Slow-Cooker Steakhouse Beef Tips and Rigatoni

This slow-cooker steakhouse beef tips and rigatoni brings the deep, smoky flavors of a steakhouse dinner to your own kitchen with almost no effort. Tender beef tips simmer in a chipotle-spiked cream sauce with roasted red peppers, then get tossed with rigatoni and a double dose of gorgonzola and cream cheese.

The result is a rich, comforting pasta dish that feels special enough for date night but simple enough for a busy weeknight. Just dump, slow-cook, and stir — the crockpot does the rest.

Imagine coming home to the aroma of slow-cooked beef in a creamy, smoky sauce, with pasta ready to soak up every bit of flavor. That’s what this recipe delivers. Seared beef tenderloin tips cook low and slow in a savory broth with chipotle, garlic, and roasted red peppers.

Then cream cheese and gorgonzola are stirred in to create a velvety sauce that clings to every piece of rigatoni. Finished with fresh rosemary and cracked pepper, it’s a steakhouse-style meal that feels indulgent but is surprisingly hands-off.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The slow cooker does the heavy lifting here. Cooking the beef tips on low for three hours breaks down the connective tissue, turning them fork-tender while keeping them moist. The low, gentle heat also allows the chipotle and garlic to infuse the broth, building a deeply savory base that the cheeses later enrich. This method guarantees tender beef without constant attention.

The combination of cream cheese and gorgonzola creates a sauce that’s both creamy and tangy. Cream cheese adds body and mild richness, while gorgonzola brings a bold, pungent flavor that echoes a classic steakhouse blue cheese dressing.

The roasted red peppers add a touch of sweetness and color, balancing the heat of the chipotle. The result is a sauce that’s complex, luxurious, and perfectly suited to sturdy pasta like rigatoni.

Notes and substitutions

For the best texture, use beef tenderloin tips if you can find them — they’re already trimmed and cut for quick cooking. If not, sirloin tips or even chuck roast cut into cubes work well; just adjust the cooking time for chuck (you may need an extra hour). The searing step is optional but highly recommended for extra flavor. Don’t skip draining the roasted red peppers, as excess liquid can thin the sauce.

Gorgonzola can be strong, so if you prefer a milder flavor, use a young gorgonzola dolce or substitute a creamy blue cheese. The chipotle pepper adds a smoky heat — one pepper gives a moderate kick, but for less heat, remove the seeds or use half.

Rigatoni is ideal because its ridges and wide tubes catch the creamy sauce, but any short pasta like penne or ziti will work. For a gluten-free version, use your favorite gluten-free rigatoni and adjust cooking time.

• beef tenderloin tips: beef sirloin tips or chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes (adjust cooking time for chuck)
• gorgonzola cheese: blue cheese or Roquefort for a similar tang
• beef bone broth: regular beef broth or chicken broth
• rigatoni: penne, ziti, or other short tube pasta

Equipment

• 7-quart slow cooker
• Large skillet for searing
• Tongs
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Wooden spoon
• Large pot for pasta