This Philly Cheesesteak recipe is a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Thinly sliced steak is seasoned, browned, and tucked into a soft bun with caramelized onions and melted cheese. It’s both easy and delicious!
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
These Philly cheesesteaks are made with simple ingredients and pack lots of flavor!
- Flavor: These are savory and delicious with seasoned beef, sweet caramelized onions, and melty cheese.
- Difficulty: Philly Cheesesteaks are quick and easy – they’re on the table in about 30 minutes.
- Prep tip: Place the steaks in the freezer for 30-60 minutes before slicing for easy slicing.
- Technique: Slice the beef as thin as possible (or ask the butcher to slice it for you). Having a hot pan sears the meat nicely and adds flavor.
Where It All Began
In the 1930s, Pat Olivieri, a hot dog vendor in Philadelphia, created the first Philly cheesesteak sandwich on his cart, and it was an instant hit.
Almost 100 years later, the Olivieri family still runs his restaurant, Pat’s King of Steaks.
Ingredient Tips For Philly Cheesesteaks
This Philly cheese steak recipe is simple and delicious, with thinly sliced steak, melted cheese, and caramelized onions in a soft roll.
- Steak: Ribeye is my favorite beef cut of beef for cheesesteak, as it’s tender and flavorful. Round steak or sirloin are other great options. Season simply with salt and black pepper.
- Onions: Cook white onion or sweet onion over low heat until caramelized. Feel free to add sliced green peppers or sauteed mushrooms if you’d like.
- Cheese: This cheesesteak recipe is topped with Provolone cheese. Other favorites include Cheez Whiz or American cheese.
- Buns: Use your favorite soft rolls. I toast the rolls with a bit of garlic butter for extra flavor.
How to Make a Philly Cheesesteak
- Caramelize onions: Cook the onions in a large skillet until tender and golden. Set aside.
- Cook: Thinly slice, season, and cook the beef (according to the recipe below).
- Add cheese: Melt the cheese on top of the meat, top with toasted hoagie rolls and flip it over into the bun.
Serve with potato chips or french fries.
Holly’s Quick Tips
- Cut the beef as thinly as possible – it’s easiest if it’s in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- If adding extra veggies like mushrooms or bell pepper, cook them once the onion has softened.
- Melt the cheese on the beef right in the pan, add the toasted roll, and flip the beef over with a spatula.
- Store leftover beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze, store the beef mixture in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
More Hearty Sandwiches We Love
Did you love these Philly Cheesesteaks? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ribeye steak or round steak or sirloin
- ½ large white onion or 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 hoagie rolls
- 2 tablespoons garlic butter
- 3 ounces provolone cheese or American cheese, sliced
Instructions
- Place the steak in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, cook the onions and butter over low heat until caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
- Remove beef from the freezer and using a sharp knife, slice it as thinly as possible.
- Heat the skillet over medium heat. Cut the rolls open and spread garlic butter inside. Place the rolls butter-side down and cook until lightly toasted. Set aside.
- Turn the heat on the heat up to high and add the oil to the skillet. Season steak with salt and pepper.
- Once the oil is hot, add the beef and cook just until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the onions. Leaving the the beef in the skillet, top it with the cheese slices and let it rest for about 1 minute or until melted.
- Place rolls over top of the cheese and, using a large spatula, transfer the beef mixture to the toasted rolls.
Video
Notes
2 small green bell peppers and/or sliced mushrooms can be added to the onions once they’re softened. If you don’t have garlic butter, spread butter over the rolls and sprinkle with garlic powder before broiling or grilling.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Main Course, Sandwich
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This cheesesteak recipe is SO good. I’m not normally a “hot sandwich” person, but I could have easily had two of these. I purchased shaved beef from the butcher, which cut down on a lot of time. Followed the suggestion of adding some green peppers. This is definitely a keeper recipe!
Made these for supper this week and they did not disappoint! I have never had a Philly cheesesteak so I have nothing to compare it to but it was absolutely delicious. SWP Employee
So glad you enjoyed it, Samantha!
Great recipe. I have made this sandwich with a ham steak instead of a rib eye steak. It makes a wonderful substitute. You can use the standard cheese steak seasoning on the ham, or you can season the ham steak with butter and brown sugar. or a honey mustard claze.
which cut of beef is more tender, the round steak or ribeye?
A ribeye will be a bit more tender but in this recipe we find both work great.
these are one of my favorite and add peppers with the onions
This recipe was awesome with an adjustment. While this recipe may be for a steak sandwich it is not an actual Philly Cheese Steak. Philly Cheese Steaks use thinly sliced chip steak. you can purchase this from a butcher shop or you can find the Brand Steakums at most grocery stores.
Thanks for letting us know, Rachel! So happy you enjoyed this recipe :)
What a great idea! For those nights when you need something fast, but want it tasty, keep some frozen Steakums on hand and save time chopping/slicing beef!!
Great idea to keep some handy! It is such a delicious meal.
I’m looking at the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich recipe, can you tell me the amount of beef, in pound weight.
Many thanks
You will want approximately 1 pound of beef. Enjoy Linda!
Totally awesome and easy! Only thing I did different was place some banana peppers on top.
Banana peppers would be so good on these!
I agree
I made this for summer tonight. Absolutely delicious . Thank you for all your great recipes.
I am so glad you are enjoying the recipes Regina!
I loved the Philly cheese steak, thank you so much for sharing your recipes,
So glad you loved this Mary Ann!
Hi Holly, how do you grill the buns in a skillet if they’re not split? Just in the middle of making it, I’m sure it will be great.
I generally cut them in half, butter and grill or broil.
a GREAT sandwich
I’ve been looking forever, for a good tasting Philly cheesesteak.
This was delicious .
Thank you.
Love your recipes. For many years now I’ve been a follower and hige fan.
Great recipes & wonderful website you have. I always share the recipes I try on Facebook or with family and friends.
So glad you loved these Darlene, thank you so much for following along and sharing the recipes on Facebook!
Delicious, easy to make, recommend this for any night or during a game’
Glad you enjoyed it, Tom.
This was so easy and delicious! I couldn’t believe how quickly it all came together once I had all the ingredients prepared and ready. So tender!
Yay! That is wonderful Sharon! Glad you enjoyed it.
Save yourself some trouble and ask your butcher for shaved ribeye. Mine stalls it in packs next to the ground beef. Just season it and chopp it up a bit and it’s perfect for cheesesteaks.
Thank you for sharing your tip!
Delicious! Have made twice aleady!
This recipe is so easy to make and it was delicious!
We tried this recipe and it was delicious!! Putting the steak in the freezer to cut beef thin, was key to the success of this sandwich!! We are making it again tonight!!! I recommend this sandwich!!! Yum!!!!
Easy and good! I added a little Worcestershire sauce when seasoning the steak and it tasted great.
Holly, OMG this is the best ever. Followed your recipe exactly and it came out delicious. What an easy recipe. The hardest thing was just slicing the meat after being in the freezer. My husband used to buy Philly steak subs and I knew he was missing it. But he said this topped it all. Thank you so much for sharing all your recipes, as I look forward all your recipes you post on FB daily.
Thanks again.
So happy to hear this Ferryal! I am glad we were able to help you make his day! :)