Are you looking for an authentic and easy Philly Cheesesteak recipe that can be made in just 20 minutes?! If so, you've come to the right place! Having been born and raised in the Philly area, I know a good cheesesteak. And this recipe fits the bill.
Note: If you love quick and simple sandwiches for dinner, be sure to try our Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes and Hot Dogs in Crescent Rolls.
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🤔 What is a Philly Cheesesteak?
A traditional Philly cheesesteak recipe has: meat (ribeye), onions, and cheese (provolone, American cheese or Cheese Whiz). And it's pretty common to add sautéd mushrooms and/or peppers to a cheesesteak, as well. For an authentic Philly cheesesteak, the most well known places to go are Pats King of Steaks, Geno's Steaks, and Jim's Steaks, all in South Philly. I speak from experience here! If you are craving tender steak smothered in melty cheese and caramelized onions in a lightly toasted Hoagie roll, these are the best tourist spots!
Unfortunately, we can't all make the trip to Philly for one of these delicious traditional Philly cheesesteaks. But the good news is, you can make one at home just like the real deal!
👍 Why We Love this Recipe
True comfort food! Whether it's warm or cold outside, there is nothing like a juicy cheesesteak to satisfy your cravings!
Quick and simple- Make this Easy Philly cheesesteak recipe in 20 minutes! There is minimal chopping so the prep work is really just combining ingredients. We also used DiLuigi's Shaved Beef Steak which is pre-sliced and packaged which meant way less work for us.
One pan! You'll only have to use ONE pan for these cheesesteaks. It doesn't get any better than that!
Tender-Not only did your shaved beef cook quickly, but it came out quite tender, mixing beautifully with the cheese and onions. For more info and interesting tidbits on shaved beef, check out this NYTimes article on shaved steak.
🛒 Philly Cheesesteak Ingredients
The Best Beef
Ribeye is typically the most popular Philly Cheesesteak meat. This meat comes out quite tender and delicious. Sirloin or Flank Steak are also popular options.
Whatever you choose, I highly recommend asking your butcher to slice your meat as thin as possible to save you time in the kitchen! Pre-sliced beef (like 1/16" to ⅛" thickness) is easier to separate in the pan, cuts down on cooking time, and is the cut you want for a cheesesteak. For our cheesesteaks, we opted to buy DiLuigi's Shaved Beef Steak.
The Best Cheese
We personally believe provolone to be the best Philly Cheesesteak cheese, for its mild flavor and how well it melts and blends with the meat. However, if you ask my sister, the best cheesesteak has 'extra whiz,' ladled on thick and creamy at the end. Overall, the most popular choices are provolone, American cheese and Cheese Whiz.
The Incredible Hoagie Roll
If you are from Philly or South Jersey, you have probably heard a sandwich prepared on a long, thin roll referred to as a hoagie. Depending on where you're from, you may call these sandwiches subs, submarines, grinders, heroes...the list goes on and on.
For our easy Philly cheesesteaks, we sought out rolls that were long, chewy, soft and thick enough to hold our hot steamy beef and cheese mixture. And the sandwiches were perfect!
👩🍳 Instructions
Step 1: Sauté Onions
First, sauté onions until caramelized. Then, set aside in a small bowl for later. Note: Most cheesesteak enthusiasts prefer their onions sliced, but for my picky eaters we opted to chop them finely.
🥄 Kids Step: Use a basting brush to spread the olive oil on the pan. My daughter loves doing this cause "it's like painting"! Kids can also wear goggles to slice/chop onions! Goggles will protect little eyes from tearing up. Our fave kids knives are: Curious Chef Knife Set, Opinel Knife, & Made for Me Beginner's Knife.
Step 2: Cook Shaved Beef
Next, cook shaved beef and season with salt and pepper. Use a spatula or two wooden spoons to gently pull shaved beef apart as it cooks.
Step 3: Prepare Rolls
Slice hoagie lengthwise without completely slicing apart. Spread butter on the inside of each half.
🥄 Kids Step: Butter the rolls. This is an easy task for little ones.
Step 4: Assemble Cheesesteaks!
Finally, divide meat into two sections in your pan (or more depending on how many rolls you have). Incorporate onion back into the meat. Place cheese on top of each section of shaved beef and lay the open side of the roll face down on the meat. Once cheese has melted, use one or two spatulas to gently flip over the sandwich onto a plate.
🥄 Kids Step: Lay cheese on top of shaved beef. Kids will love watching the cheese melt into the beef in the pan.
✔️Tips & Tricks
- Thinly slice your beef. If you are cutting the meat yourself (especially Ribeye or a thicker cut of meat), Saveur has some great tips on how to cut steak paper thin. Specifically, associate food editor Kellie Evansy recommends freezing steak tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for 20 minutes prior to cutting. Then, once firm, he recommends thinly slicing the meat against the grain.
- Don't overcook the beef. Meat should be so thin that it cooks quickly and melts in your mouth!
- Remember to assemble your cheesesteak upside down in the pan. Use a spatula or two to flip assembled cheesesteaks over and onto your plate.
- Don't be afraid to add more veggies. It's pretty common to add sautéd mushrooms and/or peppers to a cheesesteak. We kept this Philly Cheesesteak recipe simple, but feel free to jazz it up based on your family's preference!
🍟 How to Serve Your Philly Cheesesteaks
We paired our cheesesteaks with the beloved, Pennsylvania's own Utz Ripples Original Potato Chips, but other popular choices are fries and onion rings. If you are looking for a potato side dish, we highly recommend these Shake & Bake Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries. Our Microwave "Baked Potato" for Kids would also go nicely with your cheesesteak.
To keep things healthier, a simple garden salad or this amazing vegan bean salad are great options. Or, consider a simple veggie side of peeled celery sticks, sliced cucumbers and/or carrot sticks.
👶Tips for Picky Eaters
🍅 Kids choose their toppings. Mushrooms, peppers, ketchup, mustard....kids can dress their cheesesteaks however they'd like!
🍅 Change up the cheese! While we like Provolone on our cheesesteaks. But other cheeses like American or Cheese Whiz work great for this recipe.
🍅 Let kids choose the side dish. Fries, chips, or a simple salad all go great with cheesesteaks!
✂️ A Fun Craft for this Recipe!
While you cook, kids can make an Adorable DIY Piggy Bank! Your change will be safe in this sweet and simple cow-themed piggy bank!
🍔 More Sandwiches to Try
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🍽 Easy Philly Cheesesteak Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil (divided, or a few sprays of cooking spray)
- 1 medium onion, sliced or chopped
- 1 Pound shaved beef
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- ½ Teaspoon pepper
- 4 Hoagie rolls
- 2 Tablespoon butter
- 4-6 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Heat frying pan or griddle on medium, and coat with 1 T olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until browned or even caramelized. Remove onions and set aside in a small bowl.
- Heat remaining 1 T of oil (or cooking spray) in pan. Add shaved beef and season with salt and pepper. Use a spatula or two wooden spoons to gently pull shaved beef apart and cook until no longer pink. Mix in onions.
- Slice hoagie rolls lengthwise without completely slicing apart. Spread butter on the inside of each half.
- Divide meat into sections in your pan, depending on how many rolls you have. Place 1-2 slices of cheese on top of each section of meat. Then, lay the open side of the roll face down on the cheese & meat for 1-2 minutes, or until butter and cheese have melted. Use one or two spatulas to gently flip over meat with roll onto a plate. Serve cheesesteaks with your side of choice.
Notes
- To plate...serve cheesesteaks with your side of choice.
- Shaved beef is the best meat for these cheesesteaks.
- Assemble your cheesesteak upside down in the pan. Use a spatula or two to flip assembled cheesesteaks over and onto your plate.
Nutrition
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. While we are not certified nutritionists, we work with a WordPress-integrated nutrition API to calculate our recipes' ingredient values.
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I finally found shaved beef at Aldi and can't wait to do this!! I used to get the chicken version at Tubby's subs, they would use a squirt bottle to shoot some salsa onto the chicken then lay the cheese on top and a lid to melt it all together. I am drooling just thinking about it!
Salsa! That's fascinating! Never tried. Well, let us know how yours turns out with the shaved beef. Cheers -Julie