Spinach and Goat Cheese Steak Rolls

Every now and then, you need to take life to a new level.

Maybe you go on an outdoor adventure like zip lining in the mountains or skydiving over some beautiful beach.

You might want to go for a whole new look and cut your hair short or paint your nails neon green.

Sometimes it means putting the chicken away and making some steak for dinner.

I love steak. I'm a total carnivore and believe a good steak is the way to a man's heart. It can be intimidating, however, to whip up a beautiful Filet Mignon. Imagine ruining a really expensive cut of meat by overcooking it or over-seasoning it?! No, this is my nightmare. 

All of this shouldn't deter you from making steak at home. There are really tasty and elegant steak dishes that can be made at home without breaking the bank or your self-esteem. These Spinach and Goat Cheese Steak Rolls are one such example.

These tasty bites are made with flank steak, which is one of the most underestimated cuts of steak in my opinion! It is really flavorful and stays tender even if you prefer your steak well-done. Since it is a fairly thin cut to begin with, it is the perfect candidate for stuffing!

I sliced my flank steak diagonally against the grain into 5 rectangular pieces. There is no real science to it, and you should work with what you've got. You should just be sure that it is long enough to be rolled and wide enough to hold a good amount of filling.

After slicing the steak, I used a meat mallet to flatten them out just a bit more. This is easily done by covering the top of the meat with a piece of saran wrap.

Stuffing the meat is the fun part. About 1 tablespoon of goat cheese gets spread onto the steak, leaving a small amount of space at each end. I then pressed a few pieces of baby spinach on top of the cheese and laid a few thinly sliced roasted red pepper pieces on top. Roll it up tightly and secure with a tooth pick.

I knew I wanted to make a pan sauce to spoon over these delicious steaks, so to cook them I first seared them in a hot frying pan before transferring to the oven. I adapted my pan sauce from my French Onion Pasta post...wow, was this good!

Shallots and garlic get cooked down in a bit of butter and olive oil. A dry red wine delgazes the pan. Beef broth gets stirred in along with flour to create a thick and flavorful sauce. Fresh parsley ends this sauce with a beautifully fresh taste.

I served these delicious and melty steak roll ups on top of a heaping mound of homemade mashed potatoes. My fellow steak loving boyfriend couldn't get enough of it! If you want to make a really amazing dinner, give these steak rolls a try--they are totally on the next level!



Here's what you need for Spinach and Goat Cheese Steak Rolls:

1 pound flank steak (makes enough for 2)
3 to 4 ounces fresh goat cheese
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 medium red bell pepper, roasted (You can roast this right on the open flame of your gas stove and peel off the burnt skin, or buy roasted red peppers in a jar!)
Salt and pepper to taste

For the pan sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, mined
1/4 cup dry red wine (I used Pinot Noir)
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Here's what you do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the steak against the grain into thin rectangles. Pound out just a bit more with a meat mallet. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Spread 1 tablespoon of goat cheese onto each piece of steak. Top with spinach and a few slices of roasted red pepper. Pull one side towards you gently, then roll tightly and secure with a tooth pick.

Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Sear each roll on all sides until golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for about 15 minutes or until cooked to desired done-ness.

While the rolls cook in the oven, prepare the pan sauce. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of oil/grease from the frying pan. Reduce heat to medium low and melt in the butter. Add the shallots and cook until slightly brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir, cooking about 1 minute more.

Add the wine and stir, being sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook about 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and whisk in the flour vigorously until fully dissolved. Bring to a boil then reduce and simmer until thickened, about 7 to 10 minutes. Season to taste. Stir in parsley then remove from heat.

Allow the steak rolls to rest about 5 minutes before serving. Top generously with shallot sauce.