Superfast Beef Recipes - Cooking Light

Randy Mayor

Balsamic-Glazed Filet Mignon

The complex flavor of balsamic vinegar is the perfect match for meaty steak in this dish that's fit for family or special guests. The steaks are briefly seared to perfection and finished with a thick sauce that balances sweet, sour, spicy, and salty.

View Recipe: Balsamic-Glazed Filet Mignon

Beau Gustafson

Thai Beef Salad

Not all beef dishes have to be stick-to-your-ribs hearty affairs; this salad is light, even refreshing, with its citrusy dressing and sweet surprise of mandarin oranges. Thin slices of tender steak add just the right amount of body to make this a complete meal. Cold leftovers make for a great brown-bag lunch the next day, too.

View Recipe: Thai Beef Salad

Lee Harrelson

Ponzu-Glazed Flank Steak

Ponzu is a sweet, citrusy Japanese sauce used as a dip for sashimi or to dress grilled meats or fish. Our simple version adds a nice brightness to flavorful broiled flank steak, creating an easy pan sauce you can pour over veggies or rice.

View Recipe: Ponzu-Glazed Flank Steak

Lee Harrelson

Beef and Vegetable Kebabs

Only the most basic of seasonings―a little salt, pepper, and thyme―go on these skewers, allowing the fresh tastes of the vegetables and the smoky charred flavors from broiling to shine through. We use the oven to cook the kebabs, so you can prepare them year-round, but if the weather's nice, fire up the grill instead.

View Recipe: Beef and Vegetable Kebabs

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Grilled Sirloin with Anchovy-Lemon Butter and Broccoli Rabe

This buttery steak and flavorful broccoli rabe sauté is special enough for a dinner party, yet fast enough for a weeknight meal.

View Recipe: Grilled Sirloin with Anchovy-Lemon Butter and Broccoli Rabe

Photo: Johnny Autry

Flank Steak with Romesco Sauce

Romesco also works well as a sandwich spread, a sauce for grilled chicken, or a veggie and pita chip dip.

View Recipe: Flank Steak with Romesco Sauce

Photo: Joseph De Leo

Steak with Cucumber-Radish Salad

Perfectly seasoned flank steak placed atop a bed of leafy greens makes a divine spring-inspired meal. If you can't find mâche, use butter lettuce.

View Recipe: Steak with Cucumber-Radish Salad

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Sloppy Joes

If you haven't had one of these sandwiches since you were a kid, then you're long overdue for a tasty American classic. Hearty ground beef is simmered with tomato and spices to make a deliciously messy sandwich that everybody can love. This recipe can also serve as a quick chili substitute: Serve bunless with shredded cheese and oyster crackers.

View Recipe: Sloppy Joes

Randy Mayor

Filet Mignon with Sweet Bourbon-Coffee Sauce

A collision of unexpected flavors elevates this dish to a classic. Sugar and the subtle wood and smoke flavors of bourbon soften coffee's sharp bitterness to make a sauce that matches beef quite well. It's restaurant-level haute cuisine you can whip up in less than 10 minutes.

View Recipe: Filet Mignon with Sweet Bourbon-Coffee Sauce

Randy Mayor

Asian Beef and Noodle-Filled Lettuce Cups

This Thai-style salad of ground beef, vegetables, and rice noodles is flavored with lime, mint, and soy, then topped with peanuts for crunch. Serving on lettuce leaves makes for a fun, kid-friendly presentation―roll them up and eat with your hands.

View Recipe: Asian Beef and Noodle-Filled Lettuce Cups

Lee Harrelson

Beef Saté with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Seasoned, skewered, and grilled strips of flank steak are the heart of this dish, but the fantastic peanut dipping sauce deserves attention too. With creamy texture and nutty, spicy, and sweet flavors, it's an ideal complement to grilled beef, chicken, or pork. Try it mixed in with cooked somen or other Asian wheat noodles for an awesome starter or side.

View Recipe: Beef Saté with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Steak Salad with Creamy Ranch Dressing

"Steak" and "salad" are words we don't see together often enough, if this dish is any indication. The spice-rubbed sirloin has a crisp crust and juicy interior that brings meaty flavor to a basic salad highlighted by garlicky homemade croutons and tangy ranch.

View Recipe: Steak Salad with Creamy Ranch Dressing

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Steak Diane

Shallot is an often overlooked ingredient whose bold flavor heightens that of simple pan sauces. This classic fancy-restaurant dish tops tasty filet mignon with a sauce of shallot, lemon, and Worcestershire, fortified with butter and sherry. It's easy, delicious, and elegant.

View Recipe: Steak Diane

Randy Mayor

Veal Piccata

Veal may be less popular today than in the past, but its delicate texture and subtly sweet flavor are perfect for this classic Italian preparation. Breaded and pan-fried for a crisp crust, then served with a piquant lemon-caper sauce, these veal cutlets make an easy-to-prepare meal sophisticated.

View Recipe: Veal Piccata

Beau Gustafson

Broiled Flank Steak with Warm Tomato Topping

Lean, thin flank steak is best when cooked briefly at high heat, which makes it a great choice for quick-and-easy recipes like this one. The sweet, spicy, and fresh-tasting tomato topping that cooks in four minutes doesn't hurt either. Start the topping as soon as you take the meat out of the oven; the steak will be perfectly rested and juicy when everything's ready to serve.

View Recipe: Broiled Flank Steak with Warm Tomato Topping

Randy Mayor

Superfast Kofte

These spiced meatballs are a simple way to bring home Middle Eastern flavor. They cook in about eight minutes, and make a filling sandwich stuffed into pitas. Plain yogurt is an excellent accompaniment, but for a different flavor, try hummus or tzatziki.

View Recipe: Superfast Kofte

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Tenderloin Steaks with Red Onion Marmalade

Filet mignon and its cousins are the most tender cuts of beef, and don't need much cooking or seasoning to be delicious. A quick broil here gives them a wonderful browned crust and perfectly juicy interior. Pairing with a simple sweet-sour onion concoction elevates the dish to elegant company's-coming fare without requiring any extra time―the marmalade cooks in the same eight minutes as the steaks.

View Recipe: Tenderloin Steaks with Red Onion Marmalade

Randy Mayor

Sirloin Steak with Dijon-Port Sauce

Bold flavors are the name of the game in this recipe. From the pungent spice of Dijon mustard to the assertively sweet tang of port, the ingredients of the sauce are designed to stand up to savory sirloin. The recipe calls for egg noodles to soak up extra sauce, but other short pastas or even rice are good too.

View Recipe: Sirloin Steak with Dijon-Port Sauce

Beau Gustafson

Chipotle Barbecue Burgers with Slaw

Contrast is the name of the game for these unique burgers, which spice things up with chipotle chiles, then cool things down with a tangy sour-cream slaw. Try different kinds of barbecue sauce to customize the flavor of the burgers, or just make the excellent and simple slaw to serve with another favorite main dish.

View Recipe: Chipotle Barbecue Burgers with Slaw

Beau Gustafson

Spicy Orange Beef

Sweet, sour, and fiery hot, this Chinese dish beats takeout by a mile. The cornstarch-thickened sauce soaks into the rice beneath the beef, giving it great flavor as well. Serve with a cooling side to balance the heat, like a simple cucumber salad or bean sprouts.

View Recipe: Spicy Orange Beef

Lee Harrelson

Steaks with Tuscan-Style Cannellini Salad

The fresh and hearty salad that pairs with grilled steak in this recipe is a reminder that meat doesn't always have to be the center of attention. The simply prepared steaks share the spotlight with the garlicky oil-and-vinegar-dressed bean salad to make one complete meal.

View Recipe: Steaks with Tuscan-Style Cannellini Salad

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Ginger, Beef, and Green Bean Stir-Fry

This recipe includes lots of ingredients that give Asian recipes their distinct flavors: the sweet spice of hoisin sauce, the intense heat of chili garlic sauce, the toasted nutty taste of dark sesame oil, and the pungent notes of fresh ginger. These ingredients help elevate the stir-fry from good to great without increasing cooking time.

View Recipe: Ginger, Beef, and Green Bean Stir-Fry

Howard L. Puckett

Steak and Cheese Sandwiches with Mushrooms

Worcestershire sauce kicks the flavor of this classic Philly sandwich up a notch. Everything cooks in just 11 minutes, but these hearty sandwiches make a filling meal any time. All you need is potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, or chips on the side.

View Recipe: Steak and Cheese Sandwiches with Mushrooms

Photo: John Autry

Beef Filets with Pomegranate-Pinot Sauce

Pomegranate seeds make a pretty garnish (look for convenient, ready-to-eat seeds in the produce section). Serve with potato wedges.

View Recipe: Beef Filets with Pomegranate-Pinot Sauce

Photo: John Autry

Grilled Polenta with Spicy Steak

Look for tubes of prepared polenta in the refrigerated part of the produce section.

View Recipe: Grilled Polenta with Spicy Steak

Photo: John Autry

Balsamic Steak au Poivre

Crack the peppercorns with the back of a heavy skillet or in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder (don't grind too finely). Serve with a side of steamed haricots verts.

View Recipe: Balsamic Steak au Poivre

Photo: John Autry

Garlic-Thyme Burgers with Grilled Tomato

Thyme, garlic, and Dijon Mustard give these burgers a French twist. Pan-grilled tomatoes enhance the already-juicy texture.

View Recipe: Garlic-Thyme Burgers with Grilled Tomato

Photo: John Autry

Grilled Steak with Baby Arugula and Parmesan Salad

Flat-iron steaks come from the top blade portion of the chuck or shoulder section.

View Recipe: Grilled Steak with Baby Arugula and Parmesan Salad

Photo: John Autry

Spicy Beef and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry

Serve with boil-in-bag brown or jasmine rice.

View Recipe: Spicy Beef and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry

Photo: John Autry

Seared Filet with Mixed-Herb Gremolata

A great sear on the steaks depends on getting the pan very hot and not moving the meat too much while it's cooking.

View Recipe: Seared Filet with Mixed-Herb Gremolata

Photo: Johnny Autry, Recipe By Laraine Perri

Skirt Steak with Gorgonzola Polenta

Serve this meat-and-starch combo with steamed haricots verts or a mixed green salad. Garnish with fresh thyme.

View Recipe: Skirt Steak with Gorgonzola Polenta

Photo: Johnny Autry

Mini Greek-Style Meat Loaves with Arugula Salad

Pack meat mixture firmly and evenly into muffin cups to ensure even cooking and easy release. Sprinkle with paprika for a pop of color.

View Recipe: Mini Greek-Style Meat Loaves with Arugula Salad

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Flank Steak with Tomato-Balsamic Sauce

This sauce is also tasty with sautéed chicken breasts or pork chops.

View Recipe: Flank Steak with Tomato-Balsamic Sauce