This Philly cheesesteak pasta skillet has all of the flavors of a Philly cheesesteak sandwich in the pasta form, making it a super easy recipe especially for busy weeknights. The steak, peppers, tender pasta, and onions are tossed in a creamy sauce then baked with gooey melted cheese over top. Talk about the best comfort food that the whole family will love, plus the best part? It’s ready in an hour!
Thinking there’s no way to beat Philly cheesesteak sandwiches with cheez whiz on a hoagie roll? Wait until you try this creamy pasta dish! It’s a complete meal in one casserole dish that is so simple to make. Trust me, it will be the new family favorite. Another great option if you are watching calories and carbs, is the Philly Cheesesteak Casserole, which is the pasta-less version. I love that this skillet recipe is a hearty meal, but you can also serve it with a simple side like a strawberry feta spinach salad if you feel like you need something extra.
Love taking the easy way out? Me too! One pot meals are my favorite! My chicken and sun dried tomato pasta is ultra creamy and talk about easy cleanup! For those who can’t have a cheesy pasta dish without bread, try the soft garlic pull apart bread or crusty dutch oven bread.
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🥩 Ingredients:
- Cavatappi pasta – please note you will only be using half of a standard box.
- Flank steak – thinly sliced against the grain
- red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, baking soda – for our steak marinade so it’s nice and tender.
- garlic cloves – or use store bought from the grocery store or garlic powder.
- Seasoning: onion powder, thyme, kosher salt, pepper.
- water
- butter – we use salted.
- olive oil – for sauteeing.
- Veggies: red and green peppers, onion.
- cream cheese – soften at room temperature so it stirs into the sauce easier.
- heavy cream
- Other Cheeses: grated jack or pepper jack cheese, provolone cheese.
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 classic Philly cheesesteak pasta meal with fresh parsley and additional cheese if desired.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta: any short pasta like penne pasta or rotini pasta can be used.
- Other meat: if desired, lean ground beef or turkey could be substituted for the steak. For hamburger meat with a higher fat content, be sure to drain the excess grease. Some like to use boneless ribeye, which is delicious but the flank steak is a budget friendly option.
- Keto/Low carb: try our Philly cheesesteak casserole.
- Mushrooms: these would be great when sautéed with the onions and peppers.
- Gluten-free: use gluten free pasta.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 1: Slice the steak against the grain into thin slices that are about â…›th inch thick.
Step 2: Whisk the red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, baking soda, 2 minced cloves of garlic, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Step 3: Add the steak and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Slice the veggies and grate the cheese while the steak is marinating.
Step 4: Heat a tablespoon of oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the marinade from the steak and cook the meat until done. The baking soda will make it foam, but doesn’t change the taste. Once done, remove from the pan.
Pro Tip: Do not skip the marinating of the steak. This process makes it really tender and adds extra flavor. Plus it doesn’t take much extra time.
Step 5: In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, cook the pasta until al dente then drain and set aside.
Step 6: Sauté the peppers and sweet onions in the remaining butter for about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Step 7: Pour in the heavy whipping cream and add the cream cheese. Stir until melted. Add the grated cheese and stir until the cheese sauce comes to a simmer over low heat.
Step 8: Use a wooden spoon to gently stir in the cooked pasta.
Step 9: Place the steak back in, stir to coat.
Step 10: Transfer to a casserole dish and layer the cheese slices on top.
Step 11: Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
SERVE: Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Recipe Tips for Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Casserole
- Top sirloin and flank steak will work in this recipe, just slice thinly against the grain.
- Using a marinade with baking soda really makes a difference in how tender and flavorful the meat is. The baking soda changes the pH of the meat’s surface, which stops the proteins from binding, making it tender and juicy.
- We really like the pepper jack cheese in the cream cheese mixture. It adds a lot of flavor without making the dish spicy. If you prefer, you can use Monterey jack or white cheddar instead.
Fun Fact
There’s an upscale Philly sandwich sold in PA that comes with champagne for $140! – The Philadelphia Inquirer
Recipe FAQs
Keep leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. When reheating you may want to add a little bit of liquid (like water or broth) just to keep it creamy.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
If you tried this Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cavatappi pasta ½ standard package
- 2 lbs. Flank steak thinly sliced against the grain
- 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
- 2 tablespoons salted butter divided
- 2 tablespoons oil divided
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 cup sliced white onion
- 8 oz. cream cheese cubed and softened
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups grated jack or pepper jack cheese
- 6 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Slice steak against the grain as thin as possible (maximum â…›th inch thick).
- In a large bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, baking soda, 2 minced cloves of garlic, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper.
- 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.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until desired tenderness. Drain pasta and set aside.
- 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 cooked through. 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. Batch cook the meat so that it isn’t overcrowded as it cooks. 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 saute a minute longer.
- Add the cream cheese and heavy cream to the skillet and cook until melted. Stir in the grated cheese until melted and the sauce comes to a simmer.
- Stir in the cooked pasta.
- Put the steak back into the skillet, stirring to fully combine the mixture. If your skillet is not large enough, simply pour everything into a 9×13 casserole dish and stir together in the dish.
- Spread into 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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