Philly Cheesesteak Without the Carbs? Yes!

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers on a Plate Next to a Casserole Dish with More Stuffed Peppers — Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

Now that we have tackled Philly cheesesteaks, I think it’s worth diving into some fun variations. A classic cheesesteak is a sandwich with sliced steak and onions served on a soft roll with provolone or Cheez Whiz, a processed cheese sauce.

Cheesesteak stuffed peppers are an excellent tangent to the original. They have similar flavors and ingredients but are served in a low-carb way: stuffed in a pepper instead of on a crusty roll! Cheesesteaks are so filling I don’t eat them often, honestly. Stuffing the cheesesteak filling in a bell pepper is a great way to lighten the meal, portion control, and perfect for when you’re looking for a breadless option.

Casserole Dish with Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers — Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

Amped up Stuffed Pepper Cheesesteak Filling

A cheesesteak filling is usually made with thinly shaved ribeye or top round and thinly sliced onions. For these stuffed peppers, I use sirloin. It cooks quickly and has some fat, which adds moisture and flavor. To beef up the filling a bit (pun intended), I add sliced mushrooms. The filling is delicious on its own. You can eat it right off the skillet and it’s wonderful and jam-packed with flavor.

2 Key Tips to Follow

There are two steps that must be followed for this recipe to work. Simply filling sliced steak and veggies in a pepper and roasting it will NOT work. Please don’t do that.

The bell peppers need to roast for 40 to 45 minutes to get tender and delicious. But the steak filling cooks in just minutes. Cooking them together would result in overcooked steak. To solve this problem, roast the peppers first for about 30 minutes without filling them. You can use that time to make the filling. Then stuff the pre-roasted peppers with the filling and finish them off in the oven together.
If the beef and vegetables are cut too big, the filling will be chunky, and the peppers will be difficult to stuff. This is easy to solve. After you cook the steak and veggies, roughly chop them into smaller pieces.

Stuffed ‘Em with Swaps

Stuffed peppers are one of the most flexible dishes out there. Here are a few ideas to switch these up!

Use thinly sliced chicken or chopped shrimp instead of steak or use ribeye or New York strip instead of sirloin.
Stuff the filling in roasted poblanos for a spicy version.
Use an assortment of mushrooms like white button or shiitake.
Use American or Monterey jack cheese. Whatever you choose, it should be a cheese that melts well.

What to Serve with Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

These are a main meal on their own, but if you wanted to serve them with a side dish, a carb (ha!) is a nice choice, like a rice pilaf or brown rice. A simple side salad would also be a nice option.

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers on a Plate — Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

Fan of Stuffed Peppers? Us too!

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Prepare the peppers:

Place a pepper on a cutting board so it is laying on its side. Use a knife to slice about a third off the top, from stem to end. Repeat with all other peppers. Use your hands to remove the ribs and seeds inside the pepper and discard them. Leave the stems on. It helps the pepper keep its shape as it cooks.

Slice the pepper “lids” into thin strips. You will cook these with the onions and mushrooms.

Halved Bella Peppers in a a Casserole Dish for Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers Recipe — Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

Bake the peppers:

Place the peppers on a baking dish cut side-up and bake for 30 minutes. No oil needed here!

Meanwhile, cook the onions and peppers:

In a large skillet or on a griddle over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the reserved sliced peppers, onions, mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until they softened and start to caramelize around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Don’t rush them! Transfer the vegetables onto a clean cutting board. You will chop them with the cooked steak later.

Bell Peppers, Mushrooms, and Onions on Griddle for Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers — Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

Cook the steak:

In the same skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the sliced steak and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Spread out the steak so it covers as much surface area as possible in a thin layer. If using a skillet, you may have to cook them in batches so that they cook without steaming. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes without stirring. It will cook very quickly. Then, give it a quick stir to finish cooking.

Steak for Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers Cooked on a Griddle — Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

Chop the filling:

Transfer the cooked steak onto the cutting board. Use a chef’s knife to roughly chop the steak and the vegetables into small pieces. Right on the cutting board toss them together with your hands to combine.

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers Filling Mixed Together in a Bowl — Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

Stuff the peppers:

Remove the peppers from oven. Keep the oven on. When they are cool enough to handle, carefully fill each pepper half full with the filling. Place a slice of provolone on top of the filling. Top with more filling use it all!—until the pepper is full.

Halve the remaining 3 slices of cheese and top each pepper with them. Sprinkle the tops with thyme.