This Philly cheesesteak casserole is an easy dinner idea that is ready in 1 hour, making it perfect for busy weeknights. As an added bonus, it’s a healthier alternative to the classic Philly cheesesteak, and perfect for a low carb diet. Each bite is packed with tender steak, seasoned peppers and onions, and gooey melted cheese.
If it’s a busy night, we usually plan on eating some kind of casserole because they are super simple and a quick go to. Some of our favorites are chicken bacon ranch casserole and the chicken parm pasta bake. But this delicious Philly cheesesteak casserole is a great dinner option when you want something a little more healthy without compromising flavor. It’s a great variation to the kids’ favorite Philly cheesesteak pasta casserole.
Another great choice when laying off some of the carbs is my crack slaw. Think of it as egg roll in a bowl, another easy meal prep recipe. You may also like the infamous Big Mac salad. Oddly enough, it tastes exactly like the sandwich minus the bun.
Jump to:
🥩 Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- Flank steak – when slicing, go against the grain and make them ⅛ inch pieces. Flank steak cooks tender, but is more affordable than a New York or filet mignon cut.
- Marinade: red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, baking soda. The baking soda helps tenderize the flank steak by raising its pH level, which prevents the muscle fibers from contracting too tightly during cooking, giving you a juicier and more tender steak; this process is often called “velveting” in cooking terminology.
- Seasonings: onion powder, dried thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic cloves
- butter and olive oil – for searing and sauteeing.
- Veggies: we used red and green bell peppers and a sweet onion
- Cheeses: Cream cheese (allow it to soften at room temperature), jack or pepper jack, and provolone cheese.
- heavy cream – the base for the creamy cheese sauce.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
Garnish this low carb casserole with fresh chopped parsley or additional cheese before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
- Other meats: You could also use store-bought shaved steak, lean ground beef, or ground turkey instead of the flank steak. Some like to use ribeye steak, but it’s a little more expensive and the flank tastes just as good.
- Philly cheesesteak sandwiches: After cooking the casserole, add it to your toasted hoagie rolls to make more of a traditional Philly cheesesteak.
- Pasta: Cook a batch of egg noodles so they are al dente, then add a scoop of the casserole on top.
- Cauliflower rice: Want more veggies without the carbs? Serve over cauliflower rice instead of noodles.
- Mushrooms: go great with Philly cheesesteak flavors. Cook them with the other veggies.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 1: Slice the steak very thinly against the grain.
Step 2: Whisk the red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, baking soda, minced garlic, onion powder, thyme, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water in a large mixing bowl. The baking soda might seem odd, but it helps to tenderize the meat.
Step 3: Add the steak to the marinade and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Slice the veggies and grate the cheese while the steak is marinating.
Step 4: Over medium-high heat, add a tablespoon each of butter and oil to a large skillet and heat to mediium-high. Drain the marinade off the steak, trying to remove as much moisture as possible. Add the steak to the skillet, browning it quickly. Work in batches. Remove the steak from the pan once it browns.
Pro Tip: If needed, cook the steak in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. There will be some foaming from the baking soda marinade, but it will not effect the taste.
Step 5: Add the rest of the butter and sauté the red and green peppers with the onion until soft. Stir in the remaining minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Step 6: Pour in the heavy cream and add the cream cheese. Cook until melted, then bring to a low simmer and stir in the grated cheese. Remove from heat.
Step 7: Stir the cooked steak into the cheese vegetable mixture and transfer to a baking dish. Top with provolone cheese slices.
Step 8: Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven or until the cheese has fully melted.
SERVE: Garnish this Philly cheese steak casserole recipe with fresh chopped parsley and serve.
Recipe Tips for Keto Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
- Top sirloin steak and flank are both great options for this recipe. Slicing them very thin ensures quick cooking, and slicing against the grain keeps the meat tender.
- Adding the jack cheese to the cream cheese adds great flavor, and is not spicy. You can also use Monterey jack, white cheddar cheese, or American cheese.
- Don’t skip the marinade, it makes for the best flavors. The baking soda increases the pH of the meat so the proteins can’t bond. This makes the steak ultra moist and tender. Just 15 minutes is a total game changer!
- If you choose to make the meat with a ground beef mixture, be sure to drain off the excess grease.
Fun Fact
Originally, Philly cheese steaks weren’t even made with cheese! Just beef and onions. -Charley’s Cheesesteaks
Recipe FAQs
Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. This simple casserole is perfect for meal prepping and keeps well in the freezer. Scoop individual portions into each freezer-safe container and freeze for 1 month. You can thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating, or place directly in the microwave.
We love serving this as a main meal to keep it simple, but a side salad would be perfect. You can also serve the casserole on nachos, hoagie buns, or with pasta.
More Delicious Casserole Recipes
If you tried this Philly Cheesesteak Casserole Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 cloves garlic minced, divided
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups water not pictured
Casserole
- 2 lbs. Flank steak thinly sliced against the grain
- 2 tablespoons salted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 cup sliced white onion
- 4 oz. cream cheese cubed and softened
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated jack or pepper jack cheese
- 6 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, baking soda, 2 minced cloves of garlic, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water.
- Slice steak against the grain as thin as possible (maximum ⅛th inch thick).
- Add sliced steak to the marinade mixture and set the timer for 15-30 minutes.
- While the meat is marinating, slice the vegetables and grate the cheese.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain the marinade from the meat and discard. Cook the meat in the hot skillet until browned on all sides. Batch cook the meat so that it isn’t overcrowded as it cooks. The baking soda from the marinade will result in some foaming in the skillet. This won’t effect the tenderness or flavor of the meat. Remove the meat from the skillet.
- Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Saute the bell peppers and onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in remaining minced garlic and sauté a minute longer.
- Add the cream cheese and heavy cream to the skillet and cook until melted. Bring to a low simmer and stir in the grated cheese until melted. Remove from heat.
- Put the steak back into the skillet, stirring to fully combine the mixture.
- Spread into a casserole dish. Top with a layer of provolone cheese.
- Bake 15 minutes until the cheese has fully melted and toasted to a golden brown.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
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Notes
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Stefanie says
I loved creating this recipe. It is the perfect combination of flavor-packed comfort food and low carb eating in one! I personally love it with pepper jack cheese added in there for some spice. I hope you love the recipe, too. Let me know what you think!