Easy Philly Cheesesteak Recipe

Sure, maybe apple pie is the quintessential "as American as" food, but offered the choice between a soggy slice of pie and one of these classic American sandwiches, which would you choose? Yeah, the Philly cheesesteak, right? We thought so. Chef and recipe developer Michelle McGlinn has been smitten with these excellent East Coast eats since her teenage years: "I visited Philadelphia when I was looking at colleges and sought out Philly cheesesteaks when I went, so I based this [recipe] off of what I had there."

Now, before the cheesesteak purists grab their pitchforks, also note that McGlinn knows people have strong feelings on these sandwiches, admitting that "some will swear by using Cheez Whiz ... but when I went, I had provolone cheese on mine. I prefer white cheeses to yellow, so I chose to use it here, too. [And] I love peppers on my cheesesteaks, [but] the peppers are definitely optional."

Not optional? Buttering those rolls!

To make a Philly cheesesteak sandwich, you will need hoagie rolls, plenty of butter, a sliced onion, oil, shaved steak (New York strip or ribeye, ideally), salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Oh, and cheese. You'll definitely need cheese. McGlinn calls for provolone, but you can also use American or good ol' Cheez Whiz, depending on your preference.

As for the peppers, if you're using them, you'll need either green and red bell peppers — or really whatever bell peppers you like or have — sliced nice and thin.

First off, preheat the oven to 350 F. As it warms, slice open the hoagie rolls, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small dish, and brush the melted butter onto the insides and edges of hoagies. Be liberal here! 

Next, place the prepared rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until the bread is golden and warm, about 10 minutes.

As the buttered rolls warm and lightly toast, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook them until they have softened and turned golden brown; this should take about 10 minutes. "The only tricky part is browning the onions," says McGlinn. "Don't let them burn; keep stirring often. If the onions seem to be burning, you can also turn the heat down and cook gently."

Once the onions have reached this stage, add the sliced bell peppers and stir to combine. Continue to cook until the peppers have softened, about another five minutes.

Remove the cooked veggies from the skillet and add the oil. Once it has warmed a bit, add the shaved steak, stirring occasionally, and cook until it has just browned. While cooking the meat, season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce.

Once the meat has browned, drain the grease (if needed) and add the veggies back into the skillet with the steak. Stir to combine, keeping the heat at a medium setting.

Add the provolone slices over the steak and veggie mixture and cook everything until the cheese is melty. Then remove the pan from the heat and stuff everything into the warmed hoagie rolls. And enjoy!

As for serving ideas, McGlinn says french fries and pickles are the classic way to go, adding, "You could also do chips — I like a good kettle cooked potato chip — or a healthy option like green salad or a light coleslaw. I'd also consider roasted potato wedges for a healthier 'french fry.'"