Philly Cheesesteak Pasta

5 from 8 votes

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!

Prep Time35

Cook Time15

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: philly cheesesteak pasta

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $16.72

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Pasta

3-1/4 cups uncooked pasta I use cavatappi; ziti, penne, rigatoni all work great, 10 ounces
Salt and pepper

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

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously grease a 9x13-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 9x13-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

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