Philly Cheesesteak-Style Sliders Recipe

The Philly cheesesteak dates back to the 1930s, although in the early days it was more of a simple steak sandwich since it didn't include cheese. But as the sandwich approaches its century mark, cheese has long been considered a traditional part of the dish (hence the name). Still, its melty goodness can make for pretty messy (albeit fun) eating on a full-sized bun. Developer Julianne De Witt solves this problem, not by eliminating the cheese (the horror!), but by replacing sub rolls with slider buns. This results in sandwiches that are much easier to eat and also make for cute and tasty appetizers that she says are "great for entertaining — perfect for a Super Bowl party or a casual dinner party."

"This recipe is so fun to make," De Witt tells us, describing the sliders as "delicious, family-friendly, and easy to put together." While cheesesteak sliders would be an excellent addition to a game day buffet of Buffalo wings and chicken nachos, you could also make them for dinner since they're quick and easy enough to prepare even on a weeknight. If you go this route, De Witt suggests fries, chips, or potato salad as a side. For something less starchy, you could go with raw vegetables accompanied by onion dip or homemade aioli.

For the sandwich filling, you'll need butter, an onion, a red bell pepper, steak (ribeye works best here), salt, black pepper, and sliced provolone. You're also going to need slider rolls (Hawaiian rolls are a good pick here) as well as a little garlic to flavor them.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a saute pan over medium heat.

Once the butter has melted, add the onions and peppers.

Saute for 5 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Transfer the peppers and onions to a bowl and set aside.

Add 1 more tablespoon of butter to the saute pan.

Add half of the sliced steak and cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 to 5 minutes, until no pink remains. Season to taste with salt and pepper while cooking.

Transfer cooked steak to a bowl and cook and season the remaining steak.

Using a serrated knife, slice all 12 slider rolls in half at once and place the bottom half on a lined baking sheet.

Assemble the sliders by adding the meat in an even layer onto the bottom half of the sliders.

Add peppers and onions on top of the meat.

Add the provolone, overlapping the cheese slightly if necessary.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil the sandwiches for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and crushed garlic to a small saucepan over medium heat.

Once the butter has melted, brush it onto the top of the slider rolls.

Add the tops of the slider rolls to the bottom portion and broil for 2 minutes more until the cheese has melted and the slider tops are browned.

Slice the buns to separate them and serve the sliders.

As steak is an integral part of the sandwich, it all starts with choosing the right kind. De Witt tells us, "I like to use ribeye steaks in this recipe because they are well marbled and very tender when cooked." She adds that sirloin would be a pretty good alternative, but advises that if you use it, you may need to use a little extra butter for frying because it's a leaner cut of meat.

Once you've selected your steak, the next step is slicing it thinly. De Witt notes that restaurants will generally use a meat slicer, but her method is to put the steak in the freezer before cutting. While you don't want to leave it in there until it's rock hard, 25 to 45 minutes of freezing time will make it firm enough that you can easily slice it into thin strips using a sharp knife.

Once you've sliced the steak, let it come to room temperature, then fry it in two batches so all the slices can have enough room to heat evenly. Some cooks may add various spices and seasonings to the steak as it browns, but De Witt says, "I wanted to keep this recipe simple and authentic, so I seasoned the meat with salt and pepper only so that the flavor of the ribeye shines through."

De Witt admits that "Purists will say less is more" when it comes to making a Philly cheesesteak. In fact, some may feel that if you add too many toppings, what you've got is a steak and cheese sandwich, instead. We're not the food police, so go right ahead and add those extras if you like. In addition to seasoning the meat with garlic, onion powder, or Worcestershire sauce, you could add some sauteed mushrooms or jalapeños to the pepper and onion mix. You could change up the cheese too, replacing the provolone with Philadelphia's beloved Cheez Whiz or something with a stronger flavor like sharp cheddar or blue cheese. If you want a condiment for your cheesesteak, De Witt recommends mayonnaise or creamy horseradish, while you could heat things up with your go-to hot sauce (here are a few of our favorites).

You also have your choice of slider rolls for this recipe. De Witt uses Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, which come attached to one another in one big bread block, thus making them very easy to slice. If you prefer, though, you can use a different type of slider roll such as plain, pretzel, or brioche.