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Philly Cheesesteak Recipe

Philly cheesesteaks are one of my favorite comfort foods. I usually don’t purchase steak often because of the cost, but was recently surprised to find thinly sliced pre-packaged steak at my local grocery store for a very reasonable price. So of course I had to give it a try! I added sautéed bell peppers, onions and mushrooms to bulk up the sandwiches, melted provolone cheese on top, and placed it all inside a big hoagie roll. These were so good and very filling. Five large Philly cheesesteak sandwiches for just a little over $3 a sandwich…I’ll take that all day long!

Overhead view of four philly cheesesteaks on parchment paper with fries and pickles on the side.

Growing up, whenever we ate at the food court in the mall, my #1 favorite place to eat was the Philly cheesesteak restaurant. I would skip over the pizza and burgers and go straight for those cheesy, tender, steak sandwiches. So today I’m excited to recreate and put my own spin on an American classic for a party of 5 on a budget!!😉

What are Philly Cheesesteaks?

Philly Cheesesteaks are sandwiches made with thinly sliced steak and cheese and served on a long hoagie roll. Although its origins are sometimes debated, the Philly Cheesesteak is mostly known for being created in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the early 1900’s. Common variations throughout the years have included sautéed onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Regardless of how you like to eat your cheesesteak, this popular recipe has been well-loved by many!

Here’s everything you need to make this easy Philly Cheesesteak recipe:

Steak: To keep things budget-friendly and to save on time, we used thinly pre-shaved beef steak. You can usually find it in the ground meat section of your grocery store. I did notice and test a couple different types of shaved beef, so I’ll go into more details below.
Mushrooms: Sliced baby bella mushrooms are included to add more flavor to the cheesesteaks and to bulk up the servings.
Peppers and Onion: Sautéed bell peppers and onion add lots of great flavor and texture to this cheesesteak recipe.
Cheese: Provolone cheese is my favorite with cheesesteaks, but you can substitute with white American, Swiss or even Cheez Whiz if you’re really going for that classic Philly cheesesteak taste!
Rolls: Hoagie rolls are traditional and a perfect vessel for holding all of that cheesesteak goodness. You can find them packaged in the bread aisle, but if you want to splurge a little, try getting the fresh hoagies in the bakery section.
Seasoning: A mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce is used to season the beef and vegetables. The Worcestershire sauce is my secret ingredient and adds so much flavor, so I wouldn’t skip it!

Let’s Talk Steak!

A lot of Philly cheesesteak recipes use ribeye or sirloin as their meat of choice, but both of those can be quite pricey. It also takes a little extra time to thinly slice all of that meat. But if you didn’t already know, you can actually find pre-packed thinly sliced steak in the meat section of the grocery store.

During testing I tried two different types – one that’s listed as “Beef shaved steak” and another that’s listed as “Ribeye shaved steak.” The ribeye shaved steak was a much better quality and tasted a lot better than just the “beef shaved steak. The ribeye shaved steak is a little more expensive than just the beef shaved steak, but feel free to use either one based on your budget.

These shaved steak packages primarily come in 12-14oz. sizes, which is only enough to make roughly 3-4 large sandwiches. This is why the mushrooms, peppers and onions are added in this recipe to help bulk up the servings.

This recipe makes 5 huge sandwiches, but you can cut each of these in half to make 10 servings if you’re trying to serve them at a tailgate party or potluck!
Not a mushroom fan? No worries, I really only added them to bulk up the filling and stretch the servings to five. But you can totally leave them off and just include the sautéed peppers and onions. You may only be able to make four large sandwiches without the mushrooms.
You can add more cheese to your sandwiches if you really want to make them extra cheesy. I used enough cheese to cover most of the cheesesteak in the skillet, but feel free to add 1-3 more slices over the top of the skillet or on each individual sandwich.

Serving Suggestions

We paired these Philly cheesesteaks with some quick air fryer french fries, but you can also serve them with our popular oven baked steak fries or make a quick batch of air fryer sweet potato fries.

As for toppings, you can certainly keep it simple and leave it as is with just the peppers, onions and mushrooms. Or try adding some shredded lettuce, tomato, pickled jalapeños, or even slow-cooked caramelized onions would taste really good!!

Side close up view of a philly cheesesteak on parchment paper.

Overhead view of philly cheesesteak sandwiches on parchment paper with fries on the side.

Philly Cheesesteak Recipe

This easy Philly Cheesesteak recipe is made with tender, thinly sliced beef, sautéed peppers, onions and mushrooms and gooey, melted cheese on a toasted hoagie roll!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Total Cost $16.27 recipe / $3.25 serving

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings (1 sandwich each)

Calories 535kcal

Author Marsha – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced $2.69
1 green bell pepper $0.89
1 yellow onion $0.42
4 Tbsp butter, divided $0.53
2 Tbsp cooking oil, divided $0.08
12-14 oz. shaved beef steak $6.00
3/4 tsp salt $0.03
1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce $0.10
5 hoagie rolls $3.82
6 slices provolone $1.64

Instructions

Start by prepping the vegetables. Slice the green bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp cooking oil. Once the skillet is hot add in the sliced mushrooms. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the mushrooms start to soften.
Next add in the sliced onions and bell pepper to the skillet. Stir and cook for another 3 minutes or until the veggies have softened. Remove all the vegetables from the skillet to a separate plate and set aside.
In the same skillet add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp cooking oil. Add the shaved beef steak to the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through.
Now add the sautéed peppers, onions, and mushrooms back to the skillet with the steak, then add in the salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and worcestershire sauce. Stir and cook for 1-2 minute to allow the vegetables to heat back up.
Spread the provolone cheese slices on top of the beef and vegetables in the skillet. Turn the heat off. Allow the residual heat to melt the cheese.
While the steak is cooking or while the cheese is melting, go ahead and toast the hoagie rolls. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place 5 rolls on a baking sheet, spread the remaining 2 Tbsp of softened butter inside the hoagie rolls, and toast in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on them. Once toasted, remove the sheet pan from the oven and set the rolls to the side.
Fill each hoagie roll evenly with the steak and cheese mixture. Serve these Philly cheesesteaks with your favorite spreads and toppings like mayo, shredded lettuce, tomato, or sliced jalapeños. Enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Overhead view of philly cheesesteaks on parchment paper with a hand picking one up.

How to Make Philly Cheesesteaks – Step by Step Photos

Peppers, onion and sliced mushrooms on a cutting board.

Start by prepping the vegetables. Slice 1 green bell pepper, 1 onion, and 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp cooking oil. Once the skillet is hot add in the sliced mushrooms. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the mushrooms start to soften.

Next add in the sliced onions and bell pepper. Stir and cook for another 3 minutes or until the peppers and onions have softened. Remove all the vegetables from the skillet to a separate plate and set aside.

In the same skillet add another 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp cooking oil. Add 12-14oz. of shaved beef steak to the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through.

Peppers and onions added to cooked beef in the skillet.

Now add the sautéed peppers, onions, and mushrooms back to the skillet with the cooked steak along with 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, and 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes to allow the vegetables to heat back up.

Provolone cheese added on top of cooked cheesesteak in skillet.

Spread 6 slices of provolone cheese on top of the steak in the skillet. Turn the heat off. Allow the residual heat to melt the cheese.

While the steak is cooking or while the cheese is melting, go ahead and toast the hoagie rolls. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place 5 rolls on a baking sheet, spread the remaining 2 Tbsp of softened butter inside the hoagie rolls, and toast in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on them. Once toasted, remove the sheet pan from the oven and set aside.

Now all that’s left to do is fill each hoagie roll evenly with the steak and cheese mixture. You can also spread some mayo on the inside of each roll if you prefer.

One Philly cheesesteak on a white plate with fries, ketchup, and a pickle on the side.

Serve these Philly cheesesteaks with your favorite spreads and toppings like mayo, shredded lettuce, tomato, or sliced jalapeños. And of course you have to have some crispy fries or chips on the side. Yum!! Tell me, what’s your favorite Philly cheesesteak toppings?

Overhead view of baked meatball subs garnished with parsley.

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Caramelized Onions

Are you an onion hater? If so, these velvety-smooth Caramelized Onions might just change your mind! I love onions in every form, but when cooked low and slow until golden brown and sweet, they become the side dish you never knew you needed. Use them to top a burger, add them to dips and sauces, or mix them into your favorite pasta dish! They’re a seriously budget-friendly way to add extra flavor to any meal. Plus, did you know you can get rid of onion breath by eating fresh parsley? You have no excuse now! Let’s dig in.

If you watch Budget Bytes’ reels on social media, you probably already know onions are my favorite ingredient of all time. My stepdaughter, Bijou, knows my commitment to this vegetable from our game “Anything or Onions,” where she puts an undeniably delicious food (say, brownies) up against onions and the I have to choose which one I’d rather eat for the rest of my life. Spoiler alert: I always choose onions.

Why? Onions are sweet, spicy, and savory, wrapped in one cute little bulb! They can be crunchy (like our pickled red onions) or soft and buttery, like in this recipe you’re about to make. The Vidalia Onion is also the official state vegetable of my birthplace, the great state of Georgia!

What Are Caramelized Onions?

Caramelized onions are made by slowly cooking onions over a low heat until their natural sugars caramelize. I don’t add any extra sugar to this recipe, just a little oil, butter, and salt. As they cook, the water in the onions evaporates, and the pungent, sharp taste turns into a sweet, jammy, and savory treat. This process does take time (about 50 minutes) but requires very little effort. Make a big batch, and store them in your fridge to add meals throughout the week!

Here’s what you’ll need to make this caramelized onions recipe:

Onions: I used 3 medium yellow onions, which I sliced into even strips. White or red onions will also work well!
Olive Oil: Stops the onions from sticking to the pan and helps them caramelize evenly.
Butter: Adds a rich, buttery flavor to the onions. The milk solids in the butter will also brown as the onions cook, making them even more flavorful. Use unsalted butter as we add salt separately.
Salt: Draws out moisture from the onions (helping to speed up the caramelization process) and enhances their natural sweetness.

Serving Suggestions

I can’t think of many dishes that wouldn’t benefit from a spoonful of caramelized onions! Some recipes, like French onion soup, even use them as the main ingredient. Here are a few more serving ideas:

If you don’t fancy soup, try making this French onion dip!
Use them to top turkey burgers and hot dogs
Add them to pasta—they’d taste great in this bruschetta pasta recipe!
Top steak, tofu, or grilled mushrooms with a generous serving of these onions
Use in recipes that call for caramelized onions, like our mushroom white pizza, artichoke flatbread, or chickpea spread
Mix them into scrambled eggs or omelets
Add them to hummus breakfast tacos or avocado toast
Use them in place of onion jam on cheese platters

The exact timings will depend on the thickness of your onion slices and the size of your pan. Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat to speed up the process—this can cause the natural sugars to burn, rather than caramelize! I’ve included photos of my onions after 10, 25, and 40 minutes of cooking in the step-by-step below. Once your onions look like mine in the final photo, they’re done!
Don’t add extra sugar or sweeteners to speed up the caramelization process; this recipe really doesn’t need it. Time and patience will give you the best results!
Salting the onions before cooking will draw out moisture and help them cook down faster.
Deglaze the pan with a splash of liquid (like water, broth, vinegar, or wine) if your onions look dry. You shouldn’t have to do this if you keep the heat low, but it can also add some (optional) extra flavor if desired.
Cut your onions with a sharp knife to avoid that dreaded onion eye burn! You could also try Marsha’s Instagram reel trick for laying a wet paper towel over your cutting board—she says it really works!

Storage Instructions

Keep your onions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze them for later. They’ll keep for 3-6 months in the freezer. Let them thaw in the fridge before using!

Caramelized Onions

These velvety-smooth Caramelized Onions are a budget-friendly way to add extra flavor to any meal! Add them to burgers, pasta, and more!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Total Cost ($2.16 recipe / $0.13 serving)

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings servings, 2 Tbsp per serving (makes 2 cups total)

Calories 22kcal

Author Jess – Budget Bytes