After I was married, my parents moved right outside Philadelphia. To the men in my family, Philadelphia meant nothing—nothing except Philly cheesesteaks. They’re obsessed with any kind of steak sandwich recipe.
And have we eaten our fair share of em! From the famous duel between cross-corner Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s to those found in Reading Terminal or down The Main Line, we’ve eaten ’em. (I’ll leave it to you to decide which cheesesteak sandwich is the best among them!)
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So— it was a matter of frugality that a homemade Philly cheesesteak was created. Because you can’t fly to Philly every time you’re craving this easy comfort food recipe.
Let’s dig in…because if you’re not craving one right now, you will be after checking out this steak sandwich recipe.
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What makes a great cheesesteak sandwich
- Quick. The whole recipe (minus the 30 minute steak prep) takes 5 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to cook.
- Flexible. The recipe adjusts easily for as many as are around the table.
- Customizable. Everyone gets to select their favorite toppings.
Best cut of beef for a Philly cheesesteak
There’s probably lots of arguments discussions online about the best meat for a classic Philly cheesesteak but I’m here to tell you as a transplant-by-association that ribeye is the only choice. Ribeye has the perfect amount of marbling which means a lot of flavor. It’s also not too thick because slicing your meat thin is the key to a fast cook and tender bite.
Ingredients needed
The ingredient list for cheesesteak sandwiches is simple but specific. Each contributes to making the sandwich and changing one will change the recipe. You have been warned.😉
Slicing ribeye for cheesesteak
The key to a top-notch philly cheesesteak sandwich is in the slicing. The ribeye must be sliced as thinly as possible. And since I, or most of us, don’t have a deli slicer, I rely on another tool.
The freezer.
Before slicing, pop your ribeye in the freezer for about 30 minutes. That’ll give you the perfect texture to slice the steak as thin as possible. And the meat won’t stick to your knife which slows everything down. Because these sandwiches are prepared right before you plan to eat, you can’t be slowed down.
How to make Philly cheesesteak sandwiches
You’ve got a hungry crew staring at you, dontchya? Let’s make some cheesesteaks!
- After the ribeye has been frozen for 30 minutes, thinly slice each ribeye and make individual piles of meat on a cutting board. I typically can get four really nice sized 8″ sandwiches out of three steaks.
- Make piles of ribeye on a board or piece of parchment paper and season each generously with garlic powder and kosher salt.
- Heat a griddle to high and once heated, lower it to medium-high and add a drizzle of oil. To the griddle, place mounds of ribeye, seasoned side down, on the griddle. Season the tops of each portion with more kosher salt and garlic powder.
- After about 2 minutes has passed, use a spatula to flip each portion of steak, one section at a time. Quickly lay pieces of sharp provolone over top and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Turn off your burners. At this point, I will lay another pan or lid with a lip over the meat so that the cheese melts just right.
Cooking Steak Tip
Cook the steak quickly with a some pink in the middle for the most tender steak sandwich.
Controversial cheesesteak toppings
The classic Philly cheesesteak includes steak, onions, and cheese. That’s pretty much it. But, you can walk on the wild, not-authentic side and accessorize your Philly with all kinds of toppings:
- peppers: For a west coast variation, add peppers: sweet or hot, green, red (my go-to) or spicy giardiniera. Note: they don’t officially add them in Philly but you do you, my friend!
- onions: finely dice and chop to mix with the ribeye while on the griddle.
- mushrooms: saute in a little oil or butter over medium-high heat but don’t allow to get too soft.
Tips for success
This recipe moves quickly so while the beef is freezing, have everything else ready to go (rolls sliced, cheese ready, etc.).
Saute onions, if desired, while the beef is freezing.
You can also chop the meat as it cooks like they do in Philly by using the edge of your spatula and mincing it as it cooks.
Cheeze-Whiz for cheesesteaks
To Cheez Whiz or not. That is the question.
Alright. Some of you might call me a “phony!”
Because I’m not using Cheese Whiz, which makes a classic cheesesteak.
I have three reasons:
- Cheese Whiz isn’t very Italian.
- Cheese Whiz is processed.
- Sharp cheese has more flavor.
If you prefer a cheese sauce, you certainly could make one using my bechamel recipe (it’ll be a decadent bite of heaven!) but I also promised a FAST weeknight meal, right?
If Cheese Whiz is how you roll, then, by all means, go for it!
Ways to use leftover Philly cheesesteak
- Pile on to a mini buns for a Philly cheesesteak slider.
- Chop up the meat and layer on a store-bought or homemade pizza dough with some provolone, sliced mushrooms and peppers for an easy Philly cheesesteak pizza.
- Roll up the thinly sliced cooked steak in a wrap filled with roasted veggies.
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Quick & Easy Philly Cheesesteaks
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Equipment
- griddle
Ingredients
- 3 ribeye steaks, approx 2-2 ½lbs total
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder, or more
- 2 tsp kosher salt, or more
- 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ lb sharp provolone, from the deli, thinly sliced
- 4 french rolls, toasted in the oven
Instructions
- Place ribeye in the freezer for 30 minutes.3 ribeye steaks
- After 30 minutes, remove ribeye from the freezer and using a sharp thin knife, slice the ribeye as thin as possible.
- Once frozen, separate meat into 4 equal "piles" on a cutting board or piece of parchment paper.
- Liberally season the facing portions of meat with the garlic powder first and then the salt and pepper.1 Tbsp garlic powder, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Meanwhile, heat a griddle over medium-high to high heat and drizzle with canola oil once heated.2 Tablespoons canola oil
- Using a spatula place the seasoned side of meat down on the griddle spreading it out to reflect the shape of the rolls you're using.
- While it cooks for 2 minutes, season the remaining side as noted above.
- Flip the meat over section by section.
- Lay the slices of provolone over each "steak" and cook for 2 minutes.1/2 lb sharp provolone
- Turn off the stove. Place another skillet or lid with a lip over the meat portions to create a little dome that helps melt the cheese. You might need two pans to do this.
- If you toasted your rolls, remove them from the oven and using a flat spatula, fill each roll with the cheesesteak mixture.4 french rolls
- Season again if needed and top with sauteed onions and mushrooms if desired.
Notes
- Toasting the rolls is an option as it’s not traditional. To toast rolls, slice lengthwise and open. Drizzle with olive oil and toast on a sheet pan in a 400˚ oven until lightly golden.
- You certainly can use Cheeze Whiz or make your own cheese sauce using a bechamel recipe as a base.
- Serve with sauteed peppers, onions and mushrooms.
Is it possible to make these ahead of time and reheat them? I’m afraid they won’t be tender if I do
Hi Myrna! I don’t recommend they be made ahead because they do cook up so quickly and so that the meat stays tender. If you’re trying to take them somewhere, you could try to make them and wrap each up individually in foil to keep warm as you transport them. Otherwise, have all your prep work done ahead (meat, veggies, etc>) and just cook them quickly before eating. Thank you!
Never made Philly Cheese Steak, never had a Philly Cheese Steak. These were so good!! and I’m always looking for easy. Even during the quarantine, we are feeding 12 every night! Thanks for the tip on slicing the meat while partially frozen.
yay Susie that makes me SO happy! And 12! OMG! Can you please record one of those meals for me😀?
As a Philly girl, I can confirm these look like authentic Philly cheeseseaks! Although – my vote for the best is actually Donkey’s Place across the river in Camden.
Thanks Sarah! Oooh – will have to share that one with a friend of ours who is temporarily living there!
Thanks Sarah! I love hearing the votes of true locals!! Not just transplanted by association one’s like me!😉