The Genius Way To Use Leftover Steak For Next-Day Lunch

It's not hard to incorporate your leftover steak into the next day's meals. The popular protein is commonly used to make steak sandwiches, steak and eggs, quesadillas, and salads. And while these are all delicious options, they've been done and done again with steak. The next time you find yourself with some extra beef from last night's dinner, consider mixing it into a pasta salad instead for a tasty, satisfying lunch.

Between the pasta, meat, and veggie mix-ins, a serving of pasta salad can be a well-rounded, filling meal that's made all the more special with a bit of strip steak, ribeye, or sirloin. Depending on how tender the cut of steak is, slice the meat into thin strips or bite-sized chunks. The best kind of pasta to use for pasta salad is short, intricate shapes such as fusilli or rotini which can easily be speared with a fork and cling to dressing. This isn't the time to use spaghetti or other long, thin strands of pasta. 

Dressing for pasta salad tends to typically be either creamy and based in mayonnaise, or an oil-based vinaigrette; either one will work when you include steak. For a tangy twist, just add pickle juice to your pasta salad. The sharpness will help cut through the richness of the meat and the dressing for a balanced bite. 

Even when you're dealing with a luxurious ingredient like steak, there's little doubt that the pasta is the basis for any great pasta salad. As an alternative to corkscrew-shaped rotini or fusilli, you could also try farfalle, or bowtie pasta. Penne rigate will also work, as well as rigatoni, which is arguably the best pasta shape ever. Cheese-filled tortellini would also make a scrumptious, heartier choice.

There's no specific formula in creating a tasty, steak-filled pasta salad. Select whatever vegetables look good in your fridge and pantry, cut them into bite-sized pieces, and toss them together with your cooked pasta, meat, and a choice of good store-bought Italian dressing – or make your own. The mix-ins could include black olives, sundried tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, garbanzo beans, cucumbers, and cubes of cheddar cheese.

Or, pick a flavor or theme, so to speak. For example, using a BLT as your inspiration, toss cooked bowtie pasta with a creamy sauce (ranch dressing works perfectly well), cooked, crumbled bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, spinach or arugula, and your steak pieces. If you love fajitas, create a pasta salad using steak, sautéed onions and peppers, chunks of avocado, and tomatoes. Mix everything up with chimichurri sauce. A fantastic Asian-inspired salad could include a sesame or ginger-based dressing, julienned carrots, sliced red peppers, sesame seeds, cucumber, cilantro, and your leftover steak. Or go Caprese-style and mix mozzarella pearls, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic basil with your steak, pasta, and a pesto and white balsamic vinegar dressing.