Sweet Garlic Steak Pasta Delight

This is that sweet-salty, garlicky, glossy steak pasta that tastes like date-night met a takeout craving and they decided to be efficient about it. Tender seared steak, a sticky garlic sauce you will absolutely “taste-test” with your finger, and twirly noodles that slurp up every drop. It’s fast, it’s wildly comforting, and it makes the kitchen smell like you actually had a plan today.

My husband calls this “fancy noodles,” which… sure, babe. Meanwhile our kid calls it “steak spaghetti,” which isn’t wrong either. It started as a clean-out-the-fridge situation and spiraled into The Thing We Make on Tuesdays when everyone is hungry and the afternoon got messy. Now it’s a staple. There’s always a jar of the sauce components living in my brain and a bag of pasta in the pantry because future-me thanks past-me every time.

Why You’ll Love This Sweet Garlic Steak Pasta Delight

– It’s on the table in about 30 minutes and somehow feels like you ordered it from your favorite cozy bistro.
– The sauce is sweet-garlic magic: glossy, clingy, and yes—lick-the-spoon level good.
– Steak bites! They cook in minutes and stay juicy. Also: you get to snack on one while “testing doneness.”
– Totally flexible. Rigatoni? Spaghetti? Whatever’s in the cabinet works. Broccoli wants to be here too.
– Leftovers are a thing. Cold from the fridge? Not mad about it.

How to Make It

Boil a big pot of salted water—like ocean-salty. Drop in 10–12 ounces of pasta (spaghetti, bucatini, rigatoni… dealer’s choice). Save a mug of that starchy water before you drain.

While the water’s doing its thing, slice up about a pound of steak (sirloin or strip are easy wins) into bite-size pieces, pat them dry, and season with salt and pepper. Dry steak equals browning. Browning equals flavor. Science!

Sauce time in a measuring cup: 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari), 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (lemon in a pinch), 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (more if you’re spicy), 1 teaspoon cornstarch whisked with 2 tablespoons water. Six cloves of minced garlic join the party—yep, six. It’s called Sweet Garlic for a reason.

Get a big skillet ripping hot. A slick of neutral oil. Sear the steak in two quick batches, about 2 minutes per side. Don’t crowd the pan unless you enjoy steaming your steak (I do not). Pull it out to rest.

Kill the heat for a sec, add a knob of butter and the garlic. Thirty seconds—fragrant, not burnt. Pour in the sauce and bring it back to a simmer. It thickens fast; splash in pasta water to loosen and make it glossy-silky.

Toss the drained pasta right into the skillet, add the steak and any juices, and fling in a handful of sliced scallions. Pepper, taste, adjust sweetness/salt. If it feels too thick, pasta water saves the day. If it’s too sweet, a tiny splash more vinegar. Finish with sesame seeds if you’re fancy or just hungry.

Ingredient Notes

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– Steak (sirloin, strip, or flank): Quick-cooking, stays tender. Pat it really dry or it won’t brown—it’ll sulk and steam.
– Pasta (spaghetti, bucatini, or rigatoni): Any shape works. Long noodles = slurpy; short tubes = saucy pockets.
– Garlic: The star. Don’t skimp. Burnt garlic is bitter, so keep the pan medium when it goes in.
– Soy sauce (low-sodium): Salty backbone. If using regular, start with a little less and taste as you go.
– Brown sugar or honey: Gives that candy-adjacent gloss. Brown sugar reads deeper; honey is floral and smoother.
– Rice vinegar (or lemon): Balances the sweet. A tiny splash changes everything—don’t skip the acid.
– Sesame oil: A little goes far. It’s finishing oil, not frying oil; too much gets loud fast.
– Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce so it clings. Mix with cold water first or you’ll get lumpy weirdness.
– Butter: Adds richness and helps the sauce hug the noodles. Ghee works if you’re avoiding dairy solids.
– Scallions + chili flakes: Fresh bite and heat. Red pepper flakes are the easy route; fresh chili is great too.

Recipe Steps

1. Boil pasta in heavily salted water until just shy of al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
2. Pat steak dry, season with salt and pepper, and cut into bite-size pieces.
3. Whisk soy sauce, brown sugar/honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili flakes, and cornstarch slurry; set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet and sear steak in two batches, about 2 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
5. Lower heat, melt butter, sauté garlic 30 seconds, then pour in sauce and simmer until glossy; loosen with pasta water as needed.
6. Toss in pasta, steak, and juices; cook 1–2 minutes, adjust seasoning, and finish with scallions (and sesame seeds if you like).

What to Serve It With

– Crisp cucumber salad with rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar.
– Garlicky roasted broccoli or green beans (same oven, same time—easy).
– A simple tomato salad with flaky salt.
– Garlic bread if you’re in the mood to double down on carbs (no judgment).

Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t crowd the pan. Crowding = gray steak. Give it space to sizzle.
– Save that pasta water. It’s liquid gold for silky sauce.
– Taste and tweak. Too sweet? Add a splash of vinegar. Too salty? More pasta water or a tiny drizzle of honey to balance.
– Cut steak evenly so it cooks at the same speed. Thin ends get tough fast.
– If the sauce goes gluey, you used too much heat or starch—thin with water and kill the heat for a minute.

Storage Tips

Fridge: Stash leftovers in an airtight container up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently with a spoonful of water in a skillet so it loosens up again.
Freezer: The steak does fine, the pasta gets a little soft—still edible, just different.
Cold-leftover confession: I’ve eaten this straight from the container at 8 a.m. and felt joy. Breakfast of champions, honestly.

Variations and Substitutions

– Swap honey ↔ sugar depending on what’s in the pantry.
– Use tamari ↔ soy sauce for gluten-free needs; coconut aminos works but is sweeter—adjust the sugar down.
– Chicken or shrimp instead of steak: quick-cook and pull out early so they don’t overdo it.
– Mushroom-power: Portobello or shiitake for a solid vegetarian version (add a splash of mushroom broth).
– Veg boost: Toss in steamed broccoli, snap peas, or spinach in the last minute.
– Noodle shuffle: Rice noodles, udon, or even ramen bricks in a pinch—just watch salt.
– Heat level: Chili crisp spooned on top is a vibe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sweet Garlic Steak Pasta Delight

Tender seared steak tossed with spaghetti in a glossy sweet-garlic glaze, finished with Parmesan, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon for balance. Weeknight easy, date-night delicious.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 12 oz spaghetti
• ▢ 1 lb sirloin steak, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢ 6 clove garlic, minced
• ▢ 0.25 cup light brown sugar, packed
• ▢ 0.25 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 0.5 cup beef broth low-sodium
• ▢ 1 tbsp cornstarch whisk into the broth until smooth
• ▢ 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• ▢ 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ▢ 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 0.5 cup reserved pasta water as needed

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 0.5 cup pasta water, then drain.
• Pat steak dry and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear steak in an even layer until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. When melted, add garlic and cook 0.5 minute until fragrant.
• Whisk in brown sugar, soy sauce, and balsamic. Stir in red pepper flakes.
• In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with beef broth until smooth. Pour into the skillet and simmer, stirring, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy, about 2 minutes.
• Return steak and any juices to the pan. Add cooked spaghetti and toss, loosening with splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to coat.
• Off heat, stir in Parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or sweetness to preference. Serve hot.

Notes

Slice steak against the grain for tenderness. For extra heat, increase red pepper flakes. Swap spaghetti with fettuccine or linguine if preferred. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.