Macaroni cooks to al dente while bite-size sirloin pieces toss with chili powder, garlic powder, half the salt and pepper, then sear two to four minutes until browned and come out to a plate.
The same skillet builds a roux with butter and flour, then milk simmers in before pepper jack, cheddar, green chiles and the remaining salt melt into a smooth sauce — macaroni and steak fold back in together to finish.
Why This Recipe Works
- The steak sears and comes straight out, well before the sauce even starts. It is browned for flavour, not simmered in the sauce, which is what keeps sirloin from turning tough over the extra minutes the sauce needs to build.
- The salt is divided between the steak and the sauce rather than used all at once. Seasoning each component as it is built gives more even control than salting only at the end.
- Two cheeses instead of one — pepper jack for heat and character, cheddar for body and colour. Together they give the sauce more depth than either alone.
- Green chiles are drained before they go in. Undrained, they would add liquid the sauce is not built to absorb, thinning it out.
- The chili powder and garlic powder season the steak directly rather than only the sauce, so the meat itself carries flavour independent of what it is folded into.
The Steak Steps Aside While The Sauce Builds
Like several dishes that sear a protein first, this one pulls the steak out of the pan and does not bring it back until the sauce is finished — the pan is busy building something else in between.
The steak
2-4 minutes, then out of the panSirloin tossed with chili powder, garlic powder, half the salt, and pepper
Seared two to four minutes until browned, then set aside on a plate while the pan goes on to the sauce.
The roux
1 minuteButter, flour
Cooked together a minute in the same skillet the steak just left, building the sauce's thickening base.
The base
Whole milk
Whisked in gradually and simmered until slightly thickened.
The cheese and chiles
Lower heatPepper jack, cheddar, green chiles, remaining salt
Stirred in over lower heat until smooth, building the finished queso-style sauce.
Everything together
Macaroni, steak
Folded back into the sauce, warmed through, and served.
How to Make It
Cook the macaroni
Cook macaroni in salted water until just al dente; drain.
Sear the steak
Toss steak with chili powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Sear in oil 2 to 4 minutes until browned; transfer to a plate.
Build the roux
Melt butter in the skillet. Whisk in flour for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in milk and simmer until slightly thickened.
Melt in the cheese and chiles
Lower heat and stir in pepper jack, cheddar, green chiles, and remaining salt until smooth.
Fold in and serve
Fold in macaroni and steak. Warm through and serve.
Ingredient Notes
- Sirloin steak, cut into bite-size pieces
- One pound, seared quickly and pulled from the pan before the sauce even begins — it is not meant to simmer alongside it.
- Kosher salt, divided
- Three-quarters of a teaspoon split between the steak and the sauce, seasoning each component separately rather than all at once at the end.
- Diced green chiles, drained
- Four ounces, drained so no extra liquid thins the finished cheese sauce.
- Shredded pepper jack and cheddar
- One cup each, two cheeses stirred in together over lower heat for a sauce with both heat and body.
Success Tips
- Cook the macaroni just to al dente — it will not cook further once it joins the sauce.
- Sear the steak quickly and pull it out; do not let it linger in the pan.
- Whisk the milk in gradually so the roux stays smooth.
- Drain the green chiles well before they go into the sauce.
- Fold the steak and macaroni in gently at the end, just to warm through.
Serving Ideas
Serve straight from the skillet with extra chili powder or hot sauce at the table for anyone who wants more heat than the green chiles already bring.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze
Not recommended. A roux-and-cheese sauce like this one tends to separate on thawing.
Reheat
Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of milk, stirring, to bring the sauce back to a smooth coating consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cut of steak?
Any quick-searing tender cut works the same way; the two-to-four-minute sear is calibrated to bite-size pieces of a naturally tender steak like sirloin.
My cheese sauce separated.
The cheese most likely went in while the sauce was still at too high a heat — lowering the heat before adding the pepper jack and cheddar, as the recipe specifies, is what keeps it smooth.
How do I make this milder?
Swap the pepper jack for a plain Monterey Jack or additional cheddar, and reduce or omit the chili powder on the steak — the green chiles alone will still add a mild kick.
Can I make this ahead of time?
It is best served freshly made while the sauce is glossy; reheated leftovers work but benefit from a splash of milk stirred in to loosen the sauce again.
