Steak with Dairy Free Peppercorn Sauce
The steakhouse classic dish of seared steak with peppercorn sauce is an easy dish to make at home. The pan-seared steak has a golden crust and is smothered in a rich and creamy peppercorn sauce that is actually dairy free (but no one will know!)
Black peppercorn sauce is my absolute favorite thing (other than onion rings) to order at steak restaurants to eat with steak. I love the combination of creamy sauce with a peppery bite that pairs so well with steak. I don’t know why steak is associated with summertime and barbecues because cooking it at home on the stove top is so easy. This steak with black peppercorn sauce is one of my favorite dishes to make for date night because it only requires a handful of ingredients and everything can be made in one pan. It feels so fancy, and yet it is so simple that you are sure to impress your family or your dinner guests. The creamy pepper sauce is really the star of the show and elevates any steak to restaurant quality. I love serving this over mash to ensure that not a drop of that delicious sauce goes to waste. This great peppercorn sauce recipe tastes just like the one you would order at a restaurant (which is usually made with heavy cream), but is actually made with coconut cream and can easily be made dairy free.
Why You Will Love This Steak with Peppercorn Sauce Recipe
- This Pan Seared Steak with Simple Peppercorn Sauce tastes like a dish you would get at a fancy steak house (or the steak au poivre you would get at a fancy French restaurant!), but can be made in the comfort of your house in just 30 minutes and with only one pan!
- This is a foolproof way to get perfectly cooked juicy steak with a delicious golden crust every time. If you are intimated about cooking steak in a pan, this is the perfect recipe to try.
- The peppercorn sauce is rich, creamy and absolutely delicious! You would never know it’s a dairy free peppercorn sauce! If you are a fan of peppercorn sauce that you can order at a steakhouse, you will LOVE this recipe.
- With two ingredient changes, you can easily modify this recipe to meet any dietary restrictions you may have
- Don’t love steak? The creamy peppercorn sauce recipe is amazing on chicken breasts, pork chops or on top of a pork tenderloin! Alternatively you could serve it over beef tenderloin or a roast!
- If you oddly have any leftovers, they are simple to store and reheat for the next day.
Ingredients You Need For This Pan-Seared Steak with Peppercorn Sauce
- Peppercorns: I prefer using a mortar and pestle to grind my peppercorns, but you can also smash them with a rolling pin in a ziploc bag or use a pepper mill.
- Butter: You could also use ghee if you are Paleo or SCD. To make this dairy-free, you can use olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
- Aromatics: Freshly minced garlic cloves and finely chopped shallots are the perfect blend of sweet and savory in this incredible sauce.
- Beef stock: If you have homemade beef stock, it is an excellent option, but store-bought beef stock is delicious, too. Just be sure to check the labels for added sugar. You can also use beef broth if you don’t have stock on hand. I have used chicken stock a few times and find that the flavor of the sauce isn’t as rich.
- Coconut cream: I am happy to report that the coconut cream adds creaminess to the peppercorn sauce without any detectable coconut flavor because the other ingredients completely mask it. Full fat coconut milk will also work, but the cream sauce will just be lighter. You can also use heavy cream if you’re not concerned about the dairy aspect of it.
- Worcestershire sauce: gives the sauce a delicious umami flavor. You can buy gluten-free Worcestershire, or use coconut aminos to make this Paleo, SCD-friendly, Keto, and Whole30. If you do not have worcestershire sauce feel free to swap it for soy sauce.
- Arrowroot powder: This serves as a thickening agent in the sauce. You can also use tapioca starch or cornstarch to get the same delicious thick results.
- Steaks: I like to use New York Strip steak, Sirloin, or Filet mignon. All will give you amazing results so pick your favorite steak.
- Seasoning: A good steak means that you don’t need to add much seasoning. I love a simple combination of sea salt and black pepper. You could also use kosher salt or white pepper.
- Olive oil: I like to cook my steaks in olive oil because it has a high smoke point and is neutral in flavor. You can also use avocado oil for almost identical results.
Kitchen Tools You Need
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Tongs
- Mortar & Pestle (or Spice ginder or Ziploc Bag and a Rolling Pin)
- Whisk
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
What Cut of Beef Should I Use For This Recipe
When choosing a cut of beef for steak, it’s important to consider factors such as marbling, tenderness, and flavor profile to find the best fit for your taste preferences. I personally prefer ribeye, filet mignon, and New York strip.
- Filet mignon is the most tender cut, with a mild, buttery flavor. It’s often the most expensive cut due to its tenderness and popularity.
- Ribeye is the most flavorful and tender, thanks to its high-fat content and marbling. It can be a bit more expensive, but it’s worth it for the rich, beefy taste.
- New York strip is a more affordable option that still offers good flavor and tenderness. It is less marbled than ribeye but still has a good amount of fat marbling for flavor.
Tips For Perfectly Pan Seared Steak
Here are some tips to help you get the perfect pan-seared steak every time:
- Let the steak come to room temperature: Take the steak out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before cooking. This will help it cook evenly.
- Pat the steak dry: Use paper towels to pat the steak dry before cooking. This will help the steak sear better and develop a nice crust.
- Season the steak generously: Rub the steak with a mixture of salt and pepper. Be generous with the seasoning, as some of it will come off during cooking.
- Preheat the pan: Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until it’s very hot. The pan should be smoking hot before you add the steak.
- Don’t move the steak: After adding the steak to the hot pan do not move it. This will help to create a golden crust.
- Sear the steak: Let the steak cook for 3-4 minutes on one side without moving it (you may need a minute longer depending on the thickness of the steak). Use tongs to flip the steak and sear the other side for 2-3 minutes. Turn the steak on its sides to render the white fat and sear the edges (1 minute per edge).
- Let it rest: Let the steak rest for 5-6 minutes before slicing, and remember that it will continue cooking as it rests, so remove the steak from the pan 5-10 degrees below your desired temperature.
How To Tell When The Steak Is Done
While the peppercorn sauce is the star of this dish, ensuring the steak is cooked perfectly will also have a big impact on how this recipe turns out. There are a few methods you can use to tell when a steak is done cooking:
Meat thermometer: The most accurate way to tell when a steak is done cooking is to use a meat thermometer. Insert the instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the steak and look for the following temperatures:
- Rare: 120-130°F
- Medium-rare: 130-135°F
- Medium: 135-145°F
- Medium-well: 145-155°F
- Well done: 155°F and above
Finger test: The finger test is a simple way to check the doneness of a steak. Press the center of the steak with your finger:
- Rare: The steak will feel soft and spongy, with little resistance.
- Medium-rare: The steak will feel slightly firmer but still spongy.
- Medium: The steak will feel firm and springy.
- Well done: The steak will feel very firm and almost hard.
How To Make The Creamy Peppercorn Sauce
- To make the sauce, using a mortar and pestle, grind the peppercorns into smaller pieces. If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you can put the peppercorns in a Ziploc bag and smash them with a rolling pin or use a pepper mill to grind.
- In the same skillet that you cooked the steaks, melt the butter/ghee in a skillet on medium heat (you can leave any steak drippings left in the pan). Add in the garlic and shallots and saute for 3-4 minutes until the shallots begin to soften.
- Add in the crushed peppercorns and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
- Next, add in the Worcestershire sauce, followed by the beef stock, to deglaze the pan (use a wooden spoon to scrape off all of the browned bits). Turn the heat to high and bring to a gentle simmer before whisking in the coconut cream to ensure the coconut cream is well mixed into the sauce.
- Mix the arrowroot powder and 2 tbsp of water in a small bowl, stir into a slurry, and pour the arrowroot powder mixture into the sauce and whisk until smooth.
- Leave the sauce to simmer until it has begun to thicken and coats the back of a spoon.
What Type of Peppercorn Should I Use For The Peppercorn Sauce?
I prefer using whole black peppercorns that you buy in the spice aisle, but for some, they might be a bit too spicy. If you prefer your peppercorn sauce to have a more subtle peppery taste, then I recommend buying canned green peppercorns usually labely brined green peppercorns) that will give you a green peppercorn sauce, which is much milder in flavor. Another fun spin is to use multi-colored peppercorns for a more vibrant sauce. I find that traditional steak au poivre has smaller pieces of ground pepper, whereas the peppercorn sauce that you get at steakhouses in North America has larger-sized whole peppercorns.
I Don’t Have A Mortar & Pestle
I find that a mortar and pestle works best at crushing the peppercorns, but don’t stress if you don’t have one. Rather than using a mortar and pestle to grind up the peppercorns simply place them in a ziploc bag and then place the ziploc bag on a cutting board. Using a meat tenderizer or rolling pin gently hit the peppercorns to break them into smaller pieces. After a minute or so of hitting the majority should be broken into smaller pieces. Larger pieces of pepper will cause the peppercorn sauce to me more spicy. Alternatively if you have a spice grinder you can use that, just be sure to not grind the peppercorns too finely, you want them to add a bit of texture to the sauce.
What To Serve With This Steak With Peppercorn Sauce
This pan-seared steak with dairy-free peppercorn Sauce has a lot of bold flavors, so I recommend keeping any accompanying side dishes simple. I like serving it with Cauliflower Mash (or potato mash) to absorb any excess sauce, but roasted cauliflower or roasted potatoes would also be delicious. An ideal accompaniment that would be delicious served alongside this steak includes Roasted Broccoli, One Pan Green Beans, Roasted Radishes, or Roasted Fennel. In France, Steak au Poivre is traditionally served with the perfect addition of french fries and a light salad.
Can I Make The Peppercorn Sauce in Advance?
You absolutely can! This dairy-free rich sauce reheats very well and can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You may find that the sauce slightly separates when it is refrigerated, but it will easily mix back together to make a creamy sauce once it’s warmed. To reheat the sauce, transfer it to a pan on medium heat until warmed through, or alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave.
How To Reheat Leftover Steak
The leftover steak will last in the fridge for 3-4 days when stored properly in an air-tight container. Be sure to bring it to room temperature before storing it. Reheating steak can be a little tricky because you want to make sure it stays juicy and tender without overcooking it. I recommend storing the leftover peppercorn sauce and any leftover steak separately.
Here are two methods you can use to reheat steak for next time:
- In the oven: Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. Place the steak on a baking sheet and cover it with foil. Heat the steak in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until it reaches your desired temperature.
- In a skillet: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil or butter to the bottom of the pan and place the steak in the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until it’s heated through.
Here are a few more beef recipes that you might enjoy:
- Leftover Steak & Tomato Salad
- Garlic Herb Steak Bites with Mushrooms
- Beef & Shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry
- Chimichurri Steak Salad
- Garlic Scape & Crispy Beef Stir Fry
- Thai Basil Beef
If you make this peppercorn steak recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Steak with Dairy Free Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp peppercorns
- 1 tbsp butter/ghee or coconut oil for DF
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup finely diced shallots
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce use coconut aminos for Paleo/Whole30
- 1 tsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 4 8 oz steaks NY Strip, Sirloin or Filet
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
To Prepare The Steaks
- Bring the steaks out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and then generously season them on all sides with salt and pepper
- Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet on high heat. Once it is very hot add in the steaks and leave them untouched to cook for 4 minutes. Once a golden crust has formed used tongs to flip the steaks over and cook them for 3-4 more minutes on the other side. Finally use the tongs to turn them on the side to cook for 1-2 minutes and render the fat. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the steaks (rare :120°, medium rare: 130°, medium: 135°, medium well: 145°). Transfer the cooked steaks to a plate and leave them to rest for 5 minutes.
To Make The Peppercorn Sauce
- Using a mortar and pestle grind the peppercorns into smaller pieces. If you do not have a mortar and pestle you can put the peppercorns in a ziploc bag and smash them with a rolling pin
- Melt the butter/ghee in a skillet on medium heat. Add in the garlic and shallots and saute for 3-4 minutes until the shallots begin to soften. Add in the peppercorns and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
- Next add in the worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos) followed by the beef stock to deglaze the pan. Turn the heat to high and bring to a gentle simmer before stirring in the coconut cream. Use a whisk to ensure the coconut cream is well mixed in to the sauce.
- In a small bowl add the arrowroot powder and 2tbsp of water and stir into a slurry. Pour the arrowroot powder mixture into the sauce, stirring with a whisk to ensure it doesn't get clumpy. Leave the sauce to simmer until it has begun to thicken and coats the back of a spoon.
- Serve the steaks with the peppercorn sauce poured overtop.
Nutrition
The post was originally published on March 10, 2023 and updated with new copy on February 27, 2025.
Recipe looks great, congrats. Would it be better to make the sauce in the same pan you just fried the steak in? Also, why not suggest avocado oil which burns at high temperature instead of olive oil which doesn’t? Not to mention the other oils like vegetable oil is not good for you.