Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
Published March 13, 2023 • Updated March 5, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
I turned the classic keto Philly cheesesteak sandwich into a casserole because sometimes I want that beefy, cheesy flavor without fussing over bread. I brown ground beef with Worcestershire sauce and spices, toss in sliced peppers and onions, stir in cream cheese, then blanket the whole thing with provolone and Colby Jack. One skillet, 30 minutes, done.
I specifically chose ground beef over shaved ribeye because I always have it in the freezer and it cooks faster on a weeknight. It’s budget-friendly too. The three-cheese blend gives this so much richness that you really won’t miss the steak. I’ve made it both ways, and my family reaches for the ground beef version every time.
The three cheeses each do a different job. Cream cheese melts into a creamy sauce that coats every bite of beef and peppers. Provolone slices go on top like a blanket, covering the meat layer completely. Then I sprinkle Colby Jack over everything for that golden, bubbly crust you see in the photos. I tested this specific combo for this recipe, and it’s the one I keep coming back to.
What I like about this dish is how forgiving it is. Swap the green peppers for any color you have on hand. Throw in sliced mushrooms if you want more bulk. Use ground turkey if that’s what’s in the fridge (it works, several readers have confirmed this). The cheese carries the flavor no matter what protein you use.
This is one of those low carb dinners I rotate with taco casserole and skillet lasagna when I need something fast and filling. If you like this kind of one-pan comfort food, my hamburger helper is another one that hits the same notes. All of them clean up in minutes.
The whole thing freezes beautifully. I prep it through the cheese layer, let everything cool, wrap it tight, and store for up to 3 months. Pull it out the night before, thaw in the fridge, and bake as directed. I keep two of these in the freezer at all times because they reheat in the microwave in about 90 seconds and taste just as good the next day.
I use a cast iron skillet for this because it goes straight from the stovetop to the oven. If your skillet isn’t ovenproof, just transfer everything to a baking dish before the cheese goes on. Either way, drain off any excess liquid first. The peppers and onions release moisture as they cook, and leaving it in makes the casserole watery instead of thick and scoopable.
How I make this casserole
The whole recipe comes together in one skillet. I brown the beef, season it, cook the peppers and onions right in the same pan, then stir in cream cheese. Layer provolone and Colby Jack on top and bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes until bubbly.
Skillet tip: If the pan gets crowded when you add the vegetables, cover it. They’ll soften in half the time.
What to serve with this casserole
This is a full meal by itself, but here’s how I stretch it:
- Over riced cauliflower (soaks up the cheese sauce)
- With a simple cucumber salad on the side
- Scooped over spaghetti noodles
- Alongside sheet pan fajitas for a bigger spread
- Diced small and scooped as a dip with veggies
Explore hundreds of keto recipe videos with step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks to make keto easy.
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef -
1 teaspoon salt
-
1 teaspoon garlic powder
-
1 teaspoon onion powder
-
½ teaspoon black pepper
-
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
-
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
-
1 green bell pepper, sliced
-
1 red bell pepper, sliced
-
1 yellow onion, sliced
-
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
-
8 slices provolone cheese
-
½ cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook & season beef
Add ground beef to a large skillet heated to medium-high heat. Crumble and cook the ground beef until almost browned. Add salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, red pepper flakes (if using) and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine and continue to cook until ground beef is browned.
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Cook the veggies
Add sliced bell peppers and onions. Stir to combine and cook until softened.
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
Layer the cheese
Once vegetables have softened, stir in cubed cream cheese. Transfer to a casserole dish or keep the same skillet if oven proof. Leave or strain any excess moisture behind. Top with sliced provolone cheese to evenly cover ground beef mixture. Sprinkle on shredded cheese.
- 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
- 8 slices provolone cheese
- ½ cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
Bake until bubbly
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
Your Macros. Your Recipes. Calculated in 60 Seconds.
Get personalized keto macros and instantly see which recipes fit your targets. No more guessing what to eat.
Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use shaved ribeye steak instead of ground beef?
I've made this with shaved ribeye and it works, but I keep coming back to ground beef. Ribeye needs to be sliced paper-thin or it gets chewy in a casserole. If you go that route, sear the steak fast over high heat and don't overcook it. I slice against the grain into thin strips, cook for about 2 minutes per side, then build the casserole the same way.
How many net carbs are in this casserole?
I keep the carbs low by skipping the bread entirely and letting the three cheeses do the work. The peppers and onions are the main carb sources, and they're minimal once cooked down. I always check my macros and this fits comfortably into my daily targets. Check the recipe card below for exact numbers per serving.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
I haven't published a full slow cooker version of this exact recipe, but I've done similar beef-and-pepper dishes in the Crock-Pot. Brown the beef first on the stove (you need that sear), then add the seasoned beef, peppers, onions, and cream cheese to the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours. Add provolone and Colby Jack in the last 15 minutes with the lid on so the cheese melts. You won't get the bubbly oven crust, but the flavor is all there.
How do I clean a cast iron skillet after a cheesy recipe?
I use a chain mail scrubber on my cast iron after cheesy recipes. Let the skillet cool a bit, run hot water in it, and scrub. The cheese comes right off. I never use soap on my cast iron. After scrubbing, I dry it on the burner over low heat and wipe a thin layer of oil on with a paper towel. Two minutes and it's ready for next time.
Can I substitute coconut aminos for Worcestershire sauce?
Reader Valerie tried this and I backed it up in the comments. Coconut aminos are slightly sweeter than Worcestershire, but the provolone and Colby Jack cover the salt anyway, so the balance stays right. I use the same amount (1 tablespoon). I keep coconut aminos in my pantry for exactly this kind of swap.
Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?
Ground turkey works well here. I've tested it, and reader Nicole confirmed the same thing. The key is the Worcestershire sauce and cream cheese. They carry the flavor so the leaner meat doesn't taste flat. I add an extra pinch of salt since turkey is milder than beef.
Is this casserole dairy-free friendly?
Not in its current form since I use three cheeses. I've experimented with dairy-free cream cheese as the base, and it melts OK but the flavor is noticeably different. If I'm cooking dairy-free, I'd rather make my keto beef and broccoli instead. It's naturally dairy-free and has that same satisfying beef flavor.
the 5-year-old had it for breakfast, not even mad
Cream cheese base came together way faster than I expected. Wondering if provolone would work on top or if it really needs the American for that melt.
That's already what I use - 8 slices of provolone on top. Melts into the Colby Jack underneath.
My son picked every bell pepper out of his first serving, then quietly added them back in for seconds. That never happens. I don't know what the Worcestershire sauce does in here but it converted him.
That quiet seconds detail gets me. The Worcestershire adds this savory depth that makes the peppers taste like they belong there instead of something to pick around. One tablespoon and the whole pan tastes connected.
Philly cheesesteak was the one thing I couldn't make peace with losing on keto. Kept putting this off because I didn't want to be disappointed. Made it Sunday. The cream cheese stirring into the beef and peppers does something I wasn't expecting. Really glad this recipe exists.
That cream cheese moment is what I kept coming back to when I was testing this. It coats everything instead of just sitting on top.
Made this Tuesday with two pounds of ground beef I needed to use up and wasn't sure what else to try. When the Worcestershire sauce hit the skillet my wife came out of the other room asking what I was cooking, which she never does. She finished her plate before I even sat down, then went back to check if there was anything left before I had a chance to wrap it up. I'm still pretty new to cooking so the one-skillet setup was the whole reason I picked this, and the cream cheese step looked a little questionable for about a minute before it melted into the beef and peppers and became the whole dish. Double batch next time so she actually gets lunch out of it.
Cut the cream cheese into half-inch cubes and let it sit out for 20 minutes before adding it to the skillet. It melts into the beef so much faster and more evenly, no clumps fighting you at the stir. I also threw in a handful of sliced cremini mushrooms with the bell peppers and they soaked up all the Worcestershire and seasoning. Third time making this in six weeks and those two changes are staying permanent.
Cremini with the Worcestershire is a good call. They pull in flavor where the bell peppers just soften. I usually cube straight from the fridge but 20 minutes out probably does make that stirring step a lot cleaner.
Made this for a Sunday dinner (just us two, no occasion) and my husband, who has strong opinions about Philly cheesesteaks being a sandwich thing, ate it without complaint. The cream cheese folded into the beef in a way that felt richer, not like a casserole shortcut.
Ha. 'Without complaint' from a Philly purist is five stars.
Never made a casserole before, and the cream cheese step genuinely worried me, but it melted into everything and the whole thing came out better than expected (my peppers were a little overdone, but that's on me).
That cream cheese moment is the one everyone panics about. And then it just works. Thicker slices on the peppers next time, they hold up better.
Doing meal prep this weekend and I'm obsessed with this recipe, can I put it all together Saturday and just bake it Sunday morning or will the cream cheese do something funky overnight?
Cold start just adds 5 minutes to the bake. Cream cheese is totally fine overnight, if anything it comes together better once everything sits.
Does the cream cheese need to be softened first or can I just cube it straight from the fridge? I've never cooked with it in a hot skillet before and I don't want it to clump up weirdly.
Cold cubes work fine. The skillet heat melts it down fast once you start stirring it into the beef. I never bother softening mine.
My son has this thing where he excavates every bite for bell peppers and lines them up on the side of his plate. Made this on a random Wednesday with zero expectations, and he cleaned his bowl without a single complaint. I watched him the whole dinner waiting for it. The peppers cook down so much in the skillet phase that I think they just sort of disappear into everything, which is the only explanation I have. I'm still pretty new to keto cooking so I was genuinely nervous about the cream cheese layer, but it pulls the whole thing together in a way I didn't see coming. I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 only because I let mine go the full 15 minutes and the top got a little dry (my oven runs hot, should have pulled it at 12), but the Worcestershire sauce flavor underneath was so good that it didn't matter. Doubling the batch next time.
12 is the right call when your oven runs hot. The provolone goes from melted to dried out pretty fast once it hits that point. A pepper excavator who cleaned his bowl without a word - that's the review I needed.
This is my fourth time through this. Somewhere between batch two and three I started messing with the bell pepper ratio (less yellow, more red) and something in the flavor just clicked. Also got impatient one night and left the beef in the pan longer before crumbling it, ended up with little crispy edges scattered throughout, and I haven't gone back since. The Worcestershire sauce plus that caramelization, I didn't see that coming. Four stars because I'm still dialing in the cream cheese amount (I like it a little less rich, been dropping it by a tablespoon each time), but the bones of this are solid. Going to try sliced mushrooms next run.
That caramelized beef thing is real. The Worcestershire hits the browned bits differently when they've had a minute to crust up. Mushrooms with the peppers, yes.
My husband finished his bowl before I sat down. For a casserole, that never happens. The cream cheese works into the beef and peppers in a way that doesn't feel like a shortcut.
It's the layering. Cream cheese into the beef, provolone on top, Colby Jack underneath. That's what makes it taste like more than 30 minutes.
Almost skipped this. Ground beef for a Philly felt like a downgrade. The Worcestershire with the cream cheese does something weird though, gets this savory almost-glossy richness I wasn't expecting. I've had actual cheesesteaks from places that know what they're doing, and this held up. Went back for more, which was not the plan.
Yeah, that glossy richness is the Worcestershire pulling the beef fat and cream cheese together. Ribeye doesn't do it the same way - needs to be paper-thin in a casserole or it gets chewy anyway, which is why I stick with ground.
Used ground turkey instead of beef (it was all I had) and was nervous it would taste flat, but the Worcestershire and cream cheese saved it. Going in the weeknight rotation.
Turkey works because the cream cheese fills in for the fat. Worcestershire handles the rest.