These delicious Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches have the perfect combination of thin juicy beef, sautéed onions, and melty cheese on a delicious toasted hoagie roll. It’s an iconic American comfort food that is perfect for weeknight dinners and game nights!
Table of Contents
The Classic Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich is one of the most famous sandwiches in the U.S. and undoubtedly one of the most delicious! But the folks from Philly are passionate about what is and isn’t a true Philly cheesesteak.
Some strongly advocate for Cheez Whiz on the sandwich while others prefer melted provolone cheese or white American cheese. You’ll find plenty of Philly cheese steak recipes that call for sliced green bell peppers to be sauteed with the onions, but near as I can tell that’s not actually an authentic addition.
I tried hard to research and come as close as I could to an authentic original recipe of a Philly Cheesesteak from Philidelphia experience as I could for someone living on the West Coast. I had to include it in my American Eats series where I’m trying some of the most famous foods from each state to represent Pennsylvania and these were definitely a favorite.
I’ve probably got things wrong, and I’m sure die-hard Philly cheesesteak fans will let me know in the comments, but even if these aren’t exactly right, they certainly were delicious and we enjoyed them while watching the Eagles play in the Superbowl!
I mean, what’s not to love about the combination of thinly sliced beef ribeye steak, caramelized onion, and provolone cheese on top of a toasted hoagie roll? Hard to go wrong there.
You can also check out my Classic Philly Cheesesteak Dip for a deconstructed version of this classic sandwich with the same delicious flavors in a dippable form.
For more delicious sandwich recipes, try this Classic Ruben Sandwich, my Cubanos (Cuban Sandwich), and this Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Steak – Chose a decent rib eye steak that’s trimmed and sliced very, very thin. It helps if the steak is partially frozen if you are slicing it yourself, or you can usually get this precut from your local butcher or grocery store.
- Salt & Pepper – Use coarse Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to enhance the flavors.
- Onion – Yellow onion will bring a great savory flavor to these sandwiches.
- Oil – Vegetable oil or canola oil is fine here.
- Cheese – Use either mild provolone cheese, white American cheese, or melted Cheez Whiz for a classic Philly Cheesesteak flavor.
- Rolls – Use sliced hoagie rolls for these luxurious sandwiches.
- Butter – Salted butter is best to make garlic butter, as it will enhance the flavor.
- Garlic – Use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor. Garlic powder will work in a pinch.
- Mayonnaise – Use full-fat mayonnaise for the creamiest flavor, but low-fat mayo will work fine as well.
How to Make Philly Cheese Steak
- Freeze and slice steak. Freeze steak for 30 minutes so it is firm enough to be sliced into very thin strips using a sharp knife. Trim away any excess fat before slicing and be sure to slice as thin as you possibly can. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté onions. Chop onions and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Sauté onions for 8-10 minutes until they begin to caramelize slightly. Transfer sauteed onions to a bowl and set aside. (Do not clean the pan yet.)
- Cook steak. Heat the same pan you used for the onions to medium-high and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Once hot, add the thinly sliced steak in an even layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes without moving or touching the meat in the pan to get a nice sear. Then turn the steak slices over with a large spatula to cook on the other side until done.
- Add onions. Next, add the sautéed onions back to the pan with the meat and stir together.
- Add cheese. Use the spatula to separate the meat and onions into 4 portions in the pan. Cover each portion with 2 slices of provolone cheese and turn off the heat.
- Make garlic butter. Combine softened butter and minced garlic in a bowl, mixing well. Spread the cut sides of the hoagie rolls with the garlic butter and toast on a griddle or skillet over medium heat until toasty and golden brown. Set aside.
- Prepare rolls. Carefully split the hoagie rolls lengthwise approximately ¾ of the way through with a serrated knife.
- Assemble sandwiches. Spread a thin layer of mayo on the cut sides of the toasted hoagie rolls, then place one roll over a portion of the meat, onions, and cheese. Use a spatula to help flip the meat onto the roll to finish your Philly cheesesteak. Serve immediately.
Recipe FAQ’s
Authentic Philly Cheesesteak is made with ribeye steak that’s sliced into thin slices, and topped with melted provolone cheese, white American cheese, or Cheez Whiz, as well as fried onions, all on a toasted hoagie roll. It’s pure sandwich perfection!
Store leftover meat and onions separate from the hoagie rolls in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 4 days for best results. You can assemble and reheat the sandwiches under the broiler or in the microwave briefly before serving them again if you like.
Since gaining popularity, the original recipe has been tweaked to include bell peppers, and sometimes mushrooms, but a traditional Philly Cheesesteak only has steak, onion, and cheese on a toasted roll.
I happen to love the addition of peppers and have no qualms about adding them when making Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, but left them out in the recipe below for the sake of authenticity.
Tips for Success
- The best way of getting thin slices is to freeze the steak for 30 minutes before slicing it. This will make it easier to handle, and firm enough to be sliced into very thin strips using a sharp knife.
- Save Time: Buying pre-made garlic butter, pre-sliced beef, and pre-sliced cheese are all ways of cutting down the prep time of this dish making this easy recipe even easier!
What to Serve with a Philly Cheese Steak
Any classic deli sides will go with these delicious sandwiches.
Try my Crispy Potato Wedges, or these Homemade French Fries, alongside some Homemade Coleslaw and even this Broccoli Salad with Bacon!
Serve with a glass of cold Blackberry Lemonade or Strawberry Lemonade!
Substitutions and Variations
- Use a different kind of cheese like Mozzarella or even Monterey Jack cheese instead of Provolone if you prefer or that’s what you have on hand, but you won’t get quite the same flavor or as true to the traditional cheesesteak sandwich experience.
- While not included in the original Philly Cheesesteak recipe, you can add 1 sliced green bell pepper and sauté it with the onions until softened.
More Sandwich Recipes
- Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich
- Classic Reuben Sandwich
- Leftover Prime Rib Sandwich
- Crispy Chicken Sandwich
- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Philly Cheesesteak Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ribeye steak, trimmed and sliced very thin
- 2 teaspoons coarse Kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil, divided
- 8 slices mild provolone cheese, white American cheese, or melted Cheez Whiz
- 4 hoagie rolls, sliced ¾ way through
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 2-4 Tablespoons mayonnaise
Instructions
- Freeze steak for 30 minutes so it is firm enough to be sliced into very thin strips using a sharp knife. Trim away any excess fat before slicing and be sure to slice as thin as you possibly can. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Chop onions and set aside. Carefully split the hoagie rolls lengthwise approximately ¾ of the way through with a serrated knife.
- Combine softened butter and minced garlic in a bowl, mixing well. Spread the cut sides of the hoagie rolls with the garlic butter and toast on a griddle or skillet over medium heat until toasty and golden brown. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Saute onions for 8-10 minutes until they begin to caramelize slightly. Transfer sauteed onions to a bowl and set aside.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Once hot, add the thinly sliced steak in an even layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes without moving or touching the meat in the pan to get a nice sear. Then turn the steak slices over with a large spatula to cook on the other side until done. Add the sauteed onions back to the pan with the meat and stir together.
- Use the spatula to separate the meat and onions into 4 portions in the pan. Cover each portion with 2 slices of provolone cheese and turn off the heat.
- Spread a thin layer of mayo on the cut sides of the toasted hoagie rolls, then place one roll over a portion of the meat, onions, and cheese. Use a spatula to help flip the meat onto the roll to finish your Philly cheesesteak. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Adding peppers: While not included in the original Philly cheesesteak, you can add 1 sliced green bell pepper and saute it with the onions until softened.
Can you tell me why there is an asterisk after the first ingredient in the list, about the steak sliced very thin? I’ve looked all through the rest of the page assuming that the * after it would direct me to some sort of note about it, but I’m not finding anything related to that that’s not already mentioned as a part of the blog post itself or even within the recipe. The only additional note below the recipe is regarding peppers.
Sorry, Samantha! I was initially going to put the tip about freezing the steak for 30 minutes in a note because really you could skip that and just slice it, which is what the asterisk was placed there for, but ultimately decided after more testing that it makes such a difference that it belonged in the actual recipe instructions, note just as an afterthought so I changed things and just forgot to remove that asterisk. Thanks for pointing it out! I made the edit.
My husband is from Philly and these are the best cheesesteaks he’s had, outside of Pennsylvania. Thank you for sharing this!!
I’m so glad he loved them! That’s the best feedback I could ask for!
99% there, I’ve worked in several pizza/steak shops around Philly and garlic was never added. Good call removing bell peppers, people confuse them with cherry peppers. Bell peppers are too acidic and mask some of the meat flavor in my opinion. Salt is also often overlooked here in CA. When I was first learning how to make them I was told to eat a piece of meat unsalted, then add salt to see how it brings out the flavor of the steak.
Thank you for the feedback about the garlic!
I made a couple of
Modifications.
Added a pinch of white sugar to the onions when I started cooking them. Then added the balsamic vinegar and sliced mushrooms
We used leftover cowboy roast so I just chopped it up and picked up the recipe from there It’s a great use for leftover roast.
Very good.
*leftover Mississippi pot roast was the meat I used.
This might be tasty. I don’t know, I’ll never make it. DO NOT call this a “Philly”. NOBODY a) uses garlic butter b) toasts the roll c) puts MAYO on it. No. Nono. NOPE
Hi Amy –
If the beef is sliced very thin, why would it cook for several minutes per side on a hot griddle? I would think 30 seconds would do. Am I missing something?
They are not as thin as say a slice of roast beef for a sandwich. They are thicker than deli meat and still need a couple of minutes per side. I also like a good sear on the meat. If you do slice your meat thinner, then yes it would need less cooking time. Feel free to slice the beef as thin or thick as you would like. Let me know if you have any more questions!