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This Philly cheesesteak casserole is my kind of comfort food: cheesy, flavorful, and packed with protein and veggies. If you’re a fan of the classic sandwiches, you’ll love my baked spin on them. I also love this dish for meal prep or feeding a crowd, because it makes a large batch. Make this recipe with me next time you’re craving something meaty and cheesy!
Why You Need My Philly Cheesesteak Casserole Recipe
- Classic cheesesteak flavors – Think tender beef, peppers, and onions enveloped in a creamy, savory sauce, all under a blanket of melty cheese. You won’t miss the bread!
- Easy one-dish meal – I love turning sandwiches into casseroles (like my chicken bacon ranch casserole and Big Mac casserole), because they make a healthier dinner all on their own. This one only takes about half an hour to cook, with simple ingredients you’d find at any grocery store.
- Budget friendly – Most versions of Philly cheesesteak casserole use actual steak like a sandwich would, but mine uses ground beef to make it more cost-effective.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my Philly cheesesteak casserole recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Ground Beef – I use 85/15 ground beef, which is flavorful without being too greasy. Ground turkey works well for a lighter swap. If you want to use actual steak, you totally can, but see my tips below on this.
- Veggies – Thinly sliced bell peppers and half an onion. I used a mix of red, yellow, and green bell peppers, but any color is fine.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Simple but so delicious!
- Broth – The base of the savory sauce. I usually have chicken broth on hand (either my homemade chicken broth prepped ahead or store-bought), but you can use beef broth for more beefy flavor. I’ve also done it with bone broth.
- Cheeses – Cream cheese mixes with the broth for the sauce, and provolone gives you that melty finish on top. (You know I’d never recommend the processed Cheez Wiz some sandwiches use. 😉) Feel free to use other melting cheese if you like.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
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How To Make Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Brown the beef. In a large skillet, cook it with salt and pepper, breaking up with a spatula. I don’t need oil when using a nonstick pan, but you can add it if your pan tends to stick.
- Sauté the veggies. Toss the bell peppers and onions into the pan, season with the herbs and spices, and cook until they’re nice and tender.
- Make the sauce. Stir in the cream cheese and broth, until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble and bake. Transfer the beef mixture to a baking dish (I use the larger one from this set, which is a bit smaller than your average large baking dish) and top with slices of provolone cheese. Bake the Philly cheesesteak casserole until melty and golden.
My Recipe Tips
- A meat chopper makes breaking up the beef easier. I use it for all my recipes that have ground meat.
- If your ground beef is on the fattier side, drain off excess grease before adding the veggies. It keeps the cheesesteak casserole from feeling too heavy.
- Make sure your cream cheese is soft before adding it. If it’s cold, it won’t melt in smoothly. When I forget to set it out ahead of time, I just microwave it to soften.
- Adjust the cream cheese to your taste. Add an extra 2 ounces if you want it extra creamy.
- Want extra umami flavor or some heat? You can saute mushrooms with the other vegetables, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos to the sauce, or drizzle your plate with hot sauce at the end.
- Want steak instead of ground beef? Cook sirloin steak separately—either sear it whole and slice against the grain after cooking or slice it thin and sauté quickly. Set it aside to keep it juicy while you sauté the veggies, then stir in seasonings, cream cheese, and broth. Add the steak back in before transferring everything to the casserole dish and finishing the recipe.
- Want more browning? If the cheese doesn’t brown enough after baking your Philly cheesesteak casserole, pop it under the broiler for a couple minutes.
Serving Ideas
One of the things I love about this Philly cheesesteak casserole is that it’s hearty enough to be a meal on its own!
If you prefer a starch, it’s wonderful over a base of air fried potatoes or rice. Or if it feels too heavy, add my artichoke salad or cucumber tomato salad on the side.
Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
By
My easy Philly cheesesteak casserole has tender beef, peppers, and onions, a savory sauce, and melty cheese. Fast for busy weeknights!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
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Place the beef into a large saute pan over medium-high heat and break up with a spatula. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through.
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Add the bell peppers and onions to the pan. Season with Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Saute for 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
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Add the cream cheese and broth. Stir together until smooth and melted.
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Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish (I use the larger one from this set, which is a little smaller than most large ones). Arrange the provolone slices on top, overlapping slightly.
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Bake the Philly cheesesteak casserole for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup (slightly heaped), or 1/6 of the entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you break up the beef more easily, get a smooth and creamy sauce that isn’t greasy, how to ensure a golden brown top, and variations for more umami flavor or to use steak instead of ground beef.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- Meal prep: You can cook the beef and slice the veggies in advance, or assemble the entire casserole and refrigerate.
- Reheat: Pop individual servings in the microwave, or warm the entire casserole in the oven (20 minutes at 350 degrees F).
- Freeze: Assemble without baking, wrap in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat like above. To bake from frozen, cover with foil to prevent burning the cheese and double or triple the baking time.
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Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
175 Comments
Erin S
0Delicious! I was looking for a quick and easy dinner and this was perfect! My boys normally pick peppers out of everything, but they ate them all. Will definitely be adding this to our dinner menu rotation!
Tammy
0Absolutely delicious! This recipe is a keeper!
Jill
0Family loved this meal! Creamy, very flavorful!
Jolene O
0My husband and I absolutely LOVED this so much! Can’t wait to make it again!
C
0This was tasty, filing, and easy to make. I would make it again.
Betsy Jo
0I can’t wait to try this recipe tomorrow night
Lynniepooh2
0Picked a good day to make this Philly casserole. I wouldn’t change a single ingredient. That’s what is so cool about food, the is no one-way to make anything. Cant say I used each color of peppers before for a philly cheesesteak but now I know what I was missing. Love color in food!
Karen
0This is NOT a Philly cheesesteak with ground beef. A REAL, i.e. authentic Philly cheesesteak is made with very thinly sliced ribeye steak. Some people would argue that it should also use either American cheese or cheese whiz, but I do prefer the provolone as in the recipe. Some long hot peppers really bumps it up to another level. The spices are all wrong, too. The smoked paprika and garlic take away from the meaty, cheese flavor. The long hots gives it all the flavor you need, but you could always add a little low carb tomato sauce and mushrooms help, too. It’s probably not a bad recipe, but it just isn’t anything like a Philly cheesesteak.
Renee
2Your comment just shows how much of a true Karen you are ! Eek
Maya | Wholesome Yum
1This is an old comment, but wanted to address it since I missed it originally. A casserole is not a “real” Philly cheesesteak to begin with, and everyone makes foods differently. It’s not very fair to rate and evaluate the flavor of a recipe that you haven’t actually tried.
Sue
0Have not tried it yet. Looks good.
CHAR
0I made this casserole today, and it was delicious!!! I had diced green peppers and onions in the freezer, so I used them. I made no other changes to your incredible recipe. I used my food saver and made single portions with the leftovers and froze them. What an awesome day, dinner and 5 more meals in the freezer in less than 90 minutes. You made my day!!! Thank you so much.
Penny Stone
0Wow!!!!!! Very, quick, easy, delicious! I have MS so following recipes has been very difficult for me. I need to make a 2 week menu so that I can cut down on waste from one day to the next. also so that I don’t get stressed out because I can be prepared in advance. This recipe will be on my list.
Karen Atkinson
0Can you use chicken broth instead of bone broth?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, Yes, any broth will work.
Renee
0This is a family favorite – it’s better than awesome. We have it frequently by request from my husband. Since I discovered this website, we at last have meals that are tasty and my husband is beginning to be interested in what we have and not what he can find at a fast food place.
Love the recipes and at last cooking is becoming enjoyable and not a drudge.
Emma Shaw-Lubeski
0Can this be prepared ahead of time, beef cooked put in fridge and cooked in oven later or even frozen?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Emma, Yes, you can make this ahead of time. You can find the full instructions on this in the post.
Emma Shaw-Lubeski
0Can this be cooked in the slow cooker?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Emma, There’s probably a way to do it, but I’ve only made it using this method so don’t have specific instructions. Let me know if it works for you!
Dodie Kirby
0I made this for the first time for dinner today and my husband and I both enjoyed it so much! I served it over cauliflower rice. This was such a tasty dish.
Suzie
0I needed a quick dish tonight for dinner. From prep to plate, we were able to eat in less than an hour. This dish was DELICIOUS! It was so creamy and flavorful. I doubled the smoked paprika and went with 6 ounces of cream cheese. Everyone loved it. This Philly Cheesesteak Casserole will definitely be on our new rotation.
Jeanne knight
0Looks yummy 😉 Could I do this in a crockpot?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Jeanne! I’ve only made it using the method I have here. It can probably be adapted to the Crock Pot.
Janice Wier
0I love this recipe! It was amazing! I’m disabled but I persevered. It was a two day process and well worth the pain. I don’t like to use frozen pepper strips, so I cut my own and that took a along time. Thank you for all your flavorful recipes!
Janet Hochstrasser
0Delicious. I added mushrooms tho. Still was very delicious. New recipe to add to collection. I like 30 minute dinners and not too many ingredients. Very good!
Tonya
0Really delicious!!