There are some flavour combinations that are just meant to be, and for me, the holy trinity of tender seared beef, caramelised onions, and melted cheese is right at the top of that list. It’s the heart and soul of the iconic American Cheesesteak sandwich, a culinary marvel I fell head over heels for on a trip to Philadelphia. Back in my own kitchen, I knew I had to find a way to transform that unforgettable experience into a cosy, satisfying weeknight meal. The result is this Philly Cheese Steak Pasta Recipe, and I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s become one of my most requested dishes. Friends always ask me for this recipe after trying it at dinner parties.

This isn’t just beef and pasta; it’s a wonderfully rich and savoury dish where every element sings. We’re talking about thin slivers of steak seared to perfection, sweet onions and earthy mushrooms sautéed until they’re jammy and delicious, all brought together in a luxuriously creamy cheese sauce that coats every single piece of pasta. It’s the kind of meal that feels indulgent and special, yet it’s surprisingly straightforward to pull together on an ordinary Tuesday.

This cheese steak pasta is ideal for anyone who loves a hearty, flavour-packed dinner. It works beautifully for a family meal where you want something a bit more exciting than the usual, but it’s also impressive enough to serve when you have friends over. It’s a true celebration of savoury, creamy, and deeply satisfying flavours, and I can’t wait for you to try it.

Recipe Overview

This recipe transforms the classic flavours of a Philly cheesesteak into a creamy, dreamy pasta dish. Expect tender, savoury beef, sweet sautéed onions and mushrooms, all enveloped in a rich, velvety cheese sauce. When I was testing this, I found that a combination of Provolone and sharp Cheddar gives the sauce the perfect balance of melty stretch and tangy flavour, so don’t be tempted to use just one!

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Philly Cheese Steak Pasta Recipe

• Genuine Flavour: We’ve carefully layered the flavours to honour the original sandwich. The beef is richly savoury, the onions bring a lovely sweetness, and the two-cheese sauce provides a sharp, creamy tang that brings everything together.
• Ready in Under an Hour: From start to finish, this entire meal comes together in about 40 minutes, making it a fantastic option for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
• Flexible Recipe: You can easily adapt this to your liking. Add sliced green or red bell peppers along with the onions for extra veg, or switch out the sirloin for chicken breast if you prefer.
• Great for Cosy Nights In: This is the ultimate comforting pasta dinner. It’s warm, hearty, and just what you need on a chilly evening when you’re craving something substantial and delicious.
• Family Tested: My whole family adores this dish. The combination of creamy pasta and savoury beef is always a winner, and it always gets compliments when we serve it.

Philly Cheese Steak Pasta Recipe

⏱️ 15 min prep  •  🍳 30 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For this recipe, we’re using simple, high-quality ingredients to build that classic cheesesteak flavour. The key is to get a good sear on the beef and to build the sauce carefully. I find that using a good quality beef stock, like Knorr Rich Beef Stock Pots, really makes a difference to the depth of flavour in the final sauce.

• 400g sirloin or ribeye steak, very thinly sliced
• 300g dried rigatoni or penne pasta
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 250ml beef stock
• 200ml double cream
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 100g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
• 100g Provolone cheese, grated or sliced and torn
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Ashley’s Tip: For ultra-thin beef slices, pop your steak in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes before you plan to cook. This firms it up just enough to make slicing it paper-thin against the grain a breeze.

How to Make This Philly Cheese Steak Pasta Recipe

The process for this creamy beef pasta is all about building layers of flavour in one pan. We’ll start by cooking the pasta, then searing the beef, sautéing the veg, and finally building that glorious cheese sauce before bringing it all together.

1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a cupful) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Sear the Beef: While the pasta is cooking, pat the thinly sliced steak dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan or skillet over a high heat. Once shimmering, add the steak in a single layer (work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding) and sear for 1-2 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
3. Sauté the Vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced onion to the same pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to caramelise. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes until they’ve released their liquid and are turning golden brown.
4. Build the Flavour Base: Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle the plain flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste.
5. Create the Sauce: Slowly pour in the beef stock, stirring constantly to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for a minute to thicken slightly. Stir in the double cream and Worcestershire sauce, then bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Melt the Cheese: Reduce the heat to low. Add the grated Cheddar and Provolone cheeses to the pan. I find that stirring gently and consistently until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth works best here. Avoid letting the sauce boil, as this can cause it to split. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
7. Combine Everything: Return the seared beef (and any juices from the plate) to the sauce. Add the drained pasta to the pan.
8. Finish and Serve: Toss everything together until the pasta and beef are completely coated in the creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it to your desired consistency. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if you like.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control is Key: You need a screaming hot pan to get a beautiful brown crust on the beef without overcooking it. Conversely, when you add the cheese, the heat should be very low to ensure the sauce stays silky and doesn’t become grainy.
• The Secret Step: I learned that holding back some of that starchy pasta water is a game-changer for any creamy pasta dish. The starch helps the sauce emulsify and cling perfectly to every noodle, creating a much more cohesive final result.
• Make-Ahead Prep: To get ahead, you can slice the steak, onion, and mushrooms up to a day in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. This makes the cooking process feel much quicker.
• Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, I recommend warming it gently in a pan over a low heat with a splash of milk or beef stock to bring back its creamy consistency.

Equipment You’ll Need

You don’t need any special gadgets for this recipe, just some basic kitchen essentials. For another great one-pan dinner idea, check out my recipe for Stuffed Peppers With Rice.

• Large pot for boiling pasta
• Colander
• Large, heavy-based frying pan or skillet
• Tongs or a pasta fork
• Sharp knife and cutting board

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcrowding the Pan: When searing the beef, it’s vital to do it in batches if your pan isn’t big enough. Overcrowding will steam the meat instead of searing it, and you’ll miss out on the deep, savoury flavour from a proper brown crust. For a deeper dive into this, Serious Eats has a great guide on the science of searing meat.
• Cutting the Beef Too Thick: The magic of a cheesesteak is the tender, paper-thin beef. If you cut it too thick, it can become tough and chewy. Use the freezer tip I mentioned earlier and take your time to slice it as thinly as you possibly can against the grain.
• Boiling the Cheese Sauce: Never let a cream and cheese-based sauce come to a rolling boil. High heat can cause the dairy to curdle and separate, resulting in a grainy, oily texture. Keep the heat low and stir gently for a smooth, velvety finish.

What to Serve With This Philly Cheese Steak Pasta

This is a wonderfully complete meal on its own, but a couple of simple sides can elevate it further. If you’re planning a bigger meal with another meat course, consider these Grilled Lamb Chops.

• Garlic Bread: A few slices of warm, crusty garlic bread are fantastic for mopping up any leftover creamy cheese sauce from the plate.
• Simple Green Salad: A crisp green salad with a sharp lemon vinaigrette offers a fresh, acidic contrast that cuts through the richness of the pasta beautifully.
• Drink Pairing: A medium-bodied red wine like a Merlot complements the savoury beef perfectly. For a beer option, a classic British ale or a lager works very well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Philly Cheese Steak Pasta Recipe

A rich and creamy pasta dish that captures the classic flavors of a Philly cheesesteak, featuring tender seared steak, caramelized onions, and a savory provolone and cheddar cheese sauce.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 940

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 400 g sirloin or ribeye steak very thinly sliced
• 300 g dried rigatoni or penne pasta
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white onion thinly sliced
• 200 g chestnut mushrooms sliced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 250 ml beef stock
• 200 ml double cream
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 100 g mature Cheddar cheese grated
• 100 g Provolone cheese grated or sliced and torn
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)

Method

 

1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a cupful) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Sear the Beef: While the pasta is cooking, pat the thinly sliced steak dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan or skillet over a high heat. Once shimmering, add the steak in a single layer (work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding) and sear for 1-2 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
3. Sauté the Vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced onion to the same pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to caramelise. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes until they've released their liquid and are turning golden brown.
4. Build the Flavour Base: Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle the plain flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste.
5. Create the Sauce: Slowly pour in the beef stock, stirring constantly to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for a minute to thicken slightly. Stir in the double cream and Worcestershire sauce, then bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Melt the Cheese: Reduce the heat to low. Add the grated Cheddar and Provolone cheeses to the pan. I find that stirring gently and consistently until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth works best here. Avoid letting the sauce boil, as this can cause it to split. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
7. Combine Everything: Return the seared beef (and any juices from the plate) to the sauce. Add the drained pasta to the pan.
8. Finish and Serve: Toss everything together until the pasta and beef are completely coated in the creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it to your desired consistency. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if you like.

Notes

For the best texture, don't forget to reserve some starchy pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency before serving. The steak is best when sliced very thinly against the grain.

I really hope you enjoy making this Philly Cheese Steak Pasta Recipe. It’s a dish that brings so much warmth and flavour to the dinner table, and it’s become a firm favourite in my house. If you do give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Please leave a comment below and let me know! Happy cooking, Ashley.