These sandwiches are one of my family’s favorites. I’ve come under rather harsh criticism for calling these “Philly Cheesesteaks” because although these are like every Philly Cheesesteak I’ve ever had, these are apparently not how they make ’em in Philly. So, for the sake of authenticity and my sanity, these will henceforth be known as “Cheesesteak Sandwiches.” Not from Philly.
Thin slices of tender beef, grilled onions, green peppers, and melty cheese all come together perfectly on a toasty bun. This meal is super simple and is on the table in less than 30 minutes with just a handful of ingredients, which is a win in my book!
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Ingredients
- Sirloin steak – Ribeye is kind of the gold standard but I personally feel like it’s a little too fatty (and expensive). Sirloin steak works really well here.
- Butter
- Green bell pepper – Green peppers have a unique flavor that help make this sandwich what it is. If all you have is another color, that’s totally fine, just know it will change the flavor a bit!
- Yellow onion
- Smoked provolone cheese slices – Regular will work, too.
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Hot sauce – Like Tabasco or Cholula. Optional, but super yummy.
- Hoagie rolls
Equipment
- Food processor – Your job here will be made infinitely easier if you have a food processor. THIS recipe is what food processors were made for. If you’re in the market for a new one (or your very first one), I’ve had a KitchenAid food processor for almost 11 years and it’s still going strong (and I’ve discovered that their customer service is pretty amazing). They don’t have the exact same one that I have now, but I think this machine is about as close as it gets (with some snazzy features that I kind of wish I had…).
One reason some people may not like steak sandwiches is that the steak is cut too thick. If you have a food processor, you can fit it with the slicing blade, partially/mostly freeze your steak, and get paper-thin slices of steak for your sandwiches. It also makes slicing your veggies an absolute breeze.
How to Make Cheesesteak Sandwiches
- Pop your meat in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to make slicing easier.
- Thin slice some green bell peppers and onions using your food processor. Set those aside, and slice your meat in the food processor.
- Then you’ll just sauté that meat in a little butter, add salt, pepper, and the onions and bell peppers, and cook through. Everything will cook fast since we cut it so thin! Add a little hot sauce to taste.
- Slice your rolls in half. Butter the inside of the top half and fill the bottom half with the meat mixture. Top with cheese, and send it all back under the broiler to get melty and toasty. Enjoy immediately!
Storing and Other Tips
- These sandwiches are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven! If you have leftovers, it’s best to store the meat and veggie mixture in an airtight container and assemble additional sandwiches as needed. The meat mixture should be good in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer Instructions: Slice the meat, onions, and peppers according to the directions. Place the meat on one lined baking sheet in a single layer and the onions and peppers on another lined baking sheet in a single layer. Place in the freezer. When frozen, remove from the freezer and transfer the meat to one freezer bag and the onions and peppers to another freezer bag. When ready to cook, cook according to the directions in the recipe, just for a little longer to allow the excess water to evaporate and the frozen meat to cook thoroughly. Follow the directions above for serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without a food processor?
Sure. You’ll just have to pay extra attention to cutting everything as thinly as possible. Make sure the meat is firmed up in the freezer for 20-30 minutes and slice against the grain with a sharp knife. For the veggies, slice them with a mandolin if you have one available. Otherwise, just do your best to get nice, thin slices.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yep. Make the meat and veggie mixture ahead of time and enjoy all week. Just warm gently in a skillet before assembling your sandwiches.
Do I have to eat this in a sandwich?
Not necessarily. The meat, veggie, and cheese combo is delicious on its own if you’re looking for low-carb. It would be great with rice and a little hot sauce, cauliflower rice, or in a tortilla.
Cheesesteak Sandwiches
Just a handful of simple ingredients and a few minutes leads to one of the most delicious meals ever! Always a huge hit with everyone!
Servings (4-6 sandwiches depending on size)
Ingredients
- 1 pound sirloin steak
- 2 tablespoons butter plus more for buttering hoagies
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion
- Smoked provolone slices
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- Hot sauce like Tabasco or Cholula; optional, I suppose, but super yummy!
- 4-6 Hoagie rolls
Instructions
- Slice bell peppers and onions (preferably in the food processor). Set aside. Slice frozen meat (again, food processor). Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet (cast iron, if you have one). Spread the steak evenly over the bottom of the skillet and season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, stirring occasionally. When meat is about halfway cooked, add peppers and onions. Stir occasionally, cooking until most of the liquid is evaporated and meat is cooked through. Season with hot sauce to taste.
- Turn your broiler on high.
- Slice buns and spread butter on the top half. Spoon the steak mixture onto the bottom half. Top with cheese and place under broiler for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is slightly toasty. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition information was calculated for dividing all ingredients between 6 sandwiches.
- These sandwiches are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven! If you have leftovers, it’s best to store the meat and veggie mixture in an airtight container and assemble additional sandwiches as needed. The meat mixture should be good in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer Instructions: Slice the meat, onions, and peppers according to the directions. Place the meat on one lined baking sheet in a single layer and the onions and peppers on another lined baking sheet in a single layer. Place in the freezer. When frozen, remove from the freezer and transfer the meat to one freezer bag and the onions and peppers to another freezer bag. When ready to cook, cook according to the directions in the recipe, just for a little longer to allow the excess water to evaporate and the frozen meat to cook thoroughly. Follow the directions above for serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sandwich, Calories: 414kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Sodium: 553mg, Potassium: 410mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 474IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 227mg, Iron: 3mg
Calories: 414kcal
Cost: $18
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Questions & Reviews
I went to Macey’s, to the meat dept. told them what I was making, etc… and he suggested buying a dinner roast. THey sliced it up for me. Some of the slices were pretty thin, other not so much. I might have had too small of a pan maybe also, I doubled the recipe for our family. Everyone still ate it, I have no leftovers…
Thanks for your suggestions.
Help! Just made this tonight. Am I suppose to drain the fat that comes off the meat as I cook it or leave it in there for some “sauce”? My family felt like the meat didn’t have much taste to it, and I did put lots of pepper on it and the hot sauce. And the meat wasn’t very tender. What did I do wrong? It still tasted good,some had more than one serving,but some of us added more hot sauce once on the bun or steak sauce for some flavor.
Thanks for your help.
Hmmmmm…it could have been a number of things.
1) What cut of meat did you use? If it was a tough cut of meat, that would explain the toughness.
2) Was it sliced thinly enough? It should only be a few millimeters thin.
3) Was your pan hot enough? If the pan isn’t hot enough, the juices will hang out in the pan. Also, in the future, you can always cook it until the liquid evaporates.
Hope those suggestions help! 🙂
I just went to Macey’s and had the meat guys slice up a roast for me. sounds like a lot easier to do than putting the steak through the food processor. We are making these tomorrow night. I was wondering how much Cholula sauce you put in? I noticed you said 3 drops? Is that about right?More? Less?
This sounds great, can’t wait to try it!!
These were such a huge hit at my house!! They were absolutely delicious! I shouldn’t have been surprised- we always love every recipe from your book and site. We substituted mushrooms for the peppers, because that’s what we had, and I used my Bosch food processor to slice the meat, and I think that might have been the key- the meat was awesome! I don’t love stove-top cooked steak, and this was just so so so delicious! Thanks for such fabulous recipes, always:)
Would this freeze well if I coooked a big batch of meat and veggies and then portioned and froze them? I was thinking of doing this and then when reheating, putting on the cheese?
Yep, definitely!
I make these with elk loin actually, adding beef bouillon for more flavor and red pepper flakes for heat. I also love mushrooms and I put the Philly back in by spreading cream cheese on my sourdough bun before toasting it under the broiler. Yum! Also just scored a food processor from my mom so thanks for the idea!
I have been making cheesesteak sandwiches similar to this for sometime and my son loves them. Just thought I’d throw out a couple of “cheats” that I’ve discovered along the way. If you’re really in a rush, you can buy deli roast beef and ask them to shave it. It’s probably more expensive, but saves the time of slicing the meat yourself. Also, instead of using butter or oil to stir fry this, I always use non-fat italian dressing. It works great, adds some seasoning to the meat and veggies, and is a bit healthier.
Being from Philly, I am soooooo happy that you don’t call these Philly Cheesesteaks. We don’t tend toward hot sauce on our them out here- unless they are buffalo chicken steaks. (Which are fabulous- thin-slice the chicken and fry it up in oil until just cooked, top with buffalo sauce and cheese; often American out here.) If you ask a butcher for chip steak, he may slice it thin enough for the sandwiches we make out here that would work for this recipe, too. BTW- These still look good. But if you want them real Philly style (and not what the Food channel calls Philly steaks, but the real corner steak shop sandwich), just fry the chipped steak in oil while chopping it until it is just cooked (overcooking RUINS it- you want it a little juicy, but browned through,) top with your choice of fried onions/mushrooms/ peppers/ cheese. And just FYI, real corner shops in Philadelphia and the surrounding area rarely use cheese wiz. Really. Just the two place you see on TV- Pat’s and Geno’s.
My family loved it!! Lots of pepper makes it taste just like the ones you get from restaurants. Deelish!!!!!!!
This turned out great! My husband’s absolute favorite and I didn’t ruin it. I used Lawry’s seasoning too and it was perfect. Thanks so much!