Leftover steak can taste as good as the original—maybe even better. Here are a few ideas to turn your cooked steak into a tasty treat…

If you want to just rewarm the steak: Remove it from the refrigerator for a half hour so that it can come to room temperature. Then give it a quick flash sauté in a lightly oiled pan or place it under the broiler for about two minutes. I usually don’t recommend microwaving because it’s too easy to overcook the steak, making it tough.

PAN-ROASTED STEAK QUESADILLA

  • 1 teaspoon canola oil
  • 4 8-inch flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup diced red onion
  • ¼ chopped fresh cilantro
  • 10 ounces cooked steak, cut into thin slices

Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil. Put one-half teaspoon of oil in a large, nonstick skillet, and place over medium heat. Add one tortilla to the skillet. Sprinkle one-quarter cup of shredded cheddar over the tortilla. Sprinkle half the diced onion and cilantro over the cheese, and top with half the steak. Sprinkle another quarter cup of cheese over the steak, and cover with a tortilla. Cover the skillet with a lid. Cook for one and a half minutes. Flip the tortillas, cover and cook one minute more, or until the cheese melts. Remove to the foil-lined baking sheet, and place in the oven until you finish the second quesadilla, following the process above. Makes two servings.

THAI BEEF PASTA SALAD

  • ¼ pound fusilli (corkscrew) pasta (about 1½ cups uncooked)
  • 4 Tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons Thai peanut sauce
  • 10 ounces cooked steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cups washed salad greens
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup fresh pineapple cubes
  • 2 Tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook 10 minutes or according to package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, mix the mayonnaise and peanut sauce together in a large bowl. Drain the pasta in a colander, then add the pasta to the bowl along with the steak. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Line two dinner plates with the salad greens. Spoon the pasta and beef over the top. Place the red bell pepper and pineapple cubes over all, then sprinkle with peanuts and mint. Makes two servings.

STEAK PITA POCKET

  • ½ cup peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped cucumber
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill or ½ teaspoon dried dill
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped red onion
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt, drained
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large whole-wheat pita breads
  • ½ pound cooked steak, in strips
  • 1 cup diced tomato

Mix the cucumber, garlic, dill, onion, yogurt and sour cream together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toast the pita breads in a toaster oven to warm slightly. Cut the pitas in half, and spoon in half the yogurt mixture. Add the steak and tomato, and finish with the remaining yogurt sauce. Makes two servings.

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