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Meat, Classics and bistro fare

Steak and buttered macaroni with gruyère

Steak and buttered macaroni with gruyère is a family dinner for 4, ready in 25 minutes, rated very easy, for about €2.40 per person. The key is searing the meat without pressing it down, and tossing the pasta in butter and freshly grated gruyère until it turns glossy.

A classic that pleases everyone at the table, a well seared steak and buttered macaroni with a cloud of melted gruyère.

Steak and buttered macaroni with gruyère
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.40
Calories per person
670 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

This is the dinner that never gets questioned at the table, a patty seared on the outside and still pink in the middle, sitting next to pasta shining with melted butter. The grated gruyère melts softly on top and adds that little stretchy pull that gets kids and adults alike.

This is the weeknight meal for when you have twenty minutes before everyone sits down, no technique required, just a hot skillet and a pot of boiling water. Mon Chou brings it back on the nights when nobody feels like thinking about what to cook, yet everyone still wants a good meal.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Steaks 4

Pantry

  • Macaronioften in the pantry 400 g
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 50 g
  • Grated gruyère 80 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the macaroni. 10 min

    Follow the package time minus one minute, it finishes cooking in the butter.

  2. Take the steaks out of the fridge and heat the oil in a very hot skillet.

    Cold meat sears gray and rubbery, let it sit for 10 minutes to come up to temperature.

  3. Sear the steaks a few minutes on each side, season with salt and pepper only at the end. 6 min

    Salting raw meat draws out its moisture, so it ends up steaming instead of browning.

  4. Drain the macaroni and return it to the pot with the butter cut into pieces, stir until fully coated.

    Save a ladle of pasta water, it makes the macaroni creamier.

  5. Serve the steaks with the macaroni and sprinkle with grated gruyère.

    Grate the gruyère yourself, it melts much better than the pre-shredded kind.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use a wide skillet so the steaks don't touch each other, otherwise they release their juices and steam instead of browning.
  • Let the steaks rest a minute on a plate after cooking, the meat relaxes and stays juicier when you cut into it.
  • Always set aside a ladle of pasta water before draining, it rescues macaroni that soaked up too much butter.

The variations

  • Swap the beef steak for a veal or turkey patty, the cooking time stays the same but the flavor turns milder.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with a plant based patty or a fried egg, the buttered macaroni and gruyère stay exactly the same.
  • For younger kids, cut the steak into small pieces before serving and stir the gruyère straight into the pasta for a melted, stretchy texture.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with vinaigrette
  • French style buttered peas
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

Keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Reheat the macaroni gently in a skillet with a splash of butter or water, and eat the steak cold or reheat it briefly in a hot pan so it doesn't toughen. This dish doesn't freeze well, the butter and pasta lose their texture.

Questions about this dish

Can you cook the macaroni ahead of time?

You can boil it a bit early and keep it covered, but add the butter and gruyère at the last minute so they stay melty. Reheated too soon, the pasta tends to clump together.

How do you know when the steak is cooked enough?

Count about 3 minutes per side for medium, a bit longer if you prefer it well done. Press the steak lightly with a spatula, if it still gives, it's still pink inside.

Can you use a different cheese instead of gruyère?

Yes, emmental or comté work just as well and melt just as easily over the hot pasta. Avoid very strong cheeses that would overpower the buttery flavor.

Why season the meat only at the end of cooking?

Salt on raw meat draws out its moisture, so it steams instead of browning and turns gray. Salting at the end keeps the crust golden and crisp.

How long does it take to make a seared steak with buttered macaroni and gruyère?

Count 25 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a seared steak with buttered macaroni and gruyère?

About 670 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a seared steak with buttered macaroni and gruyère cost?

About €2.40 per serving, or €9.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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