Philly Cheesesteaks

Name: Philly Cheesesteaks
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 4 hoagie or sub rolls (sliced in half lengthwise); 4 tablespoons salted butter (divided); ½ green bell pepper (thinly sliced); 1 white onion (peeled, halved and thinly sliced); 1½ pounds ribeye steaks (thinly sliced, then roughly chopped); Salt & pepper; 12 slices provolone cheese

by Michelle
published May 19, 2021

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4.35 (41 ratings)

Cheesy, ultra-comforting, and beyond delicious, these Homemade Philly Cheesesteaks will easily become one of your family favorite recipes! Tender ribeye steak with sautéed onions and peppers all tossed in melty provolone cheese and cradled in a hoagie roll make this sandwich utopia.

Let’s talk about these AH-mazing Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, shall we?

I’ve been making these for years, and after putting an additional cheesy twist on them that took the sandwiches from great to spectacular, I have never looked back. These are, hands down, one of our very favorite casual dinners.

I first stumbled upon this recipe from The Little Kitchen and had it saved for what seemed like forever before making them, but once I did, we were totally hooked!

These sandwiches are the ultimate comfort food and I’m so excited to share them with you today.

History of Philly Cheesesteak

As the name suggests, the Philly Cheesesteak was invented in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 1930s by Pat and Harry Olivieri.

Their original cheesesteak featured sautéed onions and steak on a hoagie roll until a manager at their Ridge Avenue location added provolone on top.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

This Philly Cheesesteak is sandwich utopia. With beef, onions, and peppers swimming in a butter base and mixed with cheese there are ample reasons to love this sandwich.

Double cheese: Not only does the meat mixture mix up with melty cheese it’s also topped with additional cheese in the end.
Ultimate comfort food: It’s warm, hearty, and stick to your ribs delicious.
Ready in under an hour: With half of the time being hands-off, oven baking time, this is a great weeknight dinner recipe!

The Ingredients

Beef: I highly recommend ribeye for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth sandwich. See some tips below on selecting and slicing the meat. If you need to find a substitute, look for well-marbled meat such as short rib or hanger steak.
Hoagie Roll: The perfect roll for cradling the juicy mixture of cheesy beef, onions, and peppers. You could also use a large baguette cut into 4 sections, sausage rolls, or any other “roll” type vessel of your choosing. I caution you not to use a roll that is too soft or all of the juices may cause it to become too soggy. If you want to go super authentic, try ordering Amoroso’s Hoagie Rolls.
Bell Pepper + Onion: Traditionalists will scoff at using peppers in a cheesesteak, but I think it adds a great amount of flavor. You can omit them if you’d like.
Cheese: Sliced provolone for cooking in the onion, pepper, and steak mixture as well as topping the sandwich. You can substitute any good melty cheese that you’d like (American or Velveeta are great, too) or use Cheez Wiz for a truly authentic sandwich!

The Best Cut of Meat for Philly Cheesesteaks

This is, without a doubt, THE most important part of these sandwiches.

I’ve tried many cuts of meat in these and ribeye is far and away the absolute best. It cooks up amazingly tender and gives the sandwiches that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture. I know that good ribeye can be on the pricey side, but it is absolutely, totally worth it here. Others I’ve tried range from okay to totally tough. I highly, highly recommend splurging for the ribeye here – you will be SO glad that you did!

To cut the steak, freeze the meat for about 20 to 30 minutes to get it firm but not completely frozen. Then, using a sharp knife, slice thin slices, against the grain at ¼-inch thick or thinner.

(Bonus tip – if you have a butcher counter at your local grocery store, ask them to thinly slice the ribeye for you and half of the work is done! Just give it a good chop at home.)

Step-By-Step Directions

Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place each hoagie roll on a large square of aluminum foil; set aside.
Add peppers + onion to skillet: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the pepper and the onion to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
Cook to brown vegetables: Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are completely cooked down and starting to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Cook the beef: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the now-empty skillet. Season the beef with salt and pepper and add to the skillet, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes.
Add vegetables back to pan: Reduce the heat to medium, add back in the peppers and onions, stir to combine.
Melt and mix in cheese: Place 4 slices of provolone cheese over the mixture and let sit for a minute or two until it starts to melt, then stir in the beef and vegetable mixture until completely combined. Turn off the heat.

Make sandwiches: Divide the meat mixture between the four hoagie rolls, topping each with 2 slices of provolone cheese.
Bake sandwiches: Wrap and roll each one tightly in foil, place in the oven and heat for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Serving Suggestions

Toppings: If you want to deviate from the original there are a number of additional toppings to include such as mushrooms, jalapeñoes, shredded lettuce, and even ketchup (gasp!).

Some of my favorite sides to go with these homemade Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches include:

Making Ahead

If you are planning to make these sandwiches in advance or save them for later eating here are a few time-saving tips, as well as ways to freeze the sandwiches for the future.

Slice the meat in advance. Better yet, if you have a butcher counter at your local grocery store, ask them to thinly slice the ribeye for you, and half of the work is done! Just give it a good chop at home.
Freezing Directions: Follow the steps until you fill the hoagies with the beef and onion mixture. Allow to cool completely and then wrap tightly in foil. Store in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag until you are ready to make the sandwiches.
Reheat from frozen: Place foil-wrapped sandwiches in the oven at 350° and bake for 30 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

What is traditionally on a Philly Cheesesteak?

The original Philly Cheesesteak include shaved beef, onions, and a hoagie roll. After a while, provolone cheese was added so the most traditional version of a Philly cheesesteak include shaved beef, onions, and cheese on a hoagie roll.

How is a Philly Cheesesteak different from a steak and cheese?

This answer will vary depending on who you talk to. Anything from a change in the steak to the kind of roll it’s served on might lead some to say it’s not a traditional Philly cheesesteak but instead just a steak and cheese.

What kind of pepper is on a Philly Cheesesteak?

While a traditional Philly Cheesesteak does not include peppers, the most commonly used pepper in cheesesteaks are bell peppers. If you are looking to add a little heat to the sandwich you could also try adding in hot cherry peppers.

Delicious Sandwiches to Try Next

These Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are perfect for an easy weeknight meal, game day food, having friends over for lunch… basically ANYTHING. They’re a huge favorite in our house and I hope you love them too!

If you make this recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️