These Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Shells are filling, delicious, and cheesy. Each shell is stuffed with a flavorful ground beef and veggie mixture. Then, they’re covered in an ooey-gooey, rich cheese sauce. Serve these stuffed shells with a loaf of crusty bread for a comforting meal.
These Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells are quick to prep (20 minutes) and uber tasty! You’ll need minimal kitchen tools to craft this cheesy pasta dish. This is the best Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells recipe, as it’s creamy, decadent, spicy, and relatively hands-off once the dish is in the oven.
If you’ve got steak on the mind, try making these other tasty dishes during the week: Bavette Steaks, Picanha Steak, or Steak Street Tacos.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy – You’ll only need a baking dish, cheese grater, and whisk for this recipe.
- Flavorful – Ingredients like fresh garlic, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce help create a bold flavor.
- Cheesy – Made with three types of cheese, every bite of this dish is cheesy and delicious.
- Spicy – Adding jalapeños to this recipe means there’s a kick of heat in each bite.
- Comforting – The decadent cheese sauce and ground beef filling make this meal great for gloomy days.
- Budget-friendly – By using ground beef instead of steak, I’ve kept this Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells dish more wallet-friendly.
- Great for lunches – The leftovers reheat well, so it’s a great dish to enjoy for meals throughout the week.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Cheddar Cheese: If you don’t have cheddar (or don’t like cheddar), you can use nearly any type of melty cheese. A few of my favorites to include in Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells are pepper jack, colby jack, Monterey jack, or mozzarella cheese.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Shells
Quick Overview
- Cook Shells.
- Stuff shells.
- Layer with sauce.
- Bake.
Step by Step Instructions
Keep the pasta al dente so it does not become mushy in the oven.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (for the shells). While the water heats, melt 1 Tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Sauté for another 2 minutes. Lastly, add the peppers, onions, garlic, Worcestershire, and ketchup. Cook until most of the water has evaporated from the vegetables. Set aside.
Step 2: While the meat finishes cooking, cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the instructions on the package in salted water. (For reference, mine says to cook for 9 minutes, so I boil it for 8 minutes).
Step 3: In a medium saucepan, melt 3 Tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until a smooth paste forms. Add the milk and whisk until the mixture begins to thicken and simmer.
Step 4: Turn the heat to low. Stir in the salt, American cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted. Stir in the jalapeños.
Ensure you grease the baking dish to make serving easier.
Step 5: Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Pour about 1 cup of the cheese sauce into the bottom. Stuff each shell with beef filling. Place into the dish.
Step 6: Pour the remaining sauce on top.
Step 7: Sprinkle the cheddar cheese cubes on top.
Step 8: Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges begin to bubble.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish these Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells with chopped parsley, an extra sprinkle of cheese (like parmesan cheese), and jalapeño slices.
I love serving Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells with ground beef with a fresh salad to add more nutrients to the meal. Here are a few ideas:
Expert Tips
- Use American cheese. Many restaurants use American cheese for Philly cheesesteaks. For a more authentic flavor, don’t skip the American cheese in this dish. American cheese also provides an extra ooey-gooeyness to the recipe.
- Shred all of the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent on it. Meaning it won’t melt as well when it’s heated. The best option is buying blocks of cheese and shredding it right before adding it to the recipe.
- Salt the pasta water. It’s always a good idea to salt pasta water for recipes. It helps keep the noodles from sticking and adds flavor to the pasta.
- Cook off all excess water from the vegetables. If you don’t cook the excess moisture from the veggies, you’ll have a watery dish. The goal of this Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells dish is to be creamy, cheesy, and rich. So, you want to minimize the moisture from the mushrooms and bell peppers as much as possible.
- Do not overcook the shells. Only cook the shells until they’re al dente before stuffing them and placing them in the baking dish. If you cook them longer, they’re more likely to become mushy in the oven.
Additions & Variations
- Ground turkey or chicken: If you want a slightly lighter recipe, use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef. Both are typically lower in fat. Follow the recipe as noted, but swap out turkey or chicken for beef in a 1:1 ratio.
- Save time & don’t stuff the jumbo pasta shells: If you’re tight on time but still want to make Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells, you can layer the meat mixture, pasta, and delicious cheese sauce instead. You’ll still get a delicious dish, and you’ll save a few minutes not stuffing the shells.
- Make ahead: You can also create this as a make-ahead dish. Prep the sauce, stuff the shells, and assemble the day before. Then, cover in foil. When you’re ready for fresh stuffed shells, pop them in the oven and heat them according to the above directions.
- Individual servings: Make this recipe easier to take for lunches by turning it into individual servings. Grease eight ramekins and place 1/8 of the mixture (and sauce) into each dish. They should take about 8-10 minutes to bake.
Recipe FAQs
If you’re making Philly cheesesteak sandwiches instead of these Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells, it’s important to select the right cut of meat. Another secret to a great sandwich is selecting a good cheese.
There is a large debate in the Philly cheesesteak community over the best cheese. It’s a tie between American cheese, provolone cheese, and Cheez Whiz.
You can pair quite a few sides and mains with stuffed shells. For example, they’re great with bread/biscuits, meatballs, salads, and more.
More Main Dish Recipes
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The Best Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
Beef Filling
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 pound 90/10 ground beef
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
- freshly ground black pepper
- 5 ounces baby bella mushrooms, diced finely
- 1 green bell pepper, diced finely
- 1 onion, diced finely
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
- 1 Tablespoon ketchup
- 28 jumbo shells, about 8 ounces
Cheese Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups nonfat milk
- 1/2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
- 4 ounces American cheese, sliced or cubed
- 4 ounces (1 cup) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded*
- 1/4 cup diced pickled jalapeños
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (for the shells). While the water heats, melt 1 Tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Sauté for another 2 minutes. Lastly, add the peppers, onions, garlic, Worcestershire, and ketchup. Cook until most of the water has evaporated from the vegetables. Set aside.1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 pound 90/10 ground beef, 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*, freshly ground black pepper, 5 ounces baby bella mushrooms, diced finely, 1 green bell pepper, diced finely, 1 onion, diced finely, 5-6 cloves garlic, minced, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire, 1 Tablespoon ketchup
- While the meat finishes cooking, cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the instructions on the package in salted water. (For reference, mine says to cook for 9 minutes, so I boil it for 8 minutes).28 jumbo shells, about 8 ounces
- In a medium saucepan, melt 3 Tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until a smooth paste forms. Add the milk and whisk until the mixture begins to thicken and simmer.3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 2 cups nonfat milk
- Turn the heat to low. Stir in the salt, American cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted. Stir in the jalapeños.1/2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*, 4 ounces American cheese, sliced or cubed, 4 ounces (1 cup) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded*, 1/4 cup diced pickled jalapeños
- Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Pour about 1 cup of the cheese sauce into the bottom. Stuff each shell with beef filling. Place into the dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce on top.
- Sprinkle the cheddar cheese cubes on top.4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed*
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges begin to bubble.
Notes
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Cheddar Cheese: If you don’t have cheddar (or don’t like cheddar), you can use nearly any type of melty cheese. A few of my favorites to include in Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells are pepper jack, colby jack, Monterey jack, or mozzarella cheese.
- Use American cheese. Many restaurants use American cheese for Philly cheesesteaks. For a more authentic flavor, don’t skip the American cheese in this dish. American cheese also provides an extra ooey-gooeyness to the recipe.
- Shred all of the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent on it. Meaning it won’t melt as well when it’s heated. The best option is buying blocks of cheese and shredding it right before adding it to the recipe.
- Salt the pasta water. It’s always a good idea to salt pasta water for recipes. It helps keep the noodles from sticking and adds flavor to the pasta.
- Cook off all excess water from the vegetables. If you don’t cook the excess moisture from the veggies, you’ll have a watery dish. The goal of this Philly cheesesteak stuffed shells dish is to be creamy, cheesy, and rich. So, you want to minimize the moisture from the mushrooms and bell peppers as much as possible.
- Do not overcook the shells. Only cook the shells until they’re al dente before stuffing them and placing them in the baking dish. If you cook them longer, they’re more likely to become mushy in the oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I use pickles instead of jalapeños?
Yes!
So creamy and hearty! These stuffed shells are total comfort food!
What a brilliant idea! This dish is comfort food at its best!
This is the perfect recipe for a cozy night at home, so I can’t wait to make this as the weather gets cooler!
Really delicious! The only difference is I leave out the mushrooms.
And I didn’t think there was a way to make Philly Cheesesteak any better until this. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
This is such a creative meal! I’ve never thought of having this combination of flavors together, but it is delicious!