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steak pizzaiola with toppings on a plate
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Steak Pizzaiola

Steak night mingles with pizza night in my sensational Steak Pizzaiola. A chunky tomato sauce, full of robust flavors, coats tender strip steak.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Steak Pizzaiola
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 people
Calories 691kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 4 strip steaks about 1-inch thick
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms trimmed and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (12-ounce) jar sliced roasted red peppers drained and chopped
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup basil leaves julienned

Instructions

  • Pat steaks (4) dry with paper towels. Season both sides of the steaks generously with salt and pepper.
  • In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil, over medium-high heat, just until smoking. Add half the steaks and sear, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining steaks. Transfer steaks to the plate and set aside.
  • Carefully wipe out most of the oil from the skillet (I used paper towels, gripped with long-handled tongs) leaving the brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Add 1 tablespoon oil, onions (1 cup), mushrooms (8 ounces), 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the skillet and saute until the onions are soft, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic (1 tablespoon), dried Italian seasoning (2 teaspoons), and the sun-dried tomatoes (1/4 cup), and continue to cook for 1 minute. Stir in balsamic vinegar (1/4 cup), scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet, and cook until most of the vinegar evaporates. Add crushed tomatoes (1 can), roasted red peppers (12-ounce), and water (3/4 cup). Bring to a rapid simmer, then nestle the steaks in the sauce and continue to simmer, turning the steaks once, 5-7 minutes. Remove the steaks to a cutting board and allow rest for 5 minutes. Continue to simmer the sauce until it thickens a bit, about 3-5  minutes.
  • Place the whole steak on plates or thinly slice the steaks against the grain, and divide among plates. Top with the sauce, a sprinkle of shaved Parmesan (1/2 cup) and julienned basil (1/4 cup), and serve.

Notes

  1. Serious about searing – Make sure you use an oil with a high smoke point in this recipe to ensure a quality sear.
    • I recommend either vegetable oil or canola so your oiled pan gets really hot before actually smoking. Definitely don’t crowd the pan, either, since too much steak will drop the temperature of the skillet significantly and leave you with sad, grey meat.
    • I only add 2 steaks at a time to my 12-inch skillet.
  2. Bruised basil – Basil oxidizes just like apples do, and bruising (which is essentially what you’re doing when you chop it) speeds up that process.
    • For this reason, I usually chop mine right before I’m getting ready to serve this dish. There are a few tips, though, to keep it greener awhile longer.
    • Make sure your knife is sharp, and try using a technique called “chiffonade.” Stack the leaves on top of each other, roll them tightly into a long tube, then cut thin strips across the short side.
    • You can put these shreds into a bowl and cover them with a damp paper towel for a few hours.
    • Another trick is to spray or brush your knife with a little oil before chopping. This essentially covers the cut edges of the basil with a little oil to slow down the oxidizing process.
  3. Serve with Pasta: I like to serve Steak Pizzaiola with pasta, of course, because it’s a great way to keep from wasting those saucy bits on your plate. Polenta or gnocchi are good options too, and you’ll want some crusty bread and a bottle of red handy since no Italian meal is complete without it.
  4. Leftover sauce: If you have any leftover sauce, don’t throw it away. It’s a great topping for poached or fried eggs if you’re having a brunch get-together or for repurposing leftover chicken or pork.
    • Try warming the sauce with leftover pot roast shreds, then adding that to some hoagie rolls with sliced pepperoncinis for some serious Italian sandwiches.

Nutrition

Calories: 691kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 1511mg | Potassium: 1319mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 730IU | Vitamin C: 46.1mg | Calcium: 252mg | Iron: 6.1mg