At-Home Philly Cheesesteak Recipe

When it comes to famous sandwiches, there's no doubt that most people in the United States have heard of and enjoyed a Philly cheesesteak. According to Charley's two brothers, Pat and Harry Olivieri served these at their hot dog stand in the 1930s after deciding to add a sandwich to the mix. They just put grilled beef and onions on a toasted roll, and voilà, the Philly cheesesteak sandwich came to be. People worldwide order this sandwich at restaurants, but there's also a great way to make them at home.

Recipe developer Erin Johnson developed this fantastic recipe to make you feel like you're eating a Philly cheesesteak right from its birthplace. There are so many things to love about this sandwich, and Johnson shares why she loves it so much. "Philly cheesesteaks are simple to make, are delicious, and are impossibly crave-able. Making them at home is easy, and costs significantly less than ordering takeout," she raves. We love a meal that tastes just as good at home as if you ordered it!

Luckily, this recipe doesn't require many ingredients. You'll need shaved beef, salt, ground pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, banana pepper brine (so you'll need a jar of banana peppers), onions, mushrooms, hoagie rolls, and provolone cheese, although you can sub Cheez Whiz if you prefer.

Once you have those items, you can make this delicious Philly Cheesesteak recipe.

Grab a skillet and place it on your stove. Turn on the heat and drizzle in some olive oil. Once the skillet is hot, add the shaved beef. "My grocery store sells shaved beef for sandwiches, but if yours doesn't, you can use stir fry beef, slice flank steak thinly, or use frozen cheesesteak beef for this," Johnson says.

Season the beef with ½ teaspoon salt, along with the pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce to add a little flavor.

While the beef is cooking, use a spoon or a spatula to break it apart. Once it starts to brown, add a tablespoon of brine from the jar of banana peppers. "Adding a little bit of the brine from a jar of banana peppers adds the perfect acidic punch to the beef," Johnson shares. "If you don't have them on hand, you could sub with "juice" from a jar of sweet peppers, or even dill pickles."

Remove the beef from the skillet and set it to the side for the time being.

Add a little more oil to the same skillet, followed by the onions and mushrooms. Toss in any remaining salt for a little more flavor. Allow the veggies to cook for at least 10 minutes so they get nice and soft. "I prefer sliced onions, but chopped onions are more traditional. I've tried it both ways, and they are equally delicious," Johnson notes.

Once the veggies are soft, you can add the beef back to the skillet and mix the ingredients together. 

Now all you need to do is spoon the beef and veggies into the hoagie rolls and add your choice of cheese. If you opt for provolone, it's best to pop it in the oven for a few seconds under the broiler to help melt the cheese to perfection. 

"I'd serve these with fries or a side salad," Johnson recommends. You can keep leftovers, but Johnson provides a helpful tip. "If you have leftovers, store the meat and bread separately to avoid a soggy sub the next day," she says.