One Pot Philly Cheese Steak Pasta

Philly Cheese Steak Pasta is everything you love about the iconic sandwich—tender beef, caramelized onions, sweet peppers, and melty cheese—tossed with pasta in a rich, creamy sauce.

Love More Pasta Recipes? Try My Bowtie Pasta with Ground Beef or this Fiery Steak and Creamy Garlic Rotini next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Savory, creamy, and packed with flavor, this Philly Cheese Steak Pasta brings all the goodness of the classic sandwich to a comforting bowl. Tender beef, sautéed peppers, onions, and melty cheese come together with pasta for a hearty, one-pan meal. It’s rich, satisfying, and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.

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Ingredient List

For the Pasta and Beef:

• 12 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound beef sirloin or ribeye, thinly sliced into strips
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Vegetables:

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (optional but traditional)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

For the Cheese Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup heavy cream or whole milk
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese (or mix provolone and mozzarella)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For Garnish:

• Fresh parsley, chopped

Substitution Notes:

• Beef: Sirloin’s leaner if that’s your jam, but ribeye has more fat and flavor. Flank steak works too.
• Cheese: I mix provolone and mozzarella because I like the stretch factor. White American is legit if you want that authentic Philly shop vibe.
• Cream: Whole milk totally works if you’re not trying to go full indulgent mode.
• Pasta: Any short pasta’s fine—cavatappi, shells, whatever you’ve got.

Why These Ingredients Work

Ribeye or Sirloin: Ribeye’s fattier so it tastes richer, but sirloin won’t dry out on you either. Both slice really thin when you freeze them a bit first, which is key.

Provolone Cheese: This is what they use in Philly. It melts smooth, tastes slightly sharp, and doesn’t get weird and greasy.

Beef Broth: Water won’t cut it here. You need that savory depth to make the sauce taste like actual food and not just cream and cheese.

Worcestershire Sauce: It’s tangy, it’s savory, it’s got that je ne sais quoi that makes you go back for thirds.

Bell Peppers and Onions: These get sweet when you cook them down. That’s the flavor you remember from a real cheesesteak.

Butter and Flour Roux: This thickens everything up so the sauce actually sticks to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of your bowl.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large pot for boiling pasta
• Large skillet or sauté pan (12-inch is ideal)
• Whisk (for making the sauce smooth)
• Sharp knife (for slicing beef thinly)
• Cutting board
• Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• Colander
• Measuring cups and spoons

Pro tip: A Dutch oven lets you cook the pasta right in the sauce if you want to go full one-pot mode.

How To Make Philly Cheese Steak Pasta

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

Get your water boiling with a good amount of salt—like, more than you think. Cook the pasta about 1–2 minutes less than the box says because it’s going to cook more in the sauce later. Drain it and set it aside.

Step 2: Sear the Beef

Heat up your olive oil in a big skillet until it’s really hot. Season your beef with salt and pepper, then throw it in—but don’t crowd the pan. Cook it in batches if you need to. You want a brown crust on that meat, not steamed gray beef. About 2–3 minutes per batch. Move it to a plate when it’s done.

Step 3: Sauté the Vegetables

Same pan, don’t wash it. Toss in your onions, peppers, and mushrooms if you’re using them. Let them cook for 5–7 minutes until they’re soft and starting to brown. Then add the garlic for just a minute—burnt garlic tastes terrible so don’t walk away. Put all the veggies on the plate with your beef.

Step 4: Make the Creamy Cheese Sauce

Turn the heat down to medium and add your butter. Once it melts, whisk in the flour and keep stirring for a minute. Now slowly pour in the beef broth and cream while you whisk so you don’t get lumps. Let it simmer until it thickens up. Stir in the Worcestershire and Dijon if you’re using it. Taste it and add salt and pepper.

Step 5: Combine Everything and Melt the Cheese

Put the beef and veggies back in the pan with your cooked pasta. Mix it all up. Now dump in the provolone and Parmesan and keep tossing until the cheese melts into the sauce. It should look glossy and totally irresistible.

Step 6: Serve Hot

Sprinkle some parsley on top and extra Parmesan if you’re feeling it. Eat it while it’s hot.

You Must Know

The Freezer Trick: Stick your beef in the freezer for 15–20 minutes before you slice it. It firms up just enough to cut paper-thin without turning into mush.

Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Seriously, undercook it a little. It’s going to keep cooking in that hot sauce.

Save That Pasta Water: Scoop out a cup before you drain. If your sauce gets too thick later, that starchy water will fix it right up.

Personal Secret: I throw in an extra pat of butter at the very end. It makes the sauce shinier and tastes even richer.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• For Maximum Flavor: Sear the beef in batches. If you dump it all in at once, it steams and you lose that crust.
• Cheese Melting Trick: Take the pan off the heat before you add the cheese, then put it back on low. Prevents grainy cheese.
• Veggie Boost: Throw some baby spinach in at the end. It wilts right in and adds color.
• Common Mistake to Avoid: Don’t blast the heat after you add cream. Keep it at a simmer or it can break and look curdled.
• Smart Shortcut: Buy pre-sliced steak from the butcher if you can find it. Saves time and your knife skills.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Spicy Philly: Add jalapeños with the peppers, or throw in red pepper flakes with the garlic.

Pizza Steak Style: Stir Italian seasoning into the sauce and top with extra mozzarella and pepperoni before serving.

Loaded Philly: Cook bacon first, crumble it up, and toss it back in at the end.

Veggie Version: Skip the beef and load up on mushrooms, or add zucchini and eggplant.

White American Style: Swap the provolone for white American cheese. Some Philly shops swear by it, and it melts crazy smooth.

Extra Cheesy: Add cream cheese along with the other cheeses for an even creamier sauce.

Make-Ahead Options

This is really a make-it-and-eat-it kind of dish, but I get it—life happens.

Prep Ahead: Slice your beef, chop your vegetables, and shred your cheese the night before. Store everything separately in the fridge and you’ll fly through cooking the next day.

Partial Cook-Ahead: You can sear the beef and cook the vegetables up to 2 hours ahead. Just reheat when you make the sauce.

Not Freezer-Friendly: Cream sauces get weird when you freeze them. They separate and turn grainy when you thaw them out. Just eat it fresh or store leftovers in the fridge.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Pasta Shape Matters: Those ridged tubes like penne or rigatoni grab onto the sauce. Smooth pasta just lets it slide off.
• Broth Quality: Use decent beef broth or Better Than Bouillon. Cheap broth tastes like salty water.
• Cheese Temperature: Let your cheese sit out for a bit before you add it. Cold cheese can make the sauce seize up.
• Skillet Size: A 12-inch skillet is perfect. Too small and everything’s crowded, too big and your sauce spreads out too thin.

Serving Suggestions

This pasta’s pretty filling on its own, but I usually serve it with:

• A crisp Caesar salad or simple green salad with lemon dressing
• Garlic bread or Texas toast for sopping up the sauce
• Roasted broccoli or green beans on the side
• Tomato soup as a starter if I’m really going for it

When to Serve: It’s great for weeknight dinners, game day, or when you’ve got people over. Everyone always wants the recipe.

Garnish Ideas: Try banana peppers on top, a drizzle of hot sauce, or crispy fried onions for crunch.

How to Store Your Philly Cheese Steak Pasta

Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce gets thicker as it sits, which is normal.

Reheating: Warm it up on the stove over low heat with a splash of beef broth or cream to loosen the sauce. Stir it while it heats. You can microwave it too—just add a tablespoon of milk, cover it, and heat in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each one.

Freezing: Don’t do it. Cream sauces separate when frozen and the texture gets wonky.

Make It Last: The pasta soaks up liquid over time, so leftovers usually need extra broth or milk when you reheat them.

Allergy Information

Contains:

• Dairy (butter, cream, cheese)
• Wheat/Gluten (pasta, flour)
• Beef

Substitutions:

• Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free butter, coconut cream or cashew cream, and dairy-free cheese. It won’t be exactly the same but it’s still good.
• Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta and swap the flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch.
• Beef Alternative: Ground turkey or chicken works, though you’ll lose that Philly flavor. Plant-based steak strips are another option.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

My sauce turned out too thick—how do I fix it?

Add more beef broth or cream a few tablespoons at a time until it looks right. You can also use that pasta water I told you to save—the starch in it helps the sauce stick to the pasta.

What’s the best cheese for authentic Philly flavor?

I love provolone, but people in Philly argue about this constantly. Some swear by white American cheese, others use Cheez Whiz. For this pasta, I think provolone or a provolone-mozzarella mix tastes best and melts perfectly.

How do I prevent the cheese from getting clumpy?

Take the pan off high heat before you add cheese, shred your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded, and stir constantly as it melts. Room-temperature cheese helps too.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Tell me what you think, and if you switched anything up. Did you make it spicy? Go all-in on the cheese? Let me know!