Best Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches Recipe (Shaved Steak) (2024)

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30 minutes to the best shaved steak sandwich recipe! Tender, shaved beef, caramelized onions, lots of flavor thanks to Worcestershire Sauce and melty cheese — piled on top of a buttery, toasted French roll. Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches for everyone!

We adore easy weeknight, fresh and tasty meals in this house, you too? You will love this Mongolian Beef, these Philly Cheesesteak Sliders and this cooks all day Crockpot London Broil.

Have you ever cooked with shaved steak? It’s my new favorite! Check out the best Shaved Steak recipes here!

I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!

This has been a year for comfort food for me! Even in the heat of summer, I enjoy the warm, tasty, rich, and savory sandwich, with juices dripping down my chin, stringy cheese bite after bite. My kind of meal!

What’s the difference between a Philly Cheesesteak and a Cheesesteak?

Great question, I’m a Colorado girl via the West Coast and while I’ve visited Philly, I have not eaten many of Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches. Here’s what I found!

• Philly Cheesesteak | A long, crusty Italian roll cradles thinly sliced, sautéed ribeyesteak, dripping with meat juices and messy, melted cheese. It’s heavy. It’s simple. And ooooh, boy, is it savory. Authentic Philly Cheesesteaks cheese of choice is Cheez Whiz, but American and Provolone are common substitutions. (Source)
• Cheesesteak | So by definition, anything that changes things up, whether it’s cheese, additions, seasonings, makes it a plain (but still savory and delicious) Steak Sandwich Recipe.
• Several Philadelphians have corrected me that all self-respecting Philly residents order their Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches with Cheez Whiz. They say, “wiz wit” that’s Philadelphian for wiz and fried onions on the sandwich, and that’s how we order them.

I made these tonight for my family of 5. I’ve never made cheesesteaks at home before. They were an absolute HIT! I was a bit worried about the amount of Worcestershire sauce, but once it mixed with the meat, veggies and the juices, it was quite delicious! This will definitely become a regular in our rotation of meals!!

KMazz

Authentic Philly Cheesesteak?

According to Philadelphians, you simply cannot make an authentic Philadelphia Cheese Steak sandwich without an authentic Philadelphia roll. The rolls must be long and thin, not fluffy or soft, but not too hard. They also say, anything more than an hour from South Philly is not an authentic Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. Source

So, no, this recipe is not authentic, which is I’m calling it simply, the BEST shaved steak sandwich, or the “stop worrying about what it’s called and just make it steak sandwich”!

I’ve been making this homemade Philly cheesesteak recipe on repeat for years, the original recipe is from my dear, creative friend, Norine from Norine’s Nest, she is a fabulous cook, and she’s sooo funny!

This shaved beef sandwich is a huge hit in our house, when my family spies shaved beef thawing they KNOW that goodness is happening for dinner!

Simple Ingredients Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

• Beef | Shaved beef, shaved steak or thinly sliced cube, round steak, even flank steak or skirt steak will work. Most grocery stores now carry this cut of beef, try and get the shaved ribeye, it’s the best!
• Butter | Don’t knock it, it adds a ton of flavor!
• Caramelized onions | Wit or Wit Out? You need these drool worthy onions in your best cheesesteak recipe
• Seasoning salt | Adds complex flavor, easily!
• Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins is Gluten free)
• Hot sauce | Optional, serve with a side of hot sauce!
• Cheese | Use your family favorite, Provolone (our favorite), White American cheese, Cheddar or traditional Cheez Whiz.
• Toasted sub rolls | You want to toast your rolls!

Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.

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What kind of cheese goes on a Philly cheesesteak sandwich?

White American cheese; tourists ask for Cheez Whiz, but provolone and Pepper Jack is also a welcome substitution.

What meat is Philly Cheese Steak

Shaved ribeye steak; this is a must, you can ask your butcher for this cut, but it’s readily available now at stores like Kroger, Trader Joe’s and Target.

Norine uses cube steak, the first time I made this, I wasn’t able to find cube steak; so I used round steak and sliced it as thin as possible. However; I’ve since discovered shaved beef from Trader Joe’s! It’s paper thin, tender and delicious.

How to Make the Best Steak and Cheese Sandwich

Step 1 | Caramelize the onions

Slice the onion in half, then slice into thin half rings. Heat a large pan over medium heat (this is my favorite pan!), add in the butter and melt until sizzling and bubbly.
Toss in the onions and saute until soft and caramel in color, about 7-10 minutes.

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Step 2 | Season Shaved Steak and Saute

Meanwhile, toss the shaved steak with seasoning salt. Once the onions are done sautéing, remove them from the pan to a plate and increase the heat to medium-high, adding another pat or two of butter.

Add the shaved beef in a single layer, doing in batches in needed. Toss with tongs, turning after a minute or two, the meat will cook and brown quickly.

Step 3 | Add onions to pan and cheese

Once the meat is browned, return the cooked onions to pan, stir in Worcestershire sauce, and if desired, hot sauce.

Layer slices of cheese over meat, cover with lid to melt.

Step 4 | Grill the Hoagie rolls & serve

Spread some soft butter (try garlic butter too) onto cut hoagie rolls (or French rolls or your favorite rolls) and over medium heat, grill the rolls until golden. If desired (and by desire, I mean, you should do this part, come on, this is not diet food!)

Serve on top of browned sub or hoagie rolls, I’ve also used whole wheat to make myself think it was a bit healthier. Can’t blame a girl for trying!

Make ahead Philly cheesesteak sandwiches recipe

YES! This is a great meal to serve for a game day, tailgating or for a party.

Make ahead as directed above; place in slow cooker and keep on the warm setting or covered in an oven set to 150-200° F (95° C). Serve with toasted sub or hoagie or slider rolls on the side.

Variations & Substitutions

• Add sliced red, green, yellow or orange peppers when caramelizing onions, sauteeing until soft and slightly browned.
• Saute sliced mushrooms until warm and soft.
• Norine’s fave is to serve with Lighthouse Cotija Cilantro dressing.
• Serve with a drizzle of Ranch dressing
• Smear some Garlic Aioli or garlic butter onto the buns.
• Add extra cheese, if you love it super cheesy, add more cheese!

What’s the Difference between a Hoagie and a Sub Sandwich?

The difference in this instance is a Hoagie uses a harder, firmer roll, not slicing it all the way through, instead stuffing it with meat, cheese, etc. Whereas a sub sandwich is typically a soft roll, cut all the way through.

Then you have grinders, poor boy’s and hero’s! Being born and raised on the west coast, these were all foreign names to me when I was first introduced to them while visiting the East coast and the south for the first time.

What I do know? They are all delicious, all a sandwich of some for or another, so why let semantics get in the way of enjoying a scrumptious meal!

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage Tips

Place any leftover Philly cheesesteak in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. May also be frozen for up to 3 months.

How to reheat Shaved steak sandwiches

Gently reheat the components in a skillet over medium heat. It will reheat quickly, do not overcook the beef to maintain its tenderness. Add a little extra cheese if desired and re-grill a roll.

Best sides to serve with Philly cheesesteak sandwiches

Simple steak fries are amazing, but if you want to go healthier serve with a hearty Italian chopped salad, don’t forget the zesty homemade Italian dressing or maybe just a crudite.

Best desserts to serve with a shaved steak sandwich

Now we’re talking! Dessert makes everything better! Try a few of our popular favorites below.

More beef and shaved steak recipes

• Famous Flank Steak Marinade
• Best Philly Cheesesteak Sliders Recipe
• Best Philly Cheesesteak Casserole Recipe (Low-Carb)
• New England Steak Bomb Sandwich Recipe
• Healthy Mongolian Beef Recipe
• 39 Best Shaved Steak Recipes (Easy Steak Meals)

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