Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Recipe

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotini according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

Sauté the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large, deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, green pepper and mushrooms. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown.

Season the vegetables. Add the Worcestershire sauce and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt and black pepper. Stir and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Brown the beef. Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook until completely browned, using a meat chopper or spatula to break the beef into a very fine crumble. Drain any excess grease if necessary.

Add the French onion soup. Pour the French onion soup into the skillet and stir to combine with the beef and vegetables. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Make it creamy. Reduce the heat to low. Add the softened cream cheese a few cubes at a time, stirring until completely melted and incorporated before adding more. Continue until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Add the pasta. Fold the drained rotini and dried parsley into the skillet. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the beef and creamy sauce.

Make it cheesy. Turn off the heat and stir in 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella until melted. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella evenly over the top.

Optional broiled cheese topping. If using an oven-safe skillet, place the pasta under the broiler briefly until the mozzarella on top is melted and beginning to brown. Watch it carefully.

Rest and serve. Let the Philly Cheesesteak Pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken slightly as it rests and cling beautifully to the rotini.

Make Ahead: The peppers, onions and mushrooms can be chopped a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. You can also cook the beef and vegetable mixture ahead of time and refrigerate it until you're ready to finish the pasta.

Mushrooms: If your family doesn't like mushrooms, simply leave them out. You don't need to replace them with anything.

French Onion Soup Substitute: Beef broth can be used instead of canned French onion soup, but you may need to increase the seasonings to compensate for the flavor in the soup.

Ground Beef: I prefer lean 90/10 ground beef because there is usually very little excess grease to drain.

Cheese: You can stir all 3 cups of mozzarella into the pasta if you don't want to broil the top.

Leftovers: Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container. The pasta will continue to absorb some of the sauce as it sits. Add a splash of milk or beef broth when reheating to bring the creamy consistency back.

Back To School Tip: This is a great dinner for nights when everyone eats at different times. Portion leftovers into individual containers so they can easily be reheated for after-school activities, sports or late work nights.