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Ground beef, onion and green pepper are coated with cream cheese and finished under provolone. Four ounces of provolone melt into the filling and the remaining two ounces cover the top. This is a spoonable beef casserole without bread, pasta or rice baked into it.
Set aside two ounces of thin slices for the top before dicing the other four ounces. Mixing all six ounces into the filling would leave no measured topping. Keep the cream cheese separate until the beef is cooked and drained.
Ingredient amounts and preparation
- Set out: 2 pounds lean ground beef
- Set out: 1 green bell pepper, chopped; 1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
- Set out: 6 ounce provolone cheese, thinly sliced
- Set out: 4 ounce cream cheese, softened; 2 tablespoon milk
- Set out: 1½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Set out: 1½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- Set out: ½ teaspoon onion powder; Fresh parsley, chopped
Cooking sequence and doneness
- Stage 1
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Dice four ounces of provolone and reserve two ounces in thin slices.
- Stage 2
- Cook ground beef, chopped onion and pepper in a large skillet, breaking up the meat. Continue until the vegetables are softened and the beef reaches 160°F. Drain excess fat carefully.
- Stage 3
- Reduce the heat and stir in softened cream cheese, milk, diced provolone, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Taste the cooked mixture and add salt as needed.
- Stage 4
- Transfer to an oven-safe casserole dish in an even layer. Cover with the reserved provolone slices and bake about ten to fifteen minutes, checking the center reaches 165°F. Rest briefly and garnish with parsley.
Small softened cubes stir into the warm meat more easily than a cold block. Lower the heat and add the two tablespoons of milk with them. Stir gently until the sauce coats the crumbles; extra boiling is not needed to melt the cheese. Soften the onion and pepper with the beef, stirring so they do not remain in large raw pockets. The short final bake mainly heats and melts the topping. It cannot compensate for very large, barely cooked pieces of pepper.
How much seasoning is needed?
Provolone and cream cheese contain salt. Start below the listed salt allowance and taste the fully cooked filling before adding more. Garlic and onion powders supply seasoning without requiring another raw-vegetable cooking stage. No. A 350°F oven will melt the top. If choosing to brown it further, use a broiler-rated dish and watch continuously; ordinary glass or an unsuitable handle should not be put under direct broiler heat.
What can be served alongside?
The filling can be spooned beside potatoes or over separately prepared rice, or served with bread. Those sides are not included in the ingredient quantities or timing. Keep the base formula separate when choosing an accompaniment. Refrigerate perishable leftovers promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below; do not wait for a large hot batch to cool completely on the counter. University of Illinois Extension’s leftover guidance gives a three-to-four-day refrigerated window and 165°F for reheating foods served hot. Keep cold salads and toppings chilled, and follow shorter product-label limits where applicable.
Related recipe choices
For another complete recipe, see French Onion Ground Beef and Long-Grain Rice Casserole or Cheesy Beef and Shells Casserole with Tomato Soup. Each has its own ingredient quantities and cooking sequence; keep those measurements separate when choosing a meal. USDA’s temperature guidance specifies 160°F for ground beef. Thermometer placement guidance explains checking the thick center rather than relying on surface color.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- How is the provolone divided?
Set aside two ounces of thin slices for the top before dicing the other four ounces. Mixing all six ounces into the filling would leave no measured topping.
- Why soften the cream cheese?
Small softened cubes stir into the warm meat more easily than a cold block. Lower the heat and add the two tablespoons of milk with them.
- When should the vegetables be cooked?
Soften the onion and pepper with the beef, stirring so they do not remain in large raw pockets. The short final bake mainly heats and melts the topping.
- How much seasoning is needed?
Provolone and cream cheese contain salt. Start below the listed salt allowance and taste the fully cooked filling before adding more.
- Does the casserole need a broiler?
No. A 350°F oven will melt the top.
- What can be served alongside?
The filling can be spooned beside potatoes or over separately prepared rice, or served with bread. Those sides are not included in the ingredient quantities or timing.