Philly Cheese Steak Casserole: Low Carb Comfort Food Without the Roll
In short
A wet and windy day calls for comfort food, and this one is all the good bits of a Philly cheese steak with no bread roll. Brown a kilo of beef mince with chopped onion, mushrooms and capsicum (bell pepper), season it, melt in about 120 grams of cream cheese, add a splash of beef stock, then tip it into a baking dish, top it with a little cheese and bake it at about 180°C until the cheese has melted.
Key points
- Cook it all in the pan first. Everything is cooked through on the stove, then transferred to a baking dish and topped with cheese. The oven is just there to melt and brown the cheese.
- Any beef mince will do. I used a kilo of ground beef, or mince as we call it in Australia and the UK, and it doesn’t really matter what type.
- The vegies. A chopped onion, some mushrooms and chopped bell pepper (capsicum), sautéed with the mince in a little olive oil.
- The seasoning. About ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, ½ teaspoon of salt, about a teaspoon of Italian herbs and a teaspoon of smoky paprika. A knob of butter goes in too, for a few extra LCHF points.
- The Philly is what makes it. Around 120 grams of cream cheese. Philadelphia is good, or whatever cream cheese you like. Stir it until it dissolves into the mince and makes it creamy.
- Go easy on the stock. I planned on about a cup of beef stock, but there was already plenty of liquid in the pan, so I only added a splash. You want a cheesy, beefy sauce, not something floating.
- Taste before you add more salt. With all those spices and herbs in there, mine didn’t need any extra salt or pepper.
- Don’t overdo the cheese on top. I used a shredded pizza blend of cheddar and mozzarella. Too much and you just get a big wedge of cheese on top.
- Bake at about 180°C (around 350°F) for 15 to 20 minutes, just to melt the cheese. I’d serve it with something like cabbage and bacon.
When it’s blowing a gale and raining all day, you want comfort food. This Philly cheese steak casserole gives you the beef, the onion, the mushrooms, the capsicum and the creamy cheese of a classic Philly cheese steak, without the bread roll that would send your blood sugar up.
It’s the kind of hearty, real-food meal I ate while losing 23kg, reversing my type 2 diabetes and getting my blood pressure back to normal, all after 50. Nothing fancy, and the whole family can eat it.
What you need
- 1kg beef mince (ground beef), any type
- 1 onion, chopped
- Some mushrooms
- Bell pepper (capsicum), chopped
- About 120g cream cheese (Philadelphia or whatever you like)
- About ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- About 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon smoky paprika
- A little olive oil and a knob of butter
- Beef stock (I had about a cup ready but only used a splash)
- Shredded cheese for the top (I used a cheddar and mozzarella pizza blend)
Method in brief
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion, mushrooms, capsicum and mince until the mince starts to brown.
- Add all the seasonings and herbs, plus a knob of butter.
- Once the mince is nearly cooked, add the cream cheese and stir until it dissolves into the meat and the colour changes.
- Check how much liquid is in the pan, then add just enough beef stock to make a cheesy, beefy sauce. Don’t drown it.
- Taste it and adjust. Mine didn’t need any more salt or pepper.
- Spoon it into a baking dish and sprinkle a modest layer of shredded cheese over the top.
- Bake at about 180°C (around 350°F) for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the cheese has melted.
- Serve it with a low carb side. I was thinking cabbage and bacon.
The printed version is in the Philly cheese steak casserole recipe. It lists 110g of cream cheese, ¼ cup of beef stock and ½ teaspoon of herbs, a touch different from what I used in the video, so go with whatever suits your taste and how wet your pan is.
More low carb comfort food
If you want something on the side, my low carb mashed potato (with no potato) or low carb French fries go well with a bake like this. For another beefy recipe, try my homemade beef jerky. And if you’re wondering why I cook with butter and olive oil rather than vegetable oil, have a read of why I avoid seed oils, and why bread, rice and pasta are off the menu.
New to all this? Grab the free Carb Guide, or watch my story and how I lost 23kg in four months.
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Not medical advice. I'm not a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist, just a bloke telling the story of what worked for me. Check with your doctor before changing your diet or medication.
