I love a good Philly Cheesesteak, or any other type of steak and cheese for that matter, so this is one of my all time favorites.
The idea for a Philly cheesesteak mac and cheese was floating around in my brain for a good year before I finally got around to making it. Mostly because every time I mentioned it the kids would turn their noses up at it. Not because they didn’t like Philly Cheesesteaks, heck, they had never even had one, but because it was new and different and they’re kids, so that means it must be disgusting!
I finally got my chance one Friday night when we were low on groceries. Like really, really, really low. The only protein we had left in the refrigerator was a pound of ground beef, and the only veggies were one onion and one green pepper. We were, however, fully stocked up on cheese, which is a good thing or else I couldn’t have pulled this off!
Long story short, the recipe was a hit and it has been added into the regular rotation of dinners at the Murphy house! This Philly cheesesteak mac and cheese recipe has all of your favorites, savory and delicious beef, sweet peppers and onions, and a creamy cheese sauce all combined with a perfect pasta.
Pick Your Pasta Wisely
The key to making a great Philly cheesesteak mac and cheese, in my opinion, is all about picking the right pasta for the job. I like nice bold pasta with some twists and curls in it to hold onto all of that cheese. My go to for any mac and cheese is the Barilla brand Cellentani. It’s nice an thick, has good texture and has lots of curlicues! You can click on the picture below to link to the manufacturers website if you want to read more:
OK, Let’s get Cooking!
A Few Helpful Hints to Help you make our Sweet and Fluffy Cornbread!
- Be sure to cook your pasta to JUST al dente. No more! It will continue to cook in the pot a bit after you drain it. You don’t want the pasta too soft or it will just disintegrate when you try to mix everything together.
- Slice the onions the long way from top to bottom. If you cut them across the grain it will make them taste more bitter. If you cut them from north to south they will stay nice and sweet!
- Use my “Baking Soda Ground Beef Trick” found here for nice, tender, not dried out ground beef!
- Don’t season the beef until it’s 80% done and you’ve drained the pan. If you season before you drain, you’ll pour away all that nice seasoning with the excess liquid.
✅ Quick Tips: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use ground beef?
No, you can use steak or even chicken if you want to. I use ground beef because it’s the easiest for a quick meal.
Can I make this the night before?
Absolutely! Let it cool completely and put it in an airtight container to preserve freshness. It will be good for 2 days after cooking. Reheat over low heat and add a little milk if necessary to loosen up the cheese sauce.
What do you recommend serving with these?
I like to serve this with a nice piece of buttered Italian bread or a nice roll. It really ties together with the whole Philly cheesesteak mac and cheese idea.
Philly Cheesesteak Mac and Cheese
Description
Perfect cooked pasta, seasoned beef, sweet onions and peppers all combined in a perfectly smooth and delicious homemade cheese sauce. The perfect meal for any night!
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
Cheese Sauce Ingredients
Philly Cheesesteak Mac and Cheese Instructions
Prep Time!
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Prep the Ground Beef
Prepare the ground beef with the baking soda trick found here.
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Prep the Onions and Peppers
Slice the pepper into long strips from north to south then slice them in half so you end up with short strips. Slice the onion from north to south into wedges approximately 1/4" wide at the outside. Take 4 wedges and dice them very fine and set aside for use in the cheese sauce.
While your at it take your serrano pepper, cut it in half the long way and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Then dice it very finely and set it aside as well.
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Shred the Cheese
Shred all of the cheese and place into a large bowl. Set aside.
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Prep the Pasta
Cook the pasta per the manufacturers recommendations till its just al dente. Return the pasta to the same pan you boiled it in and add 4 TBS of salted butter and stir to coat. Cover the pot to keep the pasta warm.
Cooking Instructions
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Cook the Ground Beef
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 TBS of high temp cooking oil. Add the ground beef and cook about 80% done, it should still be slightly pink in spots. Drain the pan if necessary. Add the onion powder, salt, paprika and white pepper and mix well. Continue cooking until beef is cooked through. Once done, set beef aside. -
Cook the Veggies
After removing the beef from the pan add the peppers and onions and cook until just tender and the onions start to become translucent. They should be soft but still a little crisp when you bite into them. Remove from pan and set aside. -
Make the Cheese Sauce
Add the finely diced onion and serrano pepper to the pan. Cook on medium heat until onion is translucent and very soft. Add 2 TBS of butter and stir until fully melted. Add the all purpose flour and stir thoroughly until fully combined with the butter. Reduce heat to low. Slowly add the heavy cream a little bit at a time, stirring in between, and fully incorporate it with the butter and flower mixture. Add all of the cheeses, stir and fold continuously until all of the cheese is melted. Add 1/2 cup of milk to thin the mixture and check consistency, if the sauce still seems too thick add more milk. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until everything is hot and fully melted together.
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Combine
Pour the cheese sauce into the pasta and mix well with a large spoon. Add the peppers and onions, again mixing well. Finally, stir in the ground beef. Serve with a side of your favorite bread and enjoy!
