When traveling, we always try to find iconic food from the city or region we’re visiting. We’ve had a trip to Philadelphia planned for the last few years, but without fail something always comes up that prevents us from going. We have a list of the best places to get what the city is famous for – Philly cheesesteaks – and fingers crossed we can check them out soon. In the meantime, we made our own version of Philly cheesesteak sliders that are a playful fusion of the ubiquitous Philly cheesesteak sandwich and a two-bite slider. Whether you’re hosting a game day party, or simply craving a savory snack, these mini sandwiches are the perfect choice.
There’s not many elements to a Philly Cheesesteak, so each component needs to compliment the other to achieve this pinnacle of a steak sandwich.
In the printable recipe below, you can find a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Ribeye Steak: Boneless ribeye steak is the perfect combination of tender beef with evenly-marbled fat throughout each thinly-sliced bite for the the signature texture and flavor of a top-notch cheesesteak.
Provolone Cheese: One of the two widely accepted cheese options for a proper cheesesteak is provolone, an easy-melting, robust cheese with a strong, smokey flavor that can hold its own next to all that steak. This cheese is more likely to stick to the shaved beef for these sliders which is why we’re recommending it. But if you want something you could buy on the street in Philadelphia these days, it would probably be Cheez Whiz, pre-melted and ladled on. It’s absolutely delicious, but you’ll need a primer on how to do the ‘Philly Hunch.’
Grilled Onions: The other key condiment for a classic cheesesteak is grilled onions. You can use either white, yellow, or sweet onions that are sautéd and caramelized, with a little bit of crispiness on the edges. Some restaurants included grilled bell peppers with their cheesesteak, but that’s not part of the original recipe. We find that the peppers don’t blend well with the other ingredients and tend to stand out too much; if you really want some then we’d suggest trying it with poblano or mild Hatch chili peppers instead.
Slider Buns: The slider buns should be soft enough to absorb the juices from the meat and melty cheese but can also be strong enough to hold up to the weight of its filling. We prefer a soft slider roll like King Hawaiian. Avoid anything like a dinner roll since they aren’t quite big enough for our recipe and will fall apart while eating.