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My Philly cheesesteak casserole recipe features shaved steak, caramelized peppers and onions, and heaps of melty cheese. It’s everything you love about the sandwich, just in a cozy casserole!
Need more comforting casserole recipes? Try my cauliflower casserole, tuna casserole, or broccoli cheese and rice casserole next.
Craving the flavors of a Philly cheesesteak but with the convenience of a casserole? I’ve got you covered.
For this easy dinner idea, I kept the best elements of a cheesesteak: thinly sliced beef, tender peppers and onions, and plenty of cheese. I skipped the bun because, let’s face it, it’s the least exciting part.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Minimal dishes. You’ll need one skillet to cook the filling and one baking dish to bake it off.
- Easy appetizer or main course. Serve it with crackers for a hearty dip, add rice for an all-in-one meal, or dare I say, pile it on hoagie rolls!
- Deceptively low carb. Which is why it’s one of my favorite undercover keto recipes!
- Make it ahead of time. When I’m hosting, I’ll get the casserole assembled in the afternoon. Before guests arrive, I’ll pop it in the oven. It’s that easy.
Ingredients needed
- Butter. To pan-fry the veggies. I prefer using unsalted butter so we can add more salt to taste later.
- Steak. For this recipe, I used sirloin because it’s lean and doesn’t leave much grease in the skillet. Top round, Denver steak, or skirt steak are inexpensive substitutes. For an authentic Philly, use well-marbled ribeye.
- Salt and black pepper. To season.
- Bell peppers and onions. I used a mix of red and green bell peppers.
- Garlic. For flavor. Use freshly minced garlic if possible, but garlic powder can be substituted.
- Cream cheese. The base of the cheese sauce. Stick with full-fat over reduced or fat-free since full-fat melts the smoothest.
- Half and half. To give the cheese sauce a silky texture. Milk can also be used.
- Cheddar cheese. Use freshly grated cheese as it melts more smoothly than the pre-shredded kind.
- Pepper jack cheese. For no heat, use shredded mozzarella cheese instead.
How to make Philly cheesesteak casserole
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Cook the steak. Preheat the oven. Melt butter in a large skillet and cook the steak until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
Step 2- Sauté the veggies. Add the veggies and cook until translucent. Whisk in the cream cheese and half and half. Simmer until creamy.
Step 3- Assemble. Add the steak, cheddar, and half of the pepper jack to the skillet. Stir to combine.
Step 4- Bake. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking dish, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, and bake until the top is golden.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Freeze the steak. This is one of the more underrated hacks I’ve discovered for easily slicing steak. Simply place it in the freezer for 15-30 minutes, then slice against the grain into the thinnest strips possible.
- Save time. When I’m on a time crunch, I’ll use pre-sliced steak or ask the butcher to shave it for me.
- Use an oven-safe skillet, so you have one less dish to wash!
- Make it ahead of time. Sauté the steak and veggies and build the cheese sauce. Store the covered casserole dish in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.
Variations
- Protein. Use shredded chicken breasts or lean ground beef. If you go with the latter, make sure to drain any excess grease from the ground beef mixture.
- Cheese. For a classic Philly, use provolone cheese and American cheese.
- Veggies. Sauté mushrooms with the peppers and onions or fold in spinach for some greens.
- Make it heartier. Fold in al dente pasta, cooked rice, or cauliflower rice into the casserole before baking for a more complete dinner.
Storage instructions
To store: After it cools, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To freeze: Store the cooled casserole in a shallow container for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat the casserole in a 350F oven, in a skillet over medium-high heat, or in the microwave for 30-second intervals.
More low carb comfort foods
Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 pounds sirloin steak sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 large bell peppers sliced
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons half-and-half or cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese divided
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- In a non-stick pan or skillet, add the butter and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the sliced sirloin steak and season with salt and pepper. Cook the steak until no longer pink. Remove the steak from the skillet.
- Add the bell peppers, onion, and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes, until they soften. Add the cream cheese and half-and-half and mix well. Bring everything to a simmer and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Add the steak back into the pan, along with half the cheddar cheese and half the pepper jack cheese, and mix well.
- Transfer the cheesesteak mixture into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published January 2023, updated and republished October 2024
This must be so creamy! I really like creamy food.
I made this was very good. My husband loved it!!!
Used lean ground beef, it is wonderful! Thank you!
Do you have any air fryer recipes?
I see pepper jack cheese in step 4, But I do not see it in the ingredients. Could you enlighten me, please?
Hi! Sorry, either of them works 🙂
Just a quick question. It probably doesn’t matter, but want to know what you intended. In the ingredients you say mozzarella cheese and in the instructions you say Jack cheese. Which did you intend?
Hi Chris! either works 🙂