Homemade Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich Recipe

Ingredient Notes

• Steak – Let's talk about the best steak to use for Philly cheesesteak. Most people will recommend ribeye for a traditional Philly cheesesteak, but ribeye can be quite expensive. Others may also recommend top round steak. For this recipe, at the recommendation of our butcher, I used a sirloin steak, sliced thinly. Sirloin has just enough fat to give the meat a lot of flavor and to make the meat quite tender when cooked. Two things to look for when buying Philly cheese steak meat… You need to be able to slice it thinly. It also needs to be tender, not tough, and fat is a good thing for both flavor and tenderness.
• Bacon grease, olive oil, or butter – You can use whichever you prefer, but I'll tell ya, nothing beats the flavor of bacon grease.
• Garlic Cloves – I like to buy already minced garlic in the jar to use when I don't have fresh garlic on hand.
• Yellow Onion – Sliced onions are an integral part of any cheesesteak sandwich.
• Mushrooms – Fresh portobello mushrooms are delicious in cheesesteak.
• Green Bell Pepper – While not included on an authentic Philly cheesesteak, I just love the flavor that pepper gives to steak.
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Cheese – So opinion varies on what kind of cheese to use for cheese steak. It really is a debate if you research it. The traditional consensus says the best cheese for cheesesteak is 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; nothing beats a Philly cheesesteak, Cheese Whiz style. However, it's up for debate in our house too because a couple of my guys really love the provolone. Confession: I love both together.
• Hoagie Rolls – I recommend a soft hoagie roll, at least 6 inches long. While the hoagie bun completes the ensemble, you can make this recipe more low carb by eating the meat without the bun. Maybe add it to a bed of lettuce or spinach, or pair it with these low carb dinner rolls or keto garlic cheese bread.

Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

How to Slice Philly Cheese Steak Meat

Slice against the grain when slicing the sirloin, in order to retain the tenderness of the meat.

Also, be sure to leave the fat on the meat. Fat gives meat flavor, especially during the cooking process.

Slice the meat as thin as possible, slicing it into thin strips for cooking. You'll need a good knife.

How to Cook Cheese Steak

When you've thinly sliced your steak, it's time to prep the veggies, which include garlic, onion, mushrooms, and a bell pepper. I recommend mincing the garlic and mushrooms, then slicing the onion and bell pepper. Not sure how to slice a pepper? Learn how to cut a bell pepper.

1. Sauté the garlic, onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper in the bacon grease for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. While I sauté the veggies in bacon grease, you can use olive oil or butter.

2. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.
3. Add the meat to the skillet, along with the salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until the meat is almost done but not quite cooked through.

4. When the meat is fully cooked, that's when you can add the veggies back in with the meat, and let everything simmer until the meat is fully cooked.

TIP: It's important when you cook the meat that you don't cook it so long that you dry it out. You want it to be done, but you also want it to be nice and flavorful, as well as moist and tender.

How to Assemble a Cheesesteak Sandwich

While the meat is simmering is a good time to toast the buns in a dab of bacon grease or butter on a griddle or in the oven.

1. Spread a tablespoon or so of mayonnaise in each bun.
2. If you want provolone, put two slices of provolone on before you add the meat.
3. Then add a generous helping of the meat and vegetable mixture.
4. Finally, if you'd rather have Cheez Whiz, top it all off with Cheez Whiz.