Home > Dinner > Beef > Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Philly Cheesesteak Pasta September 13, 2018 | 19 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. Philly Cheesesteak Pasta is a meal that everyone goes crazy for! We’re borrowing components from a famous Philly Cheesesteak and channeling it all into a crave-worthy pasta dish. This dish has got it all — a saucy provolone cheese sauce, seasoned beef, cavatappi pasta, and a myriad of veggies. What’s not to love?! 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. What Pasta To Use The pasta you see in these pictures and recipe is Cavatappi. Cavatappi is a corkscrew-shaped macaroni pasta and it makes for a fun and unique addition to this Philly Cheesesteak Pasta. That said, don’t get hung up on the pasta shape, because there are plenty of options that work. Other great options: ziti, penne, rigatoni QUICK TIP If you’d like to make Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Shells, dice up the veggies instead of thinly slicing and sauté as instructed in the recipe. Make a double batch of the provolone cream sauce. Mix together the cooked beef, sautéed veggies, and 1/2 of provolone cream sauce. Stuff this mixture into al dente cooked shells and top with the remaining cream sauce and slices of Provolone. Bake until the cheese is melty on top and enjoy! How to make Philly Cheesesteak Pasta There are four components to this recipe: 1. pasta, 2. beef, 3. vegetables, and 4. the Provolone cream sauce. The pasta is boiled in a separate pot, but we then cook the beef, vegetables, and sauce all in the same pan at different times. By cooking each component in the same pan, we’re building and layering flavors, which will enhance the final dish. When the beef gets removed from the pot, make sure to leave behind all those lovely browned bits. Those will get whisked into the sauce to add an incredible depth of flavor to the final dish. QUICK TIP What are browned bits? This refers to caramelized remnants of meat that get left in the pan after the meat is cooked. They’re then “re-cooked” in wine/broth/other liquids helping them be absorbed into a the sauce or gravy and delivering a deeper and richer flavor. For this Philly Cheesesteak Pasta, we want those browned bits to enhance the flavors of the Provolone cream sauce! What Kind Of Sauce Is Good For Philly Cheesesteak? A Provolone Cheese sauce! This sauce pulls all the flavors together beautifully and adds that classic cheesesteak feel. Here are a few sauce tips: Use these ultra-thin provolone slices for the sauce and the topping! We take 6 slices out of the package for topping the casserole later and then dice up the rest into small pieces for the cheese sauce (you should get about 1 cup). Don’t use pre-shredded cheese in the cream sauce. Pre-shredded packaged cheese has a cellulose coating that keeps it from melting as smoothly. It tends to make the sauce overly gummy and doesn’t mix as well with the other ingredients. 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. Below are our top two tips for making the best possible pasta bake! The Secrets To A Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Under-boil the pasta. Since we’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 perhaps mushy. Season at every step. Seasoning is very important for this dish and we want to season as we cook (while also keeping in mind that the cheese adds more saltiness to the dish as a whole). I like to salt the pasta water as the pasta cooks (thus seasoning the ziti), seasoning the vegetables, seasoning the beef, and seasoning the Provolone cheese sauce. Taste all the elements as you cook and add a dash more if any of the flavors seem flat. What Sides Go With Philly Cheesesteak Pasta This pasta is has a good heartiness, so it’s best paired with something light, fresh, and crunchy. Here are some of our favorite side dishes to serve alongside: A quick, crunchy veggie salad like this Garden Salad, an everyday Salad Recipe, or this Italian Salad Some fresh fruit or combination of fruit like in this Winter Fruit Salad or summer Fruit Salad A side of roasted veggies like Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Carrots, or Roasted Asparagus What Dessert Goes Well With Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Now we’re on to my favorite part of the meal! 🙂 Here are our favorite desserts to serve alongside this pasta dish: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Cheesecake Bars (with a Graham Cracker Crust) Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Malted Milkshake or a Strawberry Milkshake Peanut Butter Bars FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Philly Cheesesteak Pasta 5 from 10 votes - Review this recipe 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! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Philly Cheesesteak Pasta 5 from 10 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe 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! Course Dinner, Main Course Cuisine American Keyword philly cheesesteak pasta Prep Time 35 minutes minutes Cook Time 15 minutes minutes Total Time 50 minutes minutes Servings 4 -6 servings Chelsea Lords Calories 1485kcal Author Chelsea Lords IngredientsFor the Pasta:▢ 3-1/4 cups dry pasta (10 oz.) pasta (we use cavatappi; ziti, penne, rigatoni all work great)▢ Fine sea salt & pepperFor the Veggies▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter▢ 1 cup thinly-sliced yellow onion (1 small onion)▢ 2 small green peppers, thinly sliced▢ 2 cups sliced mushrooms (baby bella or crimini)▢ 1 teaspoon minced garlic▢ 1 tablespoon red wine vinegarFor the Beef:▢ 1 lb. lean (93/7) ground beef▢ 1 tablespoon Italian seasoningFor 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 provolone cheese▢ Optional: fresh parsley, choppedUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsPREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x13-inch pan and set aside.For the Pasta:PASTA: Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Generously salt the water (I add 2 teaspoons salt) and then add in the pasta. Cook according to package instructions MINUS 1 minute (Note 2). Strain the pasta through a colander and then dump into the prepared 9x13-inch pan. For the Beef:In a very large cast-iron skillet, drizzle in 1 tbsp. olive oil and heat to high heat. Once oil is hot, add in the ground beef. Top with 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, plus salt & pepper to taste (I add 1 tsp fine sea salt & 1/2 tsp pepper). Let beef sear a few minutes; then use a wooden spoon to crumble and cook until it is completely browned through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef from pan right and onto the pasta in the pan. If there is more than 1 tbsp fat, drain it off. Don't wipe out pan.For the VeggiesIn the same pan used for the beef, add the butter. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add the thinly sliced onion, green pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. Season to taste (I add 1/4 tsp of salt & pepper). Sauté the veggies, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the 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 in 4 tbsp butter and heat to medium heat. Let the butter melt and then whisk in 1/4 cup flour. Keep whisking for a minute or until you cook out all of the raw flour taste. Gradually add the milk while whisking constantly. Season to taste (I add 1/2 tsp salt & pepper). Whisk until milk is fully incorporated and sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and whisk. Add in 1 cup diced provolone cheese and stir gently with a wooden spoon. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of this cheese sauce from the pot right 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, for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is nice and melted on top. Remove and serve, garnish if desired with fresh chopped parsley. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Provolone: Use a package of ultra-thin sliced provolone cheese. Take out 6 slices for topping and then dice up the rest into small pieces for the cheese sauce (you should get about 1 cup). If you aren't using the ultra-thin sliced cheese slices, the provolone is over powering as the topping (it's a bit too much cheese!). Note 2: Under-cook the pasta: Since we’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: Season at every step: Seasoning is very important for this dish and we want to season as we cook (while also keeping in mind that the cheese adds more saltiness to the dish as a whole). I like to salt the pasta water as the pasta cooks (thus seasoning the cavatappi), seasoning the vegetables, seasoning the beef, and seasoning the provolone cheese sauce. Taste all the elements as you cook and add a dash more if any of the flavors seem flat. Nutrition FactsCalories: 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 We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
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 Reply
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. Reply
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!! Reply
My family & I LOVED it! So delicious; it tastes exactly like a philly cheese steak without the bread. Reply
I personally haven’t; I don’t know that it would do super well with all the dairy and pasta though :/ Reply
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!!!!! Reply
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. Reply
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! 🙂 Reply
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! Reply
