This Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Recipe is a total crowd-pleaser. Saucy provolone cheese, seasoned beef, tender pasta, and veggies all in one!
Prefer chicken over beef? Try our Baked Ziti With Chicken which is our take on a Philly Cheesesteak casserole using chicken instead!
Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Bake
Few things beat a good cheesy pasta bake and this Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Recipe does not disappoint! It’s pure comfort food and a huge favorite every time we serve it. From the saucy Provolone cheese sauce to the Italian-seasoned ground beef to the perfect crisp-tender sautéed veggies–every bite is an experience!
Quick Tip
Try some of our other favorite pasta bake recipes like this one pan Tuna Casserole, this Healthy Pasta Bake, or this irresistibly cheesy Baked Ziti.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Tip or Swap |
|---|---|
| Cavatappi pasta | Swap with penne, ziti, or rigatoni. Use a short, sturdy shape that holds sauce well. |
| Ground beef | Ground turkey or chicken work great if you want something lighter. |
| Green bell peppers | Use red or yellow peppers for a sweeter flavor. |
| Baby bella mushrooms | White mushrooms work too. Skip if you’re not a fan. |
| Provolone cheese | Use ultra-thin slices for topping and dice the rest for the sauce. Mozzarella is a good backup. |
| Whole milk | 2% milk can be used, but whole milk gives the creamiest sauce. |
| Red wine vinegar | Adds flavor at the end. Balsamic or apple cider vinegar also work. |
| Italian seasoning | Use dried basil, oregano, and thyme if you don’t have a mix.c |
How To Make Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Recipe
- Cook pasta until just under al dente, then drain and add to a greased baking dish.
- Brown the beef with seasoning, then spoon it over the pasta.
- Sauté the veggies in the same pan until soft, then mix in vinegar and add to the baking dish.
- Make sauce by whisking butter, flour, and milk, then melting in diced provolone.
- Mix everything together in the baking dish and top with provolone slices.
- Bake until hot and bubbly with melted cheese on top.
Variations
Recipe Variations
- Philly cheesesteak pasta with steak. Use very thinly sliced steak instead of ground beef
- Philly cheesesteak pasta with cream cheese. Add in 2 ounces softened cream cheese to the provolone cream sauce
- Prepare a Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Skillet by assembling everything together in an oven safe skillet and baking in that!
- Lighten this dish up: Use a lean (93/7) ground beef, replace the whole milk with 2% or 1% milk (slightly less creamy/thick sauce), leave off the Provolone cheese topping.
What Sides Go With Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
- A crisp veggie salad like Garden Salad, Everyday Salad, or Italian Salad
- Fresh fruit or a mix like Winter Fruit Salad or Summer Fruit Salad
- Roasted veggies like Broccoli, Carrots, or Asparagus
More Easy Casserole Dishes:
Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
A delicious take on the flavors from the famous Philly cheesesteak sandwich—transformed into a cheesy and comforting pasta dish! Philly Cheesesteak Pasta is sure to be a hit!
Ingredients
For the Pasta
For the Veggies
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion 1 small onion
- 2 small green bell peppers thinly sliced
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms baby bella or crimini
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
For the Beef
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93/7
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
For the Provolone Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup provolone cheese finely diced, see note 1
- 6 slices ultra-thin sliced provolone cheese
- Fresh parsley optional, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously grease a 9×13-inch pan and set aside.
For the Pasta
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Generously salt the water (I add 2 teaspoons) and add the pasta. Cook according to package instructions minus 1 minute (see note 2). Strain the pasta through a colander and dump into the prepared 9×13-inch pan.
For the Beef
- In a very large, cast-iron skillet, drizzle in 1 tbsp olive oil and heat to high. Once oil is hot, add ground beef. Top with Italian seasoning, plus salt and pepper to taste (I add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper). Let beef sear a few minutes, then use a wooden spoon to crumble and cook until completely browned through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef from pan onto the pasta. If there is more than 1 tbsp fat, drain it off. Don’t wipe out pan.
For the Veggies
- In the same pan used for the beef, add the butter. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add thinly sliced onion, green pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. Season to taste (I add 1/4 tsp salt and pepper). Sauté the veggies, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and golden brown, about 7–10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the red wine vinegar. Pour the peppers and onions on top of the beef and pasta. Don’t wipe out pan.
For the Provolone Sauce
- Return same pan to heat. Add 4 tbsp butter and heat to medium. Let butter melt, then whisk in flour. Keep whisking for a minute or until you cook out all the raw flour taste. Gradually add milk while whisking constantly. Season to taste (I add 1/2 tsp salt and pepper). Whisk until milk is fully incorporated and sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and whisk. Add diced provolone and stir gently with a wooden spoon. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of this cheese sauce from the pot into the pan with the pasta, beef, and veggies. Gently stir everything in the pan together until ingredients are well incorporated and evenly coated in cheese sauce. Spread in an even layer.
- Place the slices of provolone on top of the pan. Bake, uncovered, 10–15 minutes or until cheese is nice and melted on top. Remove and serve; garnish if desired with fresh chopped parsley.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Use a package of ultra-thin sliced provolone cheese. Take out 6 slices for topping and dice the rest into small pieces for the cheese sauce (you should get about 1 cup). If you aren’t using the ultra-thin cheese slices, the provolone is overpowering as the topping.
Note 2: Since you’ll bake the pasta after it’s been cooked, make sure to drain it 1 minute before the package suggests for al dente. This way, as it bakes, it will end up perfectly tender instead of mushy.
Note 3: Seasoning as you cook is important for this dish (while keeping in mind that the cheese adds more saltiness). I like to salt the pasta water (thus seasoning the cavatappi) and season the vegetables, the beef, and the cheese sauce. Taste all the elements as you cook and add a dash more if any of the flavors seem flat.
Storage: Store Philly Cheesesteak Pasta leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of milk to keep it creamy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1485kcal | Carbohydrates: 187g | Protein: 76g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 590mg | Potassium: 1464mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1423IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 714mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was absolutely delish! I followed the recipe pretty close but only had thin cut steak. It cooked up beautifully with the bell peppers, mushrooms and onions. And did I mention the cheese sauce! Yum! I will definitely be making this again! Thank you so much!
Yay! So happy to hear this was a hit 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
I add a lil more cheese but my husband and me love this recipe . Absolutely love not using tons of dishes and pans to make to. I hate washing dishes.
There are few things better than eating a good dinner and having little clean up! So glad you guys loved this Philly cheesesteak Pasta! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
Hi! I was wondering if you have ever frozen leftovers?
I personally haven’t; I don’t know that it would do super well with all the dairy and pasta though :/
Made this tonight!!!! So good. We are from Philly and know our cheese steaks and this was great! I did use shaved beef instead of ground beef to give it a more cheese steak feel. Do not skip the provolone topping!!!!!
What a compliment! Thanks so much for your comment Katy! So glad you guys enjoyed! 🙂
My family & I LOVED it! So delicious; it tastes exactly like a philly cheese steak without the bread.
So thrilled to hear that! 🙂
There is NEVER peppers or mushrooms in cheesesteak.
The only way I eat my cheesesteaks!! If I’m at a restaurant and they don’t have peppers on the cheesesteak I won’t order it, and if they have mushrooms it’s even better! To each their own.
Philly native here. The more famous places (Pat’s or Geno’s) only do beef, cheese and onion but if you go to another place like Jim’s you can add mushrooms and peppers. I prefer mine with mushrooms and peppers!!
YES there is lol
Is this Philly cheese steak salad to be eaten warm? If I make it fit a picnic pot luck would I keep it warm in the crock pot ? Or is it eaten cold? Thank you
Yes, it’s supposed to be eaten warm! It’s not a salad 🙂 Enjoy Andrea!
Definitely gonna make this for my son! he would luv it!
Love all of the classic flavors in this dish! 🙂
Thank you so much! 🙂