The Best Frozen Steak Dinner We Tried Comes From This Nearly Defunct Brand

Sometimes, nothing beats a store-bought dinner that requires zero cooking, but unfortunately, the frozen food aisle doesn't always inspire confidence. We get it, the fear of selecting a meal that disappoints from the first bite is real. To save you the pain, we tried eight frozen steak dinners and ranked them from worst to best. While there were several miserable bites, one pre-prepared meal stood out in a major way: Boston Market's Beef Steak & Pasta.

A perfect steak dinner is achievable with the help of some celebrity chef tips or, in our case, with a microwaveable tray of goodness courtesy of Boston Market, the beleaguered '80s comfort food chain. The hearty meal is made from slow-cooked beef prime rib roast, which gave it points in the flavor and texture department. We ranked each meal based on flavor and seasoning, quality ingredients, aroma, and final look and this dish ticked all the boxes. 

It might also be a sliver of hope for those who enjoy Boston Market restaurants, but are worried about the shrinking number of locations in the country. Currently, the casual dining chain has 74 restaurants across 16 states in 2025, down from 300 at the start of 2023, though it has expanded into India. The chain that inspired Costco's popular rotisserie chicken might be somewhat light on the ground Stateside, but it is clearly making its presence known in the freezer sections of grocery stores.

A good steak and pasta dish is classic comfort food, but the ability to pull off the balance of saucy goodness, quality meat, and non-mushy pasta is what ultimately decided the success meal of this meal.  Many shoppers agree that the dish is a treat to the taste buds and the portion sizes are also filling. In a Reddit thread, one user even describes the dish as "probably the best of all the Boston Market frozen meals."

While this dish combines the essential elements for a satisfying, beefy pasta dinner (namely, succulent steak and a rich, meaty sauce), there are plenty of ways to elevate it. For example, extra aromatics like caramelized onions or roasted garlic are an easy way to boost the flavor. You can also add steamed vegetables like broccoli for a nutritious, homemade touch.

Overall, the frozen meal gets positive reviews from shoppers in search of a quick and delicious steak dinner, with the odd negative review claiming that the beef tastes bland and low quality, but the gravy seems to be the saving grace of the microwaved dish. The meal is reasonably priced too, at around $2.99 to $3.99 at grocery chains like Kroger, depending on the store and location. As long as you follow the box instructions, you won't have to fork through an over-cooked or soggy plate for dinner, only a meal you can enjoy without fear of the usual disappointing TV dinner scenario.