftover slow cooker garlic steak bites often turn into pasta or wraps because it's simple and easy to customize with whatever vegetables you have in the fridge.
Jump To
💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: This pasta recipe is great for busy weeknights because it uses up leftover protein and comes together quickly.
Not chewy: Reheating steak can give it a tough and chewy texture. Since you only add the steak in the last few minutes of mixing, it keeps its juicy texture.
Versatile: There are so many ways you can adjust the flavor of the high-protein steak pasta based on taste preferences or what you have in the fridge.
Ingredients and Substitutions
So, I actually revamped this recipe a bit to make it more saucy and savory, which means it's missing broth from the image.
- Leeks: If you don’t have leeks on hand, know that green onion will work perfectly too (though leeks can be used to make this slow cooker Tuscan chicken and thus, should be a staple!).
- Steak: Any steak you have cooked in the fridge will work. I make a lot of teriyaki steak bites or air fryer steak bites and just use those. However, leftovers from a classic steak dinner work too. Just know that whatever seasoning is on the steak will come through in the pasta.
- Pasta: For the best gluten-free noodles, try to use quinoa ones as they hold up best (so well in fact that’s what I use for both gluten-free chicken noodle soup and slow cooker chicken alfredo). Brown rice or chickpea noodles tend to turn to mush when mixed.
- Broth: Beef broth works perfectly, but I rarely have some on hand. So, not to worry if you use chicken broth. I actually use bone broth powder more often than not.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
The best part about a leftover meal is that you can adjust it in so many ways! Below are a few favorite tweaks.
Vegetables: Carrots work perfectly, but I’ve also been known to use peppers or broccoli, too. If you have leftover candied Brussels sprouts, that’s delicious as well and lets you skip a step.
Seasonings: I keep it pretty simple so that my kids enjoy it, but you could always add in some different herbs like parsley or basil, or sprinkle on some red pepper flakes for extra spice.
Creamy steak pasta: If you love a creamy-based sauce, mix some canned coconut milk into the broth before pouring it in for a richer taste.
Protein: This leftover pasta works just as well with leftovers from a whole Dutch oven chicken, too.
How To Make Leftover Steak Pasta
Before you start, bring a pot of water to a boil and begin cooking the gluten-free noodles according to package directions.
Step 1: In a pan over medium to high heat, saute the garlic in oil and then add the carrots and some of the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup to "candy" them.
Step 2: Add in the remaining vegetables.
Step 3: Pour in the broth, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup and bring everything to a rolling boil for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Finally, add the steak, drain the noodles, and add them to the pot, or portion them individually and serve.
Expert Tips To Make It
Candy the carrots as much as you like. I personally leave a bit of liquid in the pan, but you can candy them fully until a bit charred on the outside if you like.
Add the steak last. Since the steak is already cooked, stir it in during the final few minutes of cooking so that it warms but doesn't overcook and become tough.
If you're mixing the noodles right into the pan with the sauce, cook them al dente. This way, they'll finish cooking as they mix and won't become too soft.
How To Store It
Fridge: If you have leftovers that are already mixed, let them cool fully and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat easy leftover steak pasta in the microwave or on the stovetop on low until heated through. You may need to add a splash of broth or water to give everything a bit more texture.
Meal prepping: For leftovers that have not been portioned, drizzle some oil over the gluten-free noodles and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store the steak pasta mixture in a container for up to 3 days.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing the steak pasta as gluten-free noodles don’t always reheat well.
Leftover Steak Pasta FAQ’s
It truly doesn’t matter. Some steaks will have a tougher texture, but all steak leftovers will work for this pasta recipe.
When it comes to gluten-free noodles, quinoa ones are most similar to traditional noodles and what I recommend. Other noodles like chickpea, brown rice, or protein noodles tend to fall apart the second they’re mixed with something and don’t reheat well. Try to choose a small-shaped noodle as it will mix into the sauce better.
For this steak pasta, you don't need to reheat the steak before you mix it into the base. Adding it at the last minute will warm it without heating it too much. I find that if you add it too early, like when the vegetables are cooking, it overcooks and becomes a bit too chewy.
More Dairy and Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes
If you tried this Gluten-Free Leftover Steak Pasta Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Leftover Steak Pasta (Gluten-Free)
Video
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup
- 1 inch Leek sliced
- ⅓ cup Sundried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 10 ounces Steak cooked and sliced
- 2.5 cups Gluten-free Pasta
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup Broth beef or chicken
- 2 tablespoons Maple syrup
Instructions
- Boil the water and begin to cook pasta according to the package directions.
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the avocado oil and garlic. Let the garlic sizzle a bit.
- Add in the carrots, salt, and pepper along with 1 tablespoon each of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Cook them for 3-5 minutes until they kind of candy together.
- Reduce the heat in the pan to medium and add in the sundried tomatoes, leeks, and remaining sauce ingredients (broth, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar). Cook for roughly 5 minutes so that all the flavors mix.
- In the last 2 minutes of cooking, right before you drain the noodles, add the leftover steak in with the carrot mixture. Taste test and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Finally, portion the noodles and the steak mixture into bowl and top each bowl with fresh herbs, nutritional yeast, or red pepper flakes.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Shelby S says
We always make steak bites on the weekend for meal prep and this is my favorite way to use up any extra we have!