I absolutely love a good Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. There is something about the simple classic flavors of beef, bell peppers, and onions that make a magical meal.
A while ago I had this idea to combine my love of the flavors of Philly Cheesesteak with my love of cheese filled pastas. Skirt steak would also be delicious, but I chose ground beef to help this meal stay more budget friendly. This is perfect for a weeknight meal, and can even be made ahead of time or frozen, it may just require a little bit longer bake time.
I hope you love this simple, yet hearty, meal!
Why You’ll Love This Philly Cheesesteak Tortellini Bake
- All the classic flavors of a Philly cheesesteak (beef, bell peppers, onions and lots of provolone) baked into one cheesy casserole.
- Budget friendly thanks to ground beef.
- Perfect for busy weeknights, and you can make it ahead of time.
- Cheese tortellini in a creamy provolone sauce. Need I say more?
Ingredient Notes
- Ground beef: I chose ground beef to keep this budget friendly, but thinly sliced skirt steak would also be delicious.
- Tortellini: Refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini both work great in this recipe.
- Provolone: I use non-smoked provolone. Check the recipe notes below for how much to use in the sauce vs. on top.
- Mushrooms: Not a mushroom hater like my family? Add sliced mushrooms with the peppers and onions (see the recipe notes for details).
How to Make It Ahead
Assemble the whole casserole up until the baking step, then cover and refrigerate it overnight. When you’re ready to eat, bake as directed, adding an extra 10-15 minutes since it’s going into the oven cold.
Can You Freeze It?
I haven’t frozen this one yet, but here’s how I would do it: assemble everything up until baking, cover it tightly and freeze. When you’re ready to bake, you can either thaw it in the fridge overnight and bake as usual, or bake it straight from frozen. Cover it with foil for about 45 minutes, then uncover and bake for about 15 more minutes until it’s hot and bubbly.
What to Serve With It
I usually serve this with some sort of bread and a side of fruit or salad. For a fun summer side, try it with my Cowboy Caviar!
Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteak Tortellini Bake
Ingredients
Ground Beef Mixture
- 1 to 1½ pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- ½ onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons steak seasoning
- ¾ cup beef broth
Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 8 slices provolone cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- Salt & pepper to taste
Tortellini & Topping
- 36 oz package refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
- 4 slices provolone cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F
Ground Beef Mixture
- On medium heat, brown ground beef in a skillet until no longer pink, drain grease.1 to 1½ pounds ground beef
- Add minced garlic, bell peppers, onion and seasonings and stir for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions just start to look soft.1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, ½ onion, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 2 teaspoons steak seasoning
- Add beef broth and simmer while you start on the cheese sauce. About 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.¾ cup beef broth
Cheese Sauce
- In a medium sized pot, melt butter and add the minced garlic over medium-low heat. Cook and stir for 1 minute.2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Stir in worcestershire sauce. Add in cream cheese and stir until it melts and combines with the other ingridients.1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce, 4 oz cream cheese
- Whisk in the milk, about ¼ cup at a time, until all combined. Add in about 8 provolone cheese slices and 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is fully melted. Add salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat.1 cup milk, 8 slices provolone cheese, 1 cup parmesan cheese, Salt & pepper
Assembly
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray and add in your uncooked tortellini noodles. Pour in the cheese sauce and mix.36 oz package refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
- Remove beef mixture from heat. There should still be liquid left in the pan, the noodles will absorb that as they cook. Add the beef mixture to the pan and stir it in with the tortellini and cheese sauce. Mix well and ensure that all noodles are covered.
- Tear up your remaining slices of provolone cheese and arrange evenly across the top. Sprinke on parmesean cheese. Optional, sprinkle on just a bit more of the steak seasoning over the top.4 slices provolone cheese, ½ cup parmesan cheese
- Bake at 350 °F for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving and enjoy!