Juicy rib eye steak is seasoned and seared before serving with the creamiest gluten-free Dairy-Free Peppercorn Sauce. This is a really special dinner for 2 which takes under 10 minutes from start to finish.
Friday has always been the day I work. It’s the only day when I have childcare for both children and I need to cram a lot in. Cake orders, recipe testing for the blog, photography, writing up posts, scheduling social media, emails and admin. It’s jam packed and I have to admit I get a little tetchy.
So when it’s all done and dusted the last thing I feel like doing is messing around trying to sort out dinner. The children eat at nursery so I only have to worry about Luke and myself. Still it’s a chore. Well, maybe not so much anymore since I designated Friday night Steak Night!
Steak is so easy to cook at home when it’s just the two of you. It takes under 10 minutes, and always feels special. The perfect end to a busy day and busy week.
Why dairy-free peppercorn sauce?
I try not to eat too much dairy in my meals at home but I was looking for a creamy steak sauce to replace Luke’s favourite peppercorn sauce.
To be honest I’m not quite sure what made me develop the recipe in this way but oh my goodness I hit the jackpot. This dairy-free peppercorn sauce is ev-er-y-th-i-ng and you wouldn’t expect how it was made at all.
How to make dairy-free peppercorn sauce?
Will you think this is weird? I don’t know but the two ingredients which make this sauce so incredible are:
- Almond butter
- Almond milk
Don’t be scared or worry that it will taste too strong. This combo creates a perfectly creamy luxurious sauce and you would have no idea that it was made from almonds. At all. Believe me, it’s been tested with so many house guests and family members and no one suspects it isn’t actually made from dairy cream.
So, how do we do it?
- Heat a cast iron pan then add olive oil.
- Season the steaks, add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes each side. Remove the steaks to rest.
- Cook the diced onion in the same pan for 2 minutes.
- De-glaze with the vermouth.
- Add the almond milk, almond butter and stir.
- Pour in the peppercorns, extra pepper and cook for another minute until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Serve the sauce over the steak.
It’s that easy and I tell no lie, it’s that good.
What to serve with Steak and Dairy-Free Peppercorn Sauce?
I usually serve it with a large green salad. However I would be remiss if I didn’t say that for special occasions we usually cook up a huge batch of homemade oven chips.
It’s also good with mashed potato and steamed tenderstem broccoli.
What else could you serve dairy-free peppercorn sauce with?
The sauce is incredibly versatile. In it’s original form you can serve it with:
- Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
- Braised Leeks
- Roast Chicken
However, if you remove the peppercorns, add crushed fresh garlic and thyme suddenly you have a Creamy Garlic and Thyme Sauce.
Swap the peppercorns for paprika and garlic. You can have Creamy Paprika Chicken.
If you need a rich creamy sauce then almond milk and almond butter are you go-tos from now on.
Is dairy-free peppercorn sauce whole30?
Yes, except the vermouth. You can de-glaze the pan with a splash of chardonnay wine vinegar or with water instead.
Cook’s Notes
- You can use any cut of steak. This recipe uses a 1 inch thick cut of rib eye steak and cooks the steak for 2 minutes each side for a medium rare steak.
- Make sure the pan is hot before adding the cooking fat so you can ensure the temperature is exactly right so your steaks cook correctly.
- Season the steaks directly before adding to the pan so the salt doesn’t have a chance to draw moisture out of the meat.
- Don’t have vermouth? Use marsala or brandy.
- Homemade almond milk and almond butter are my preferred for the creamiest tastiest sauce. However, if you don’t have any then shop bought is absolutely fine.
- Green peppercorns have a milder taste than black peppercorns. Use whichever you prefer. Or more than suggested below if you like things really spicy.
- The sauce will thicken if rested. If it’s starting to become too thick then simply whisk in more almond milk.
