Try my Bourbon & Mushroom Steak Pasta recipe for a delicious, sophisticated meal that is filled with classic flavors. Everyone loves this simple, savory cozy dish. It is perfect for a weekend or even a holiday. Save this to Pinterest now so you can always find it!
We are smack-dab in the middle of winter right now and cozy dinners are all I am craving. As I was planning for our usually Pasta Sunday dinner last week, I knew I wanted something creamy and with mushrooms too. (Kevin bought me a mushroom forging book for Christmas so I have mushrooms on the brain right now.) Steak and mushrooms are such a classic combination and I thought they would make a fantastic, creamy pasta dinner. The addition of bourbon adds a little touch of gourmet to the mushroom steak pasta recipe too.
Cooking the steak
The steak is cooked first in the Bourbon & Mushroom Steak Pasta recipe. I use a sirloin steak in this recipe because it has a nice beefy flavor. It is generally a leaner cut of beef but if you cook it correctly it can be still be a tender cut of beef that works really well for dishes like this pasta recipe.
First, I pat it dry and use a dry rub, which is in the recipe below. It is then cooked over a medium to high heat for 4 minutes. This time and temperature for a 1-inch thick steak usually makes the meat medium rare, which is how we generally prefer our steaks. The one in the photos was a little thicker than an inch so I cooked it on one side for 5 minutes and the second side for 4 minutes. You can use a meat thermometer to make sure you get your’s to your preferred temperature. There is a full list of doneness temperature reminders below.
One-pan meal
I make my Bourbon & Mushroom Steak Pasta recipe all in one pan. However, if you prefer you can make the steak on an indoor griddle grill instead. If you make everything in one pan like I do, I recommend a cast iron enamel pan or a cast iron pan. I almost always use my Le Creuset braiser {HERE}. However, you can use any pan you have that will fit the dish.
After cooking the steak in the pan you might feel like it is a little too charred. I wiped mine out with a wet paper towel to remove some of it. The dry rub can add a little too much char to the pan for me and I just prefer to remove some of it before moving onto the next step.
Starting the pasta sauce
When you are ready to start the pasta sauce, extra virgin olive oil is added and heated in the pan and then shallots are added. Those cook down for a few minutes before the garlic and mushrooms are added in. Those cook down for a few more minutes before the butter is added to caramelize everything a touch. Then the bourbon is added.
Working with bourbon
If you are not used to working with bourbon, the I will let you know bourbon is one of those alcohols that will catch fire on the stove. To eliminate the chance of this happening with the Bourbon & Mushroom Steak Pasta recipe, I turn off the heat then add it. I gently whisk it in and then turn the heat back on. I suggest doing the same unless you are used to working with it. It only looks cool in a restaurant when it is not your stove, kitchen or dinner. 🙂 Not as cool up close.
Finishing it up
Once the bourbon is added to the mushroom steak pasta recipe the rest of it goes pretty quickly with heavy cream, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Lastly, parmesan and parsley are added just before the pasta goes into the dish.
The mushrooms to use
When it comes to picking the mushrooms to use in the Bourbon & Mushroom Steak Pasta recipe, you can use whichever mushrooms you like best. I use a combination of mushrooms in this dish including Baby Bella, Oyster mushrooms and White Beech mushrooms, which are in a chef’s mix at my grocery store. If you use something like the White Beech, which I see as a little more delicate, you will just put those in a few minutes after the others in the recipe instructions below. This helps them to keep their structure in the final dish.
The right noodles to use
For the Bourbon & Mushroom Steak Pasta recipe I like to use rigatoni. The tube noodles make a great addition to the recipe because the sauce coats the inside of the noodle as well as the outside. This is a thin sauce so it is really just meant to coat the noodle verses something that is overly saucy. Penne and Paccheri would also work well.
Doneness Temperature Reminders
As a note, the USDA says steak is “done” when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. However, that will make your meat well done. The below are the temperature standards for Rare – Well done. Most people enjoy Sirloin the most when it is rare or medium rare.
- Rare: Remove the steak from the pan/grill when it is 117 degrees. This will give you a final temperature around 122, which is considered rare. The center will be cool with a red interior.
- Medium rare: Remove the steak from the pan/grill when it is 120-125 degrees. After resting, this should give you a temperature between 125-130 for medium rare. It will have a warmer center and be red throughout the steak.
- Medium: Remove the steak from the pan/grill when it is 130-135 degrees. After resting this will give you a medium steak at 135-140 degrees. It will have a pink center.
- Medium well: Remove the steak when it is 140-145 degrees. After resting this will give you a medium well temperature from 145-150 degrees. It will be slightly pink at the center.
- Well done: Remove the meat when it is 150-155 degrees. This will give you a well done steak with no pink.
Tips for making my Bourbon & Mushroom Steak Pasta recipe
- Make sure to use the highest quality extra virgin olive oil you can find and coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
- The sauce for the Bourbon & Mushroom Steak Pasta recipe is thin and it will stick to the noodles. It is not a saucy kind of sauce once the noodles are mixed in.
- Grate your own Parmesan for the pasta. Pre-grated will not melt as well into the sauce.
- You can serve the steak in the pasta on the side, over the pasta or mixed in as bites. It works all ways. I happen to like it served over the pasta and then I cut it up and mix it into the sauce.
- To save any leftovers, you can place everything in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator for about 48 hours.
- To reheat it, you can microwave it or place it back in a sauté pan with a little extra virgin olive oil until it is warmed. If you want, add an additional tablespoon or two of heavy cream too.
Looking of more steak or pasta recipes?
If you love steak or you love a good pasta recipe, try these too!
- Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon {HERE}
- Caramelized Wild Mushroom Pappardelle {HERE}
- New York Strip Steak with Red Wine & Butter Mushrooms {HERE}
- Creamy Italian Sausage & Sun Dried Tomato Pasta {HERE}
- Lemon Carbonara Pasta {HERE}
- Classic Steak Au Poivre {HERE}
- Italian Stuffed Flank Steak {HERE}
Visit on our Social Channels!
- Instagram @sugarmaplefarmhouse
- Pinterest Pinterest Sugar Maple Farmhouse
- YouTube Sugar Maple Farmhouse
- Amazon Storefront Sugar Maple Farmhouse
- Facebook Sugar Maple Farmhouse
- Tik Tok Sugar Maple Farmhouse
Thank you so much for stopping by today, friends! I hope you love my Bourbon & Mushroom Steak Pasta recipe. You can find the full, printable recipe below. I hope you will come visit us again. Happy eating.
Bourbon & Mushroom Steak Pasta recipe
Equipment
- 1 large enamel cast iron or enamel cast iron pan
Ingredients
Ingredients for the steak
- 1-2 lbs Sirloin steak Mine was 1.8 lbs. You can also use individual portions.
- 1 tbsp dried, crushed rosemary
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Ingredients for the bourbon and mushroom steak pasta recipe
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 20 oz sliced mushrooms Use your favorite variety or a combination. See my note about the mushrooms I used in the blog post.
- 2 large shallots, diced
- 4 large cloves of garlic, grated or pressed
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
- 16 oz rigatoni pasta Plus 1 tsp coarse sea salt for the pot of water.
- For topping: Additional fresh thyme and parsley, sea salt and black pepper to taste and parmesan cheese as desired.
Instructions
Instructions for the steak
- Take the steak out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking it. Mix together the oregano, rosemary, thyme, sea salt, tarragon, garlic salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
- When 30 minutes is up, pat the steak dry and rub the herb rub into both sides. Set it aside for another 20 minutes and prep the ingredients for the pasta.
- In a large pot on the stove, start the water for the pasta and add in the salt. When it is boiling, add in the pasta and cook per instructions.
- When time is up, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large enamel cast iron pan or a cast iron skillet over medium to high heat. When it is shimmering, turn the heat to medium and add the steak and cook for 4 minutes on each side for a 1 inch steak. If the steak is thicker, you can add an additional minute. You can check it with a meat thermometer to ensure it is correct. Temperature doneness degrees are in the blog post. When it is done, remove it from the pan and set it on a plate. Tent with tin foil.
- If the pan is overly charred, you can wipe it out or even rinse it out lightly if you want. Then place it back on the stove over medium heat and add the extra virgin olive oil for the pasta. When it is shimmering, add the shallots and cook for 4 minutes stirring occasionally or until they are slightly translucent.
- Add in the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add in any tougher mushrooms you are using (Bellas, oysters) and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Then add the butter. When the butter is almost melted, you can add more delicate mushrooms if you are using them. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Add the bourbon and gently mix it in. Then turn the heat back on. Scrape the brown bits as it simmers for 2 minutes. Then add in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Let it simmer for another 4 minutes.
- Add in the parmesan cheese and stir gently until it melts. Then add in the parsley and the finished pasta. Cut the steak and add in any drippings from the steak plate to the pasta. Toss gently to coat the pasta.
- Serve immediately with the steak either on the side or on top. Use additional fresh thyme and parsley, sea salt and black pepper to taste and parmesan cheese as desired to top.
[…] Sirloin: A lean cut with a nice beefy flavor8 […]