Pasta Puttanesca with New York Strips and Crispy Basil

Pasta Puttanesca with New York Strip Steak and Crispy Basil – Pasta and Beef kissed with fresh herbs, lots of briny olives and capers, and tomatoes. 

The Best Pantry Staple

Here is a classic BIG-flavor dish that takes a short amount of time to prepare, Pasta Puttanesca.

The word puttan means worthless, or throw-away, in Italian and several other languages. The dish was named puttanesca because the ingredients were all a chef had left in his pantry one night. Just the leftover items from a busy day in the kitchen.

I’d say he discovered a pretty terrific combination! Fresh herbs, lots of briny olives and capers, tomatoes…

What’s not to love?

Protein and Pasta Forever

You could serve this as a vegetarian dish. Many people do.

However, every time I come across a vegetarian dish, I think to myself, “You know what would be great with this? STEAK!”

So here it is my rendition of Pasta Puttanesca with New York Strips and Crispy Basil. 

New York Strips Steaks offers a rich meaty flavor that is more than capable of standing up to the bold flavors in Puttanesca sauce.  

What Ingredients You Will Need

• New York Strip Steaks – about 1- to 1 1/4-inch thick (or Ribeye Steaks)
• Unsalted Butter
• Olive Oil – divided
• Roughly Chopped Fresh Basil
• Salt and Pepper
• Dried Pasta – Strascinati, Orecchiette, or even Spaghetti will do!
• Olive Oil
• Large Minced Garlic Cloves
• Chopped Italian Parsley
• Pitted Kalamata Olives
• Capers
• Anchovy Paste – or minced anchovy fillets
• Dried Oregano
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• Diced Tomatoes
• Fresh Arugula or Spinach Leaves
• Parmesan – for garnish

How To Make This Pasta Puttanesca Recipe

Preparation: Boil the pasta in a large pot, as directed on the package. Drain and set aside.

Instructions:

1. Heat two large skillets—one to high heat, and one to medium. The skillet over high heat is for the steak. Add the butter and 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. Salt and pepper the steaks.
2. Drop the basil leaves into the hot butter and oil; flash fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Watch out—the fat will pop as the moisture is released from the basil. When the leaves look crispy, but still green, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel.
3. Next, add the steaks to the skillet. Sear for 4 minutes per side, for medium-rare. Remove the steaks from the pan and tent with foil. Let the steaks rest for 5-10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the second skillet over medium heat/medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add garlic, parsley, olives, capers, anchovy paste, oregano, and red pepper. Stir and sauté for 3 minutes.
5. Then add the tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes. Toss the pasta and arugula into the sauce. Toss until the pasta warms through. You shouldn’t need to salt this, because of the briny ingredients.

Pro Tip: You can serve each person a whole steak, but for my family, I usually just buy 2 large steaks and slice them on the bias. I fan them out next to the pasta.

Serve the steaks drizzled with pan juices and topped with crispy basil leaves!

Tips and Tricks

Save a skillet! If you are not in a hurry, you can make both the steaks and the sauce in one skillet to reduce clean-up.

Basil, along with other herbs, pop when you fry them because of their high moisture content. Be sure to step back when you drop them in the pan.

Get the Full (Printable) Pasta Puttanesca Recipe with New York Strip Steak Recipe Below. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do Leftovers Last In The Fridge?

These leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and placed in the fridge for 3-5 days. 

Why Is My Steak Not Cooking Properly?

If your steaks are thicker than 1 1/2 inches, it can be hard to pan-sear them perfectly. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Then sear the first side for 4 minutes. Turn the steaks over and place the pan in the oven for about 6 minutes for medium-rare. This will ensure you don’t have a crispy outside and raw inside!

What Does Puttanesca Mean in Italian?

This name derives from the Italian word ‘putanna’ which means whore. So this puttanesca mean “in the style of the whore”. There are stories about Puttanesca being a late-night up-to-no-good sort of meal. Think of it as the Italian version of hitting Waffle House at 3 am. *wink* 

What Can I Top This Pasta With?

Like most Italian Dishes, grated parmesan cheese would go great with this pasta, along with cracked black pepper. The crispy basil leaves are a fabulous garnish, do not skip them!

Looking for More Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes?

• Oven-Baked Meatballs (Old School Italian Meatballs)
• Roasted Red Pepper Marinara
• Fresh Tomato and Sausage Ragu
• Rustic Ribollita (Tuscan White Bean Soup)
• Stacked Tomato Salad
• Balsamic Roasted Cherry Tomatoes (with pasta)

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Pasta Puttanesca with New York Strips and Crispy Basil

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Fresh, herbs, lots of briny olives and capers, tomatoes…what's not to love about Pasta Puttanesca?

Servings: 4

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• 2-4 New York strip steaks 1 to 1 1/4-inch thick
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
• Salt and Pepper
• 12 ounces dried pasta Strascinati or Orecchiette
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic (large) minced
• 1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
• 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 2 tablesppons capers
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 dashes crushed red pepper flakes
• 14 ounces diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup fresh arugula or spinach leaves
• Parmesan for garnish

Instructions

• Boil the pasta as directed on the package. Drain and set aside.
• Heat two large skillets—one to high heat, and one to medium. The skillet over high heat is for the steak. Add the butter and 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. Salt and pepper the steaks.
• Drop the basil leaves into the hot butter and oil; flash fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Watch out—the fat will pop as the moisture is released from the basil. When the leaves look crispy, but still green, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel.
• Next add the steaks to the skillet. Sear for 4 minutes per side, for medium-rare. Remove from the pan and tent with foil. Let the steaks rest for 5-10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the second skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, parsley, olives, capers, anchovy paste, oregano, and red pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes.
• Then add the tomatoes and simmer another 5 minutes. Toss the pasta and arugula into the sauce. Toss until the pasta warms through. You shouldn’t need to salt this, because of the briny ingredients.
• You can serve each person a whole steak, but for my family I usually just buy 2 large steaks and slice them on the bias. I fan them out next to the pasta. Serve the steaks drizzled with pan juices and topped with crispy basil leaves!

Notes

If your steaks are thicker than 1 1/2 inches, it can be hard to pan sear them perfectly. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Then sear the first side for 4 minutes. Turn the steaks over and place the pan in the oven for about 6 minutes for medium-rare. This will ensure you don’t have a crispy outside and raw inside!

Save a skillet! If you are not in a hurry, you can make both the steaks and the sauce in one skillet to reduce clean-up.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 769kcal, Carbohydrates: 70g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 21g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 85mg, Sodium: 331mg, Potassium: 766mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1179IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 5mg

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: American, Italian

Author: Sommer Collier

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