If ever there was an iconic sandwich, it’s the Philly Cheesesteak! Thinly sliced steak is seared with onions and cheese and piled high on a soft hoagie roll. One bite and you will be hooked – especially when you see how easy it is to make!
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Way easier than you think!
If making a Philly Cheesesteak has ever seemed intimidating to you, have no fear. My method demonstrates just how easy it is to make, and my tips and tricks will help you make one of the best sandwiches you will ever eat!
The keys are using a sharp knife to get super-thin shreds of steak (while it’s still raw) and heating your pan properly to allow the steak to brown with the onions. The type of roll you use is also important, but more on that below in the ingredients section.
The Philly Cheesesteak is great topped with cherry peppers, or long hot peppers that have been steamed and fried in olive oil, and is the perfect sandwich to serve for game day gatherings alongside other favorites, like buffalo wings, hot roast beef sandwiches with onion jam, and Italian heroes.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below, and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- The steak. I am using a ribeye for my Philly Cheesesteak. The fat content in the ribeye makes these sandwiches super flavorful, but you can definitely use sirloin if you prefer. The steak will be sliced thin ahead of cooking, unlike my French Dip, which gets thinly sliced after the beef is cooked.
- Cheese. There are a few cheese choices to make when making a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich – whether you use American cheese, provolone, or whiz, your sandwich will still be great. It really comes down to personal preference.
- Bread. Hoagie rolls such as Amoroso’s brand, or New York-style hero rolls that are on the softer side are ideal. As much as I love crusty bread or a baguette, softer bread is what should be used for a Philly Cheesesteak.
- Toppings. Cherry peppers or steamed long hots are great additions to this sandwich. Long hots have about double the heat level that cherry peppers do, so pick according to your taste.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Season the steak with salt and pepper.
- Make sure you’re using rolls that are on the softer side and easy to compress.
- Using a very sharp knife, slice the steak into the thinnest slices you can get. Note: freezing the steak for 45 minutes prior to slicing will make it far easier to slice.
- Heat a large cast iron pan to medium-high heat and once smoking, add a touch of neutral oil plus the steak and onions. Spread everything out in one layer and leave it undisturbed for 5-7 minutes.
- Flip the steak and onions and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes or until there is no more pink.
- Add the cheese and use a spatula to chop the steak and cheese.
- Turn off the heat and spread the meat into 2 sections that mimic the size of your rolls, then top with 2-3 slices of cheese and transfer the meat onto the rolls using the spatula.
- Add any residual meat mixture to the sandwich. If using cherry peppers or long hots, add them now, or serve without peppers. Enjoy!
Top tips
- Freeze the beef. Freezing the steak for 45 minutes or so prior to slicing will make it so much easier to slice into very thin pieces.
- The pan. Be sure to use a large heavy pan, such as cast iron or stainless steel for the best possible results. If you have access to a Blackstone or other brand of griddle, now would be a great time to use it! Just be sure the pan is heated properly before using in order to brown the steak.
- Be patient. After placing the steak and onions in the hot pan, it may be tempting to move it around with your spatula, but it really is important to let it sit for the first 5-7 minutes or so to develop that nice brown color and slightly crisp edges.
More amazing sandwiches
If you love the Philly Cheesesteak, give these other sandwich recipes a try!
If you’ve enjoyed this Easy Philly Cheesesteak recipe, give it a 5-star rating.
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Easy Philly Cheesesteak
Ingredients
- 2 large hoagie rolls softer rolls work best
- 1 3/4 pounds ribeye steak
- 2 teaspoons Diamond crystal kosher salt
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 medium yellow onions chopped
- 12 slices American cheese see notes below
- pan fried long hots or pickled cherry peppers optional
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Instructions
- Place the ribeye steak on a wire rack lined baking sheet and salt on all sides. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight. Note: If in a rush, you can skip this step and just season with salt and pepper after cooking the seared steak.
- With a sharp knife, slice the steak into the thinnest pieces you can manage.
- Heat a large cast iron pan (14" works best for 2 hoagies) to medium-high heat. Once the pan is smoking add a touch of neutral oil to the pan and the steak and onions. Spread everything out in one layer and leave it undisturbed for 5-7 minutes or until well browned.
- Flip and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes or until no longer pink then add 6 slices of cheese. Chop the cheese and beef and mix together.
- Turn off the heat and spread the meat into two sections roughly 10" long. Top each section with 2-3 slices of cheese or enough to cover the length of the hoagie roll. Place the rolls on top of the sections and scoop the meat into the roll with a large spatula. Top each sandwich with your choice of either fried long hots or cherry peppers or eat just as is. Enjoy!
Notes
- Servings. Makes 2 large hoagies or 4 smaller sandwiches.
- Pan. A cast iron, stainless steel, or carbon steel will all work well to sear the beef and onions. It goes without saying, a griddle top such as Blackstone, will work even better and allow you to make numerous cheesesteaks at one time.
- Cheese. You can use whiz, provolone, white or yellow American cheese. A quick melting cheese is best.
- Peppers. Italian long hots or cherry peppers are great as a topping. Long hots are about double the spice level of pickled cherry peppers. Cherry peppers provide a good acid component which a traditional cheesesteak lacks.
- Beef. Ribeye works best but you can use sirloin, flank, skirt, and even eye cuts.
- Amount of beef per sandwich. A large hoagie (10″roll) will need 3/4-1 pound of sliced ribeye. For smaller rolls, a 1/2 pound works well.
- Slicing the beef. Freezing the beef for at least 45 minutes will allow you to get the thinnest cuts with a knife. If you have a meat slicer that would work best or ask a butcher to slice it for you.
- Leftovers. Philly Cheesesteak can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, wrap tightly in foil and bake at 300-325°F until warm (about 15 minutes).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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The Costco by me sells paper thin cut up ribeye in a big pack , I’ve never tried it but all s I think is cheesesteak when I walk by
I grew up in the Deep South on the Northern Gulf Coast (Mobile and Pensacola) and my family was/is foodies. We love cooking and eating, but mostly southern soul foods, and seafood. I had never had a Philly Cheesesteak until I was in my 30s and visited Philadelphia on a business trip. On a break, I got a Philly Cheesesteak from a street vendor, and to this day, it was one of the most magical experiences I’ve ever had with food. It was one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth. Maybe it was just the fact that I was hungry, and was in a special city, but I’ve been eating great food my whole life, and there have few times when eating something seemed to transcend the moment. I went back to Pensacola with dreams of another Philly Cheesesteak. I tried some at our local sub chains, and nothing came close. I got the opportunity to go back to Philly on business, but all I was thinking about was another street vendor Cheesesteak. I got one, and it was good, but not the transcendental experience of my first time. I’m 70 now and have never tried to make one at home, but I’ve had one by which to judge your recipe. 😁
We hope you make it and let us know if it holds up to your frist Philly Cheesesteak experience.
I am from Phila…I use provolone cheese
Happily…This reminds me of High School Football games and wonderful times.