Penne Pasta Salad with Steak, Dijon and Arugula

I could tell the troops were getting restless. Especially the big one. My husband.

I had been serving lots of salads and vegetarian dishes and he was getting pissed. There was even talk of staging a coup and trying to get rid of Meatless Mondays. He was even trying to get the kids on board.

What?!

There was grumbling at the table. In front of the kids. I get it. You want MEAT more often. I get it.  But we have to present a united front. Especially in front of the kids and especially when it comes to dinner time because I’ll be damned if everyone starts complaining about what’s for dinner.

So, what’s a girl to do?

I gave in.

But under one condition. That moving forward there would be no more complaining in front of the kids. So, sure I’ll give you some meat and some pasta . .  but I’m going to add some salad in there.

This dish was truly delicious. Perfect for dinner, or even a packed lunch (adding the dressing and mixing it together right before eating it) to take to the office, this Penne Salad is dangerous because you’ll want to devour the entire thing within seconds. The tanginess from the dressing (due to my beloved dijon mustard) paired with the peppery arugula and the perfectly cooked al dente pasta with the steak is heaven!

I used one of our favorite dry rubs on the steak and just cooked it on the stove in my cast iron skillet. Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak for about 5- 7 minutes per side, depending on how thick your steak is. Remove from the pan and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Toss your homemade dressing, the cooked penne pasta and add the arugula and steak and toss some more. (See recipe card below for FULL RECIPE and instructions.)

Serve and enjoy!

Print Recipe

Penne Salad with Beef, Dijon and Arugula

If you have time, using your dry rub, season your steak beforehand (on both sides) and leave in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for at least an hour.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Main

Servings: 4 -6

Author: Hip Foodie Mom

Ingredients

• 1 1-pound New York strip steak or flank steak
• 1 teaspoon herbs de Provence plus garlic or your favorite dry rub
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 3 tablespoons
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; I used Maille Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more for the pasta water
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more for steak if needed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2-3 cups fresh arugula

Instructions

• Season the steak with your dry rub (or salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic). In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Cook your steak for about 5-7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak. Remove from the pan and let rest for about 5 minutes, before slicing. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne pasta and cook to al dente, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, your fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil. In a separate, large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water only if needed. Add the arugula and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss together one last time and serve immediately.

Recipe from Giada and The Food Network.

So, now my meat loving family is happy. And I have arugula, so I’m happy too. Everyone wins.

Enjoy!