Cheesesteak Sandwich

For this homemade Cheesesteak Sandwich, thinly sliced ribeye is paired with peppers, onions, and mushrooms, then topped with provolone and stuffed into a hoagie roll. It’s a delicious hot treat for lunch or game day, and you can make a bunch of sandwiches at once.

Even though I now live in Philly where the cheesesteak was born, I’ve been eating cheesesteak sandwiches ever since I was a kid growing up in Northern California.

There was a local cheesesteak shop in town and my family and I went there enough that we had one of those loyalty punch cards. Everything was always so good.

Even though I can go out and get a Philly cheesesteak at a million different places nearby, my preference is to make them at home. I get to use my own high-quality steak, and make a generously stuffed sandwich at a fraction of the price of dining out. It’s a win-win.

This is my favorite kind of cheesesteak sandwich, but let me note that this is not a traditional Philly cheesesteak. The original rendition involves Cheez Whiz, which…no thank you. I’ve tried it here in Philly, and no, I don’t like it 😂

I prefer to use a gooey sliced provolone, which has a pretty neutral flavor, but binds everything together in gooey, melty strands of cheese. It’s good stuff. And this is a much higher quality sandwich than you’d get at most places.

Step by Step Overview:

To get started on your cheesesteak sandwich prep, combine thinly sliced green bell pepper, yellow onion, butter, salt, and black pepper in a large skillet:

I prefer the flavor of green pepper over the other more sweet bell peppers, but red, orange, or yellow will work in a pinch. You can also incorporate a few hot peppers here if you prefer.

Cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat, until everything has softened and you’re just starting to get caramelized onion strips:

Really make sure the peppers and sauteed onions are properly softened, as crunchy vegetables really don’t belong in any cheesesteak sandwich.

Then, remove the pepper mixture from the skillet to a plate, and add chopped baby bella mushrooms. Cook them over medium-high heat until they are thoroughly browned:

Remove the mushrooms from the pan, and cook thinly sliced steak in two batches, until browned and cooked through:

When the beef is cooked, add the peppers, onions, and mushrooms back in, and toss it all around:

Divide the filling into four sections, and put two slices of provolone cheese on each one:

Cover with a lid or pop the pan into the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese slightly. The slices should drape over the meat and veggies as the cheese melts:

Slice four hoagie rolls in half almost all the way through to the bottom using a sharp knife, then spoon a section of melted cheese covered meat and veggies into each roll:

I like the hoagie because it’s a soft roll that still has a sturdy quality to it, and they are relatively easy to find. But if you can find them, Amoroso rolls are even better, and the most traditional.

I do not recommend hot dog buns, as they are too soft and usually don’t have the best flavor.

Then wrap each hoagie tightly in aluminum foil, to seal each cheesesteak sandwich:

Place all of the cheesesteak sandwiches on a baking sheet, so they can bake further in the oven:

The oven time will further melt the cheese, warm up the bread, and give the meat and veggies time to soak the hoagie rolls a little bit. 

It gets slightly soggy, but in a pleasing way that’s very intentional here. It helps the sandwich meld.

If you wish to have more toasted hoagie rolls, open up the foil and let them bake in the oven for a few more minutes, to crisp the outside.

Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches, this Italian Club Sandwich, and Muffuletta Panini are a few of my other favorite hearty sandwiches on the blog. Enjoy!

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Post updated May 2019. Originally published July 2012.