Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
Philly cheesesteak pasta recipe with ground beef, peppers, onions, and a creamy provolone finish, made in one pot. An easy weeknight dinner.
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Philly Cheesesteak Pasta is the dinner that gives you every flavor of the classic sandwich without a trip to a specialty roll or a griddle full of thinly sliced steak. Ground beef, peppers, and onions simmer with pasta right in the same pot, then get finished with melted provolone for that unmistakable cheesesteak taste. It’s the kind of dinner that tastes like a Philadelphia food truck even though it never leaves one pot on your own stove.
Using ground beef instead of shaved steak is what makes this a genuine weeknight recipe instead of a special-occasion one. There’s no meat to slice paper-thin or freeze partway first, just beef that browns in the same pot everything else cooks in. Worcestershire sauce and beef broth do the job steak drippings usually would, giving the sauce that same savory, slightly beefy backbone a good cheesesteak needs.
Provolone is what actually makes this taste like a Philly cheesesteak instead of just beef and peppers over pasta, so don’t swap it out if you can help it. A little cream cheese stirred in alongside it keeps the sauce silky instead of stringy, and it holds up better as leftovers than a straight cheese-only sauce would.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Real cheesesteak flavor. Peppers, onions, and provolone hit the same notes as the classic sandwich.
- Ground beef, not sliced steak. No thin-slicing or specialty cuts, just beef you brown in the pot.
- One pot, easy cleanup. The pasta cooks right in the beefy broth alongside everything else.
- A creamy, cheesy finish. Provolone and a little cream cheese melt into a sauce that clings to every bite.
Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Ingredients
Provolone melts smoother when it’s torn or chopped by hand rather than shredded on a box grater. The slightly uneven pieces melt into pockets throughout the sauce instead of clumping in one spot, and deli-sliced provolone from the cheese counter tears apart more easily than a block straight from the fridge.
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (85/15)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 12 oz rotini pasta, uncooked
- 4 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 8 oz provolone, torn or chopped
Recipe Variations
- Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms with the peppers and onions for an even closer match to a loaded cheesesteak.
- Swap the green bell pepper for a mix of green and red for a little more sweetness.
- No provolone on hand? White American or mozzarella both melt well as a substitute.
How to Make Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
- Brown the beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion and bell pepper, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 8 minutes. Drain off the excess grease.
- Add the garlic: Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build the broth: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook the pasta in the pot: Stir in the rotini, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Melt in the cheese: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream cheese until smooth, then add the provolone in batches, stirring until fully melted.
- Serve: Serve warm, straight from the pot.
Recipe FAQs
Why Ground Beef Instead of Steak?
Ground beef browns fast and doesn’t need thin-slicing or a specialty cut, which makes this a genuine weeknight version. It still picks up the same peppers, onions, and provolone flavor as the classic sandwich, just in a lot less time and without a butcher trip.
Can I Add Mushrooms?
Yes, sliced mushrooms are a common addition to a cheesesteak and they work well here. Cook them along with the peppers and onions so they soften at the same rate and release their liquid before the pasta goes in.
My Provolone Turned Stringy or Clumped Together Instead of Melting Smoothly. What Happened?
The heat was probably too high, or the cheese went in all at once. Keep the heat low and add the provolone in a few batches, stirring each addition in before adding more, the same way you’d melt cheese into a fondue.
Can I Use a Different Cheese?
Provolone gives the most authentic cheesesteak flavor, but white American and mozzarella both melt well if that’s what you have.
Can I Double This, and What Should I Serve It With?
Yes, use your largest pot and add a few extra minutes for the pasta to cook through. It doesn’t need much alongside it, though a simple side salad or garlic bread rounds it out.
Cooking Tips
- Dice the peppers and onion about the same size as each other so they cook through evenly and neither one turns to mush before the other softens.
- Add the provolone in a few small batches instead of all at once, it melts in smoother that way and you’re less likely to end up with a stringy clump in the middle.
- Taste before adding extra salt, both the broth and Worcestershire sauce already bring plenty, and the provolone adds a little more on top of that.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Freezing isn’t ideal, the provolone and cream cheese sauce can turn a little grainy once thawed.
To reheat: Warm in a pot over medium-low heat with a splash of broth, or microwave in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each.
How to Serve Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
Philly Cheesesteak Pasta doesn’t need much alongside it since the peppers and onions are already built in, though a simple side salad or a piece of garlic bread rounds out the meal. It’s also a good one to portion into containers for lunches the next day, the flavors hold up well reheated.
Loved This Recipe?
Philly Cheesesteak Pasta gets everyone the flavor of the sandwich without anyone standing over a griddle to make it happen.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef 85/15
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 12 oz rotini pasta uncooked
- 4 oz cream cheese cubed and softened
- 8 oz provolone torn or chopped
Instructions
- Brown the beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion and bell pepper, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 8 minutes. Drain off the excess grease.
- Add the garlic: Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build the broth: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook the pasta in the pot: Stir in the rotini, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Melt in the cheese: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream cheese until smooth, then add the provolone in batches, stirring until fully melted.
- Serve: Serve warm, straight from the pot.
