This Porterhouse steak skillet is finished with a bright spinach-horseradish pesto and served with roasted potatoes and mushrooms for a simple, all-in-one meal.
This is what we actually ate for Valentine’s Day — a cozy, one-pan dinner that felt special without a lot of fuss.
I’ll spare the long backstory, but the short version is: we were originally planning lamb, but after finishing up a huge batch of slow-cooked leg of lamb earlier that month, we’d had our fill. So we reached for beef instead and ended up with this easy Porterhouse steak skillet.
What I especially like about this recipe is that it’s all cooked in one skillet. Start with the potatoes since they need the longest time to roast, add the mushrooms once the potatoes are starting to wrinkle and crisp, and finish by cooking the steak for just a few minutes so it stays medium-rare and juicy. The timing is straightforward and cleanup is minimal — always a win whether it’s a weeknight or a special occasion.
The idea for this particular skillet came from shopping deals I found with Flipp, an app that aggregates weekly circulars and coupons so you can spot sales and plan your grocery trip. I’m old-school with lists, so I appreciated the Photo List feature that transcribes a handwritten grocery list into the app — helpful when you still like to write things down but want the convenience of a digital list.
When I saw mushrooms, spinach and potatoes on sale at my regular store, I pulled together the ingredients — including two Porterhouse steaks I had in the freezer from a bulk beef share — and ended up saving a few dollars on items I already planned to buy. Features like aisle-based Store Mode and Family Sync can make shopping and coordinating lists easier for households that share errands.
Back to the skillet: we drizzled the spinach-horseradish pesto over everything. The pesto is vibrant and peppery, with a nice horseradish kick that cuts through the richness of the steak and butter-roasted potatoes. If you enjoy spicy green sauces, this pesto is a great bright contrast and pairs well with the roasted flavors.
We ate in front of a movie — not exactly a candlelit dining room, but comfortable and relaxed — and finished the meal with dessert. There was a minor kitchen mishap while preparing dessert that resulted in a small cut, which thankfully wasn’t serious but has become one of those unforgettable holiday memories.
Here are a few notes and variations if you want to change things up:
- For a different potato side, try roasted pesto potatoes for extra herb flavor.
- If you’d rather keep the potatoes simple, you can skip the mushrooms in the skillet and make air-fryer mushrooms separately for extra crisp edges.
- For a spicier twist, toss the potatoes with peri-peri seasoning before roasting.
- To reduce carbs, swap the potatoes for roasted turnips or crispy air-fryer cabbage — both make excellent, lower-carb alternatives and crisp up nicely in the skillet or air fryer.
All in all, this Porterhouse steak skillet is quick to pull together, cooks mostly hands-off in a hot skillet or cast iron pan, and finishes with a punchy pesto that brightens every bite. It’s a simple way to make a comforting, somewhat special meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
Love this Porterhouse Steak Skillet recipe?
Try other one-skillet dinners for inspiration: chicken with artichokes and olives, a smoky steak, potato and pepper skillet, or finish with a warm skillet dessert for sharing. If you prefer lamb, lamb loin chops cook similarly to a porterhouse and make a lovely alternative.
Ingredients
For the steak skillet:
- 1 pound Porterhouse steak, or 2 smaller steaks
- 12 ounces baby red potatoes, washed
- 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter, divided
- Salt & pepper
For the pesto:
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon unsalted, shelled pistachios
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- Water to thin, if needed
Instructions
For the steak skillet:
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (use convection if available). Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven while it preheats.
- Add 1/2 tablespoon butter to the hot skillet to melt. Add the potatoes, season generously with salt and pepper, toss to coat in butter, and roast for about 15 minutes until they begin to wrinkle and crisp.
- Add the mushrooms to the skillet, season again with salt and pepper, and roast for another 10 minutes.
- Pat the steak dry and season liberally with salt and pepper. Switch the oven to high broil. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to the skillet, then place the steak in the center. Broil about 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare (adjust time for thickness). Remove from the oven and serve with the pesto.
For the pesto:
- Add spinach, basil, horseradish, garlic, and pistachios to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed.
- With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth. Add water, a teaspoon at a time, to reach the desired consistency for drizzling. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving — Calories: 807 kcal — Carbohydrates: 21 g — Protein: 62 g — Fat: 52 g — Saturated Fat: 19 g — Cholesterol: 209 mg — Sodium: 364 mg — Fiber: 3 g — Sugar: 3 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American