If you love fast and easy dinners, then get ready to fall in love with savory Philly cheesesteaks! On busy weeknights filled with activities and running around, this simple yet mouthwatering recipe comes in handy. My simple recipe contains extra virgin olive oil, onion, bell peppers, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, sirloin steak, provolone cheese, and submarine rolls. Ready in about 20 minutes, you’ll forget you ever wanted to go out for Philly cheesesteaks as soon as you taste just HOW GOOD these sandwiches are. If you like steak, then you'll love my Steak Fajitas recipe!
My husband has been a HUGE Philly cheesesteak fan ever since I met him a decade ago; he said my Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich recipe is hands down, THE BEST Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich recipe he’s EVER tasted. On a scale of 1-10, he gave this recipe a 10! It’s slightly spicy as it contains red pepper flakes, so if you ‘re not a fan of heat, or are cooking for children, then omit.
Where does the Philly Cheesesteak originate?
Frank Olivieri, owner of Pat’s King of Steaks in Philadelphia, explained in Philly Mag’s article that his great-uncle Pat, his grandfather’s older brother, operated a hot dog stand that he started in 1930. By the time Pat’s hot dog stand began, the whole neighborhood was largely Italian, and local workers would line up to buy Pat’s hot dogs.
One day, Pat wanted something different for lunch as he grew tired of the hot dogs he sold. Pat, wanting to try something new, asked for some scraps of meat at the butcher. Pat got meat from the butcher and went home to cook the meat and serve it on a hot dog roll. A cab driver saw the sandwich and said, “That looks great. Make me one!” Pat told the cab driver that he only had enough meat for one sandwich, so they split one. The cab driver stated that it was terrific and told Pat that he needs to stop selling hot dogs and instead, sell these things. And that is how Philly cheesesteaks were born!
Celeste Morello, South Philadelphia historian and author of Philadelphia’s Italian Foods, reported that back in the 19th century, there were cookbooks that included recipes for the steak sandwich. Back then, it was referred to as the “beefsteak sandwich.” The Olivieris did things differently in the 1930s as they used different bread, and different seasonings than the recipe in the cookbook.
Ingredients in Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches
Extra virgin olive oil. Use high quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
Yellow onion. Slice a yellow onion into thin strips for a traditional Philly Cheesesteak sandwich.
Bell peppers. You’ll need a green and red bell pepper to make this.
Salt. Just a bit of salt helps season the steak.
Pepper. Pepper adds flavor and seasoning.
Crushed red pepper. Omit if cooking for kids, but make sure to use if cooking for adults, unless you don’t want any spice.
Sirloin steak. Sirloin is cheaper than ribeye and you can make more sandwiches with this cut. Of course, if you want to buy ribeye, feel free to use it in this recipe. Ribeye is more tender, but will cost you more. Technically, you can use any cut of beef steak you like, but we prefer sirloin.
Submarine rolls. Philly Cheesesteaks are typically served on submarine or hoagie rolls.
Provolone cheese. Use deli sliced provolone cheese for an authentic Philly Cheesesteak taste.
Can I make this low carb?
Absolutely! Just omit the sandwich rolls and you have a protein-packed, nutritious, and tasty meal!
How to Make the Best Philly Cheesesteaks
STEP 1: Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, bell peppers, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and stir until the peppers are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve in a bowl. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and return to the stovetop.
STEP 2: Combine the steak with salt and pepper in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and bring heat to medium. Add the steak to the skillet, flipping it after 3-4 minutes on each side, until it’s no longer pink. Top the cooked steak with provolone cheese slices and let it melt for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from heat.
STEP 3: Carefully place the steak on the bottom side of the submarine roll, topped with the bell pepper and onion mixture.
More beef recipes you’ll love!
Black Pepper Beef & Cabbage Stir Fry
Low Carb Hamburger Steak and Gravy
Copycat Hot Dog on a Stick Recipe
Final Thoughts
Finally, if you make these Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from everyone who makes this recipe and always try my best to respond to all comments.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag #elisemccollister on Instagram! It makes me so happy to see your recipe photos!
Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion sliced thin
- 1 green bell pepper sliced thin
- 1 red bell pepper sliced thin
- salt divided
- pepper divided
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1.5 lbs. top sirloin steak trimmed of fat and sliced into thin strips
- 4 submarine rolls sliced in half
- 4 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chopped onion, bell peppers, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and stir until the peppers are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve in a bowl. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and return to the stovetop.
- Combine the steak with salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and bring heat to medium. Add the steak to the skillet, flipping it after 3-4 minutes on each side, until it’s no longer pink. Top the cooked steak with provolone cheese slices and let it melt for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Carefully place the steak on the bottom side of the submarine roll, topped with the bell pepper and onion mixture.
Notes
Nutrition (per serving)
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