Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
Why this recipe works
- Fast, high-heat cooking: Thinly sliced beef cooks in minutes, staying tender and juicy when it hits a very hot pan.
- Deep savoury flavour: Onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce and browned pan juices give the filling a rich, umami-led finish.
- Melty cheese finish: Provolone melts directly over the beef piles, binding the meat and vegetables before they are lifted into the rolls.
Get the most out of this recipe
Common mistakes
- Do not crowd the beef: If the pan is too full, the steak will steam instead of sear. Cook in batches if needed, then bring everything together before melting the cheese.
- Keep the beef just cooked: Thin slices only need a short time in the pan. Pull back the heat once the meat has lost its raw colour so it stays juicy.
Ingredient notes
- Slice across the grain: Cutting the steak very thinly across the grain shortens the muscle fibres, giving a more tender bite in the finished sandwich.
- Use a soft, sturdy roll: A hoagie roll should be soft enough to wrap around the filling but strong enough to hold the pan juices without falling apart immediately.
Make-ahead tips
- Store the filling separately: Keep the beef and vegetable mixture in the fridge, then reheat it in a frying pan and fill fresh rolls just before serving.
- Reheat gently in a pan: Warm the filling over a medium heat with a small splash of water to loosen the juices, then add the cheese once everything is piping hot.
Authenticity notes
- Cheese choices vary: Provolone is a familiar cheesesteak option, offering a savoury melt; other versions may use different melting cheeses depending on style and preference.
- Green pepper is optional by tradition: Green pepper is common in many home and sandwich-shop versions, though it is not universal in classic Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Halve and thinly slice the onion, then thinly slice the green pepper. If your steak is not already thinly sliced, slice it as thinly as you can across the grain.
- Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the onion and green pepper and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned at the edges.
- Add the beef to the pan and spread it out so it hits the hot surface. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turning with tongs, until just cooked through and still juicy.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and black pepper, scraping up any browned bits so the juices coat the meat and vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium and gather the mixture into two long piles.
- Lay the provolone over each pile and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until melted. Split the hoagie rolls and open them up, then tuck each roll around a cheesy pile and lift it out of the pan so the juices soak into the bread.
- Serve immediately while hot and melty. If any juices remain in the pan, spoon them into the rolls before eating.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For easier slicing, chill the beef in the freezer for 15 minutes, then slice it very thinly across the grain.
- Keep the pan hot so the beef sears quickly; if it starts to steam, cook in two batches and return everything to the pan to melt the cheese.
Substitutions
- Replace provolone cheese with mozzarella for a milder, stretchier melt.
- Replace sunflower oil with olive oil for a fruitier flavour.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Store the beef and vegetable filling in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a frying pan over a medium heat with a splash of water until piping hot, then fill fresh hoagie rolls and add the provolone to melt.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 servings
- Total time: 25min (25min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: American
-
Allergens:
Gluten Milk
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