Evaporated milk replaces cream here because 1930s Depression cooks needed shelf-stable dairy—it still makes cheddar sauces silkier without breaking.
Garlic Butter Steak Mac & Cheese
Indulge in a mouthwatering Garlic Butter Steak Mac & Cheese that's not just rich in flavor but also packs a powerful punch with over 60g of protein in every serving! This creamy, cheesy delight combines tender steak and perfectly cooked pasta, all brought together with a luscious garlic butter sauce. Perfect for meal prep, it’s a hearty dish that will keep your taste buds dancing all week long!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This gym-bro reinvention traces back to 1990s American bodybuilding kitchens, where Texas steakhouse swagger collided with New England's colonial mac and cheese obsession—strip out the heavy cream, swap ribeye for lean diced beef, and suddenly a dish invented for President Jefferson's dinner parties in 1802 becomes a macro-friendly protein bomb that still tastes like a Sunday cheat day at a Kansas City steakhouse.
Regional Twist
Down in Louisiana's Cajun parishes, cooks would swap the black pepper for cayenne and blacken the diced beef in a cast-iron skillet, then stir andouille sausage grease into the evaporated milk base for a smokier, spicier take on this steakhouse mac.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 6 Minced Garlic Cloves
- 1 Tsp Garlic & Onion Powder (5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Fresh Parsley (5 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 720g Extra Lean Diced Beef (raw weight - Smart Heart Extra Lean Diced Beef - or any lean cut beef) (1.58 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- 25g Light Butter (Nuttelex Light) (1.75 tbsp)
- 40g Low Fat Grated Cheddar Cheese (1.41 oz)
- 85g Light Cream Cheese (Philadelphia - or light laughing cow cheese) (3 oz)
- 340ml Fat Free Evaporated Milk (Carnation Light & Creamy) (11.5 fl oz)
- 40g Low Fat Grated Mozzarella (1.41 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 220g Elbow Pasta/Macaroni (dry weight - Zafarelli Piccolo Pasta) (7.77 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper (2.5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Salt (5 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
638
Protein
58g
Carbs
51g
Fat
20g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by grabbing your extra lean diced beef, add the seasonings listed on the screen, then mix it all together.
- 2
Cook the steak bites on medium to high heat for a few minutes until the edges are crispy, then lower the heat and add light butter, minced garlic, fresh parsley and stir well until it's all combined.
- 3
Cook up your pasta according to package instructions.
- 4
In a pan on low to medium heat, add fat-free evaporated milk with some salt, garlic powder, light cream cheese and stir for a few minutes.
- 5
After a few minutes, add light mozzarella and light cheddar, keep stirring until creamy and cheesy.
- 6
Add the cooked and drained pasta and mix well to combine.
- 7
Divide the garlic steak bites and mac and cheese into 4 equal servings with some more parsley and enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown your extra lean beef at 375-400°F for 2-3 minutes until a crust forms, then immediately reduce to 275°F and add butter and garlic. This prevents overcooking the lean meat (which has <5% fat) and drying it out, while the Maillard reaction at high heat creates savory depth before gentle heat finishes cooking.timing375-400°F for 2-3 minutes, then 275°F
- ✓Temper your cream cheese by warming the evaporated milk to 160°F before adding it, whisking constantly. Cold cream cheese seizes and creates lumps; gradual heating allows the milk's 0.5% fat to emulsify with the cheese's 33% fat content, creating a smooth sauce instead of grainy texture.technique160°F milk temperature
- ✓Reserve 120ml of starchy pasta water before draining and add it to your cheese sauce (not milk) at the end. The pasta's released starches act as a natural thickener and emulsifier, compensating for the low fat content (8g total per serving) and preventing the sauce from breaking or separating during plating.ingredient120ml pasta water reserve
- ✓Add mozzarella before cheddar because mozzarella melts at 105°C (221°F) while cheddar requires 150°C (302°F). Reversing this order causes cheddar to cook longer and separate its milk fats, creating a greasy rather than creamy texture.techniqueMozzarella first, then cheddar
- ✓Finish minced garlic and butter off-heat by using residual pan temperature (around 190°F) after browning beef, stirring for 45-60 seconds. Raw minced garlic in hot fat creates sharp, harsh flavors; gentle carryover cooking converts harsh sulfur compounds into sweet, mild garlic notes.timing45-60 seconds off-heat at ~190°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Evaporated milk replaces cream here because 1930s Depression cooks needed shelf-stable dairy—it still makes cheddar sauces silkier without breaking.
Garlic Butter Steak Mac & Cheese
Indulge in a mouthwatering Garlic Butter Steak Mac & Cheese that's not just rich in flavor but also packs a powerful punch with over 60g of protein in every serving! This creamy, cheesy delight combines tender steak and perfectly cooked pasta, all brought together with a luscious garlic butter sauce. Perfect for meal prep, it’s a hearty dish that will keep your taste buds dancing all week long!
The Story
This gym-bro reinvention traces back to 1990s American bodybuilding kitchens, where Texas steakhouse swagger collided with New England's colonial mac and cheese obsession—strip out the heavy cream, swap ribeye for lean diced beef, and suddenly a dish invented for President Jefferson's dinner parties in 1802 becomes a macro-friendly protein bomb that still tastes like a Sunday cheat day at a Kansas City steakhouse.
Regional Twist
Down in Louisiana's Cajun parishes, cooks would swap the black pepper for cayenne and blacken the diced beef in a cast-iron skillet, then stir andouille sausage grease into the evaporated milk base for a smokier, spicier take on this steakhouse mac.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 6 Minced Garlic Cloves
- 1 Tsp Garlic & Onion Powder (5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Fresh Parsley (5 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 720g Extra Lean Diced Beef (raw weight - Smart Heart Extra Lean Diced Beef - or any lean cut beef) (1.58 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- 25g Light Butter (Nuttelex Light) (1.75 tbsp)
- 40g Low Fat Grated Cheddar Cheese (1.41 oz)
- 85g Light Cream Cheese (Philadelphia - or light laughing cow cheese) (3 oz)
- 340ml Fat Free Evaporated Milk (Carnation Light & Creamy) (11.5 fl oz)
- 40g Low Fat Grated Mozzarella (1.41 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 220g Elbow Pasta/Macaroni (dry weight - Zafarelli Piccolo Pasta) (7.77 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper (2.5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Salt (5 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
638
Protein
58g
Carbs
51g
Fat
20g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by grabbing your extra lean diced beef, add the seasonings listed on the screen, then mix it all together.
- 2
Cook the steak bites on medium to high heat for a few minutes until the edges are crispy, then lower the heat and add light butter, minced garlic, fresh parsley and stir well until it's all combined.
- 3
Cook up your pasta according to package instructions.
- 4
In a pan on low to medium heat, add fat-free evaporated milk with some salt, garlic powder, light cream cheese and stir for a few minutes.
- 5
After a few minutes, add light mozzarella and light cheddar, keep stirring until creamy and cheesy.
- 6
Add the cooked and drained pasta and mix well to combine.
- 7
Divide the garlic steak bites and mac and cheese into 4 equal servings with some more parsley and enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown your extra lean beef at 375-400°F for 2-3 minutes until a crust forms, then immediately reduce to 275°F and add butter and garlic. This prevents overcooking the lean meat (which has <5% fat) and drying it out, while the Maillard reaction at high heat creates savory depth before gentle heat finishes cooking.timing375-400°F for 2-3 minutes, then 275°F
- ✓Temper your cream cheese by warming the evaporated milk to 160°F before adding it, whisking constantly. Cold cream cheese seizes and creates lumps; gradual heating allows the milk's 0.5% fat to emulsify with the cheese's 33% fat content, creating a smooth sauce instead of grainy texture.technique160°F milk temperature
- ✓Reserve 120ml of starchy pasta water before draining and add it to your cheese sauce (not milk) at the end. The pasta's released starches act as a natural thickener and emulsifier, compensating for the low fat content (8g total per serving) and preventing the sauce from breaking or separating during plating.ingredient120ml pasta water reserve
- ✓Add mozzarella before cheddar because mozzarella melts at 105°C (221°F) while cheddar requires 150°C (302°F). Reversing this order causes cheddar to cook longer and separate its milk fats, creating a greasy rather than creamy texture.techniqueMozzarella first, then cheddar
- ✓Finish minced garlic and butter off-heat by using residual pan temperature (around 190°F) after browning beef, stirring for 45-60 seconds. Raw minced garlic in hot fat creates sharp, harsh flavors; gentle carryover cooking converts harsh sulfur compounds into sweet, mild garlic notes.timing45-60 seconds off-heat at ~190°F