Steak and Pasta Salad

Steak and Pasta Salad is the perfect way to use up leftover steak! This salad is creamy, tangy, meaty, flavorful, and loaded with all sorts of yummy things! Easy and delish, switch up your leftover steak routine and try this salad today!

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ALL the best things are in this salad! Tender steak, tangy blue cheese, sweet candied nuts, and plenty of veggies are tossed with a creamy dressing that ties this Steak and Pasta Salad together. The perfect use of leftover steak, I make an extra steak just to make this salad!

Hearty and satisfying but at the same time light and flavorful, this steak pasta salad recipe is perfect on hot nights when a cool dish is called for or whenever you’re craving a great meal. And the dressing! The buttermilk ranch dressing is so good! It’s even great on top of leafy salads! Yum!

Easy to make, you can prepare this steakhouse pasta salad recipe and pop it into the fridge until you’re ready to serve!

Ingredients

• Mayonnaise – Light or regular mayo both work. Full-fat mayo makes the dressing richer and creamier.
• Buttermilk – Use real buttermilk.
• Dijon mustard – Yellow mustard works in a pinch, but Dijon has better tang.
• Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice only. Bottled lemon juice tastes flat.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic only. Jarred garlic won’t give the same clean flavor and can turn bitter when cooked.
• Fresh herbs – Parsley, chives, and dill are all tasty. Fresh herbs only—dried herbs won’t give the same bright flavor in a cold salad.
• Dried pasta – I used farfalle, but any pasta shape will work.
• Steak – Leftover grilled steak works fabulously! Smoked steaks also work.
• Cherry tomatoes – Or grape tomatoes.
• Baby spinach – Fresh baby spinach only. Don’t use frozen spinach—it’ll make the salad watery and mushy.
• Corn – I love using leftover grilled corn in this pasta salad recipe. Frozen corn niblets will also work.
• Blue cheese Or blue cheese crumbles. I recommend crumbling your own from a wedge. Pre-crumbled blue cheese can be dry and coated with anti-caking agents.
• Radishes – Slice them thin. Thick slices are too crunchy and overpowering.
• Red onion – Slice it thin. Yellow or white onion works but tastes sharper. Red onion is milder and adds color.
• Candied walnuts – Optional but oh-so-good.

How To Make The Best Leftover Steak and Pasta Salad

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

Start by cooking the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Pasta for pasta salad should still have a little firmness so it holds its texture after mixing with the dressing. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold running water until completely cooled, then set it aside.

Prepare the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh herbs in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate the dressing while preparing the remaining salad ingredients so it stays cold and flavorful.

Slice the leftover steak into thin strips using a sharp chef’s knife. Halve the cherry tomatoes if they are large, cut the corn kernels from the cob if using fresh corn, crumble the blue cheese, thinly slice the radishes, and slice the red onion.

Add the cooled pasta, spinach, steak, tomatoes, corn, half of the blue cheese, radishes, and red onion to a large mixing bowl.

Pour about three-quarters of the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.

Top the salad with the candied walnuts and the remaining blue cheese crumbles before serving.

Serve chilled and enjoy.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

• You can cook the pasta ahead of time and prep all the ingredients – including the dressing – ahead of time. Even a few days ahead. Then, just toss it all together about 20 minutes before serving.
• If your steak has BBQ sauce on it, you can scrape off the sauce or even rinse it off. Or, just leave it on for extra flavor.
• Use the reserved dressing on leftover pasta salad to help get it creamy again, or use it on your favorite greens. It’s a great dip, too!

Make It A Meal

One of the best parts about a pasta salad is that it is great as either a side dish or a main dish. I will eat a bowl of this for lunch or dinner, but it’s also terrific for BBQs, potlucks, and gatherings of all kinds. Serve it along with other tasty eats like copycat Paula Deen deviled eggs, Smoked Tomatoes, Pork Belly Burnt Ends, or carnitas.

Storage

Pasta salad will keep fine in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days, as long as the steak you used in the salad hasn’t been sitting around for days already. Leftover steak – in any dish – should be consumed within about 5 days of cooking. If your pasta salad is a bit dry (the noodles will absorb the dressing), you can moisten it up again with the reserved buttermilk ranch dressing, a splash of buttermilk or even regular milk.