How to make the most delicious Crock Pot Philly cheesesteak sandwich. Easy slow cooker recipe with tips for the best meat, vegetables, bread, and cheese.
Whether you've been to Philly or not, you likely know the city's famous for its cheesesteak sandwiches. I've only been to Philly a couple of times, but I specifically remember my first cheesesteak.
My guys being meat lovers, they love it when I make our favorite stovetop Philly cheesesteak sandwich. And now I love making it even more because I can make it easier with this CrockPot Philly cheesesteak.
I can load everything into the slow cooker, turn it on for a few hours, and when it's done, everyone makes their own sandwiches. It makes dinner easy and more enjoyable.
I'm telling you, the flavors in this sandwich and the ease with which you can make it, besides chopping up a few vegetables… There's nothing quite like slow cooker Philly cheesesteak sandwiches for dinner.
My favorite part, of course, is the cheese. My guys would say the meat.
If you've got a house full of carnivores like I do, this Crock Pot Philly cheesesteak sandwich is a great recipe for dinnertime. And if you need an appetizer, cheese steak sliders, brushed with garlic butter and seasoned with smoked paprika, are ‘da bomb.
What Actually Is a Philly Cheese Steak?
In case you've never been to Philly or just really have no clue what I'm even talking about…
A Philly cheese steak sandwich is basically a sandwich made on a hoagie roll with smaller, thinner pieces of beefsteak and cheese. What cheese goes on a Philly cheese steak depends; it can be provolone, American, or Cheez Whiz.
Two of the most famous places people go to buy a Philly cheesesteak sandwich are in Philadelphia, and they sit directly across from each other, Pat's King of Steaks and Geno's Steaks.
Originally a hot dog stall, Pat's was founded in 1930 by two brothers, Pat and Harry Olivieri. They are the ones who actually invented the famous cheesesteak in 1933.
Ingredient Notes
- Sirloin steak, thinly sliced – I'll show you how to slice the steak as you continue to read.
- Garlic cloves – If you don't have minced garlic or garlic cloves, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder for each clove.
- Yellow onion
- Fresh mushrooms – Or you can use canned, if you prefer.
- Green bell peppers
- Salt and pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- Beef broth
- Bacon grease (optional)
- Hoagie rolls
- Provolone cheese
- Mayo
- Cheez Whiz
Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.
Kitchen Tools and Equipment You'll Need
Ninja Food Chopper Express or Cutting Board and Chef’s Knife
Slow Cooker – I use a Crock Pot 6-qt. slow cooker or my Instant Pot with its slow cooker function. You can also use a Ninja Foodi.
Tongs – Tongs are handy for lifting the meat and vegetables out onto your hoagie rolls when serving.
How to Make Philly Cheese Steak in a Crock Pot
Your first steps are to thinly slice the steak and prepare the garlic, onion, mushrooms, and bell peppers. You'll also need to spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray.
How to Slice Philly Cheese Steak Meat
Slice against the grain when slicing the sirloin, in order to retain the tenderness of the meat.
Try to slice the meat as thin as possible, slicing it into thin strips for cooking. You'll need a good knife for this.
Also, be sure to leave as much of the fat as possible on the meat. Fat gives meat flavor, especially during the cooking process.
Filling up Your Slow Cooker
- Add the thinly sliced steak to the slow cooker.
- Next add in the minced garlic, sliced onion, minced mushrooms, and sliced bell peppers.
- Whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the beef broth over the meat and vegetables, and give everything a good stir.
Then just cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Makig Your Sandwiches
When your meat is fully cooked, you're ready to make and layer your sandwiches.
- Dab a light layer of bacon grease on the inside of your hoagie bun (optional but adds great flavor), and add a slice of provolone cheese, tearing it in half and lining one side of the bun with it. Lightly toast the hoagie buns and cheese on either a griddle or in the oven on a cookie sheet.
- Spread mayo on each bun.
- Using tongs, add the meat mixture to each bun.
- Top with a spoonful or two of heated Cheez Whiz.
And that's it. Your sandwiches are ready to serve.
While hoagie rolls complete the ensemble, you can make this recipe more low carb and even gluten-free (provided all your other ingredients are gluten-free) by eating the meat without the bun.
Maybe add your meat to a bed of lettuce or spinach, or pair it with these low carb dinner rolls or keto garlic cheese bread from my friend, Lynsey at Moscato Mom.
Expert Tips and FAQ's
Most people will recommend ribeye for cheesesteaks at home, but ribeye can be quite expensive. Others recommend top round steak. For this recipe, at the recommendation of our butcher, I used a sirloin steak, sliced thinly. It had just enough fat to give the meat a lot of flavor and to make the meat quite tender when cooked. The great thing about cooking meat in the slow cooker is that it will be very, very tender. So tender it'll almost fall apart in your mouth. Two things to look for when buying Philly cheese steak meat… You need to be able to slice it thinly. And it needs to be tender, not tough; fat is a good thing for both flavor and tenderness.
Opinion really varies on what cheese to use. It really is a debate if you research it. The traditional consensus says either Cheez Whiz or provolone. Some even say American cheese pairs well with the provolone. We tried it with both, and while I love the provolone, the Cheez Whiz won my taste buds over. However, it's up for debate in our house too because a couple of my guys really love the provolone. So I live on the wild side and use both. I melt cheese, provolone cheese, onto the bun when I toast it, and then add Cheez Whiz to the finished sandwich. Delicious!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS
We usually eat Crock Pot cheese steaks with fresh veggies, chips, and/or fruit.
They pair really well with potato wedges or steak fries, French fries, pasta salad, broccoli cauliflower salad, this vegetable finger salad, and even corn on the cob.
More Delicious Philly Cheesesteak Recipes:
- Original Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
- Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes
- Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers
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Crock Pot Philly Cheesesteak
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sirloin steak thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 4 ounces fresh mushrooms minced
- 2 large green bell peppers sliced
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons bacon grease optional
- 6 hoagie rolls
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup Cheez Whiz
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Add the thinly sliced steak to the slow cooker.
- Next add in the minced garlic, sliced onion, minced mushrooms, and sliced bell peppers.
- Whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the beef broth over the meat and vegetables, and give everything a good stir.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Make Sandwiches:
- Optional step: Dab a light layer of bacon grease on the inside of each hoagie bun (adds great flavor).
- Then add a slice of provolone cheese to each bun, tearing it in half and lining one whole side of the bun with it.
- Lightly toast the hoagie buns and cheese on a griddle or in the oven on a cookie sheet.
- Spread mayo on each bun.
- Using tongs, add the meat mixture to each bun.
- Top with a spoonful or two of heated Cheez Whiz.
- And that's it. Your sandwiches are ready to serve.
Notes
- You need to be able to slice it thinly.
- It needs to be tender, not tough, and fat is a good thing for both flavor and tenderness.
I like Philly Cheesesteak and I would love to make these recipes thank you
That’s awesome, Naomi! Philly cheesesteak is the best!
I’m going to make this soon!!!! It just looks so delicious!! 😋 Thank you for sharing.
That’s great, Donna! Thanks so much for stopping by. Cheesesteak sandwiches are a real favorite around here.