1-First Step: Cook the Pasta Begin by boiling a pot of salted water over high heat. Add 12 oz rigatoni pasta and cook according to the package until it’s al dente, which takes about 10-12 minutes. Once done, drain the pasta but reserve ½ cup of the pasta water for later; this helps adjust the sauce consistency without losing flavor in your garlic butter steak rigatoni.

2-Second Step: Season and Prepare the Steak While the pasta cooks, pat 1 lb sirloin or ribeye steak cubes dry with a paper towel. Season them with salt, black pepper, and ½ tsp smoked paprika if you want extra flavor. This step ensures the steak bites sear well and taste amazing in your garlic butter steak rigatoni, locking in juices for tenderness.

3-Third Step: Sear the Steak Bites Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned steak cubes and sear them for 2-3 minutes per side until browned and cooked to your liking, aiming for medium-rare for the best results. Remove the steak from the skillet and set it aside to rest, which helps keep it juicy for the garlic butter steak bites part of the dish.

4-Fourth Step: Make the Garlic Butter Lower the heat to medium and add 2 tbsp of the unsalted butter to the same skillet. Once it melts, toss in 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the steak bites to coat them in that delicious garlic butter, then transfer everything to a plate and keep it warm for your garlic butter steak rigatoni assembly.

5-Fifth Step: Prepare the Creamy Sauce In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining 1 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Pour in 1 ½ cups heavy cream and ½ tsp Italian seasoning, then let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups shredded mozzarella and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese until the mixture is smooth and creamy, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed to complement the garlic butter steak flavors.

6-Sixth Step: Combine and Serve Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce in the saucepan, tossing everything together to coat the pasta evenly. If the sauce is too thick, use the reserved pasta water to thin it out gradually. Finally, mix in the garlic butter steak bites, plate it up, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley for a fresh finish to your garlic butter steak rigatoni.