PHILLY CHEESE STEAK SLIDERS

Crowd pleasers like Philly Cheese Steak Sliders are always a favorite.

Philly cheese steak sliders have become a go-to meal in our house, and we just refer to this recipe as “the sliders”. They’re so simple and my kids absolutely love them.

I’m certain you’ll be hearing requests to make them again and again throughout the month.

Philly cheese steak sliders combine thinly sliced beef, cheese, peppers, onions, and more all nestled between soft and sweet King’s Hawaiian rolls. All you have to do is assemble and pop them in a hot oven.

You’ll be taking them out when they’re shiny and golden-brown on top, oozing with deliciousness. Perfect for a casual sporting event or weeknight meal.

HELPFUL TIPS

• If you want to slice the sirloin at home, I highly recommend popping it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before slicing to make it easier for you. If you’d rather your butcher do it for you, ask them to get your steak “shaved” or “thin-sliced” at no additional cost.
• Mayonnaise: Trust me on this one. It’s so helpful in keeping the rolls from drying out as they’re cooking. You will NOT taste it.
• Cheese: Make sure to overlap the cheese as you’re adding it on top of the meat, because otherwise, you’ll have little dry spots in the empty spaces.
• Pan: You can definitely get creative with pans, but I’ve found that a 9×13-inch pan is just the right size to fit the entire 12-pack snugly. This is helpful because it allows the rolls to keep their shape as you’re adding in the butter.
• Don’t cover with foil unless the tops of the rolls are browning too quickly. If this happens, loosely tent with foil to let the steam escape.
• Allow the pan to sit for 2 minutes before slicing, but not any longer than that. You want to allow everything to settle before slicing, but you don’t want to take away from the hot factor of these sliders.

VARIATIONS WORTH TRYING

• You can use white American cheese instead of the provolone if you prefer its melt. Pepper jack would also be good if you’re after a little heat.
• Earthy sauteed mushrooms would be tasty here. Use thinly sliced cremini mushrooms and add them to the skillet with the peppers and onions.
• Try brushing the rolls with melted butter that’s been combined with 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. The sliders will have a deeper savory flavor and the rolls will get a little darker.
• Tossing some acidity into these is always a good idea. Try topping the meat with banana peppers, drained and sliced, before adding the provolone.
• Add hot sauce on top of these before serving.
• Make them into chicken sliders by sauteing seasoned chicken breast meat and using it in lieu of the beef.

SERVING IDEAS

• Philly cheese steak sliders would be great alongside a crisp, leafy green salad tossed in a tangy vinaigrette. The two together make for a deliciously balanced meal.
• Potato chips are always a winner alongside meaty sandwiches. Kettle chips would be perfect here. Waffle fries would be good, too.
• If you’re making these for a crowd, have trays of cold foods on hand, too. Vegetable and fruit trays balance hot, delicious sandwiches.
• Acidic dill pickles are a welcome addition when served alongside Philly cheese steak sliders.

STORAGE, MAKE-AHEAD, AND LEFTOVERS

STORING LEFTOVERS

• Once the sliders have been assembled and cooked, allow them to come to room temperature, then pack them into airtight containers. Stored in the fridge, Philly cheese steak sliders will last up to 3 days. The buns will get a little soggy, so reheating is highly recommended.

REHEATING

• Philly cheese steak sliders reheat much better in the oven, not in the microwave. Arrange them in a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and warm in a 325°F oven for 10-12 minutes.

This will warm them through without toughening the rolls.

If you’re going to be eating these as a grab-and-go lunch, the quickest way to reheat is in the microwave. Place a slider or two on a plate, cover with a dampened paper towel and heat on medium for about 30-45 seconds.

The rolls will be a bit soft and gummy, but the flavor will still shine through.

MAKE-AHEAD OPTIONS

To make these Philly-style steak and pepper sliders ahead of time, cook the meat and vegetables up to 1 day ahead and store in separate, airtight containers in the refrigerator. Follow the directions for assembling and baking, adding about 5 minutes to the baking time, covered, because they’ll be starting from chilled.

Can I make these in advance?

You can prep all of the ingredients (chop the steak, veggies, etc.), assemble the entire pan including topping with onion and butter (uncovered), and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator, top with foil before baking, and add 5 minutes to the “bake with foil on top” portion of the recipe.

Can I assemble in advance and bake later?

I recommend against this. While you could leave them in the refrigerator for a few hours, I’d not recommend leaving them overnight.

The rolls will soak up the moisture from the fillings and be very mushy when you’re ready to bake them.

Can I freeze Philly cheese steak sliders?

I recommend against freezing Philly cheese steak sliders. The rolls will not fare well with freezing and thawing.

You can cook the filling (the steak and veggies) and freeze them, however. Then when ready to make the Philly cheese steak sliders, thaw filling overnight in the refrigerator and prepare sliders per directions.

Cooked steak and veggies can be frozen for up to 2 months.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What cut of beef is best for Philly cheese steak sliders?

I like to use boneless sirloin steaks and slice into strips. It has plenty of fat and marbling to ensure a flavorful, tender result without being too fatty.

Ribeye steaks also make an excellent Philly cheese steak slider meat. Flank steak will also work, but must be sliced extremely thinly and against the grain or it will be very chewy.

I wouldn’t use top round as it’s quite lean and tough. Philly cheese steak meat needs a bit of fat and marbling to ensure it’s flavorful and tender, especially on such a small scale.

You can also find pre-sliced Philly cheese steak meat at your local grocery store to save time. Look for meat labeled as “beef for Philly” or “shaved beef.” It works great here and eliminates the slicing step.

The meat is sliced more finely, unlike when you slice the steaks yourself, but should still turn out great.

Can I use Provolone, White American cheese, or Cheez Whiz in Philly cheese steak sliders?

You can use Provolone or White American cheese in Philly cheese steak sliders. Provolone will melt nicely and has a little bite, but won’t overpower the beef.

White American cheese is creamier and has a milder flavor. While you can technically use Cheez Whiz in these sliders, I’ve found Cheez Whiz doesn’t work well as a cheese that’s baked into food.

If you’d like to use Cheez Whiz, I’d recommend adding it as a drizzle just before serving.

CAN I USE OTHER TYPES OF ROLLS?

Technically, you can use whatever kind of roll you’d like. We like to use the sweet rolls because the flavor contrasts nicely with the savory filling in this recipe, but you could use a traditional soft dinner roll, potato rolls, which are soft and have a richness, but are not sweet, etc.

Brioche slider buns would be good. Plain white rolls would be okay, they’re just not as flavorful.

All of those options would be okay, we’d just think that the filling is the only source of flavor if you use a typical roll.

WHY DO YOU PUT MAYO ON THE ROLLS BEFORE BAKING?

The mayo creates a moisture barrier between the cut ends of the rolls and the hot, dry air in your oven as they bake. Without it, the rolls would be very dry after 20 minutes in the oven.

It also adds a little flavor. It’s very subtle and adds a slight tang to balance out the savory flavor of the filling.

It’s not noticeable but it’s there in the background. Plus, the layer of mayo on the bottom of the rolls helps prevent them from getting too soggy.

Spread the mayo in an even layer on the rolls.

HOW DO I KEEP THE SLIDERS FROM GETTING SOGGY ON THE BOTTOM?

Follow the recipe and don’t add extra ingredients, which can result in more moisture. Make sure you cook the steak and veggies long enough that all of the moisture has cooked off so there’s no additional moisture being released into the rolls.

Assemble the sliders and get them in the oven ASAP, as the shorter the amount of time they’re sitting together before baking, the less likely the rolls are to get soggy. Especially if making for a party, I’d assemble and bake them just before serving and not allow them to sit.

AMAZON PICKS FOR THIS RECIPE

• They are easier to clean than traditional brushes and silicone means no worrying about swallowing any errant bristles.
• These sliders fit perfectly in this 9×13 ceramic baking dish for easy assembling and cooking. Ceramic heats evenly and is easy to clean.
• Use this long, serrated bread knife to slice rolls as a slab before baking and then again to carve out individual sliders once cooked.

RELATED RECIPES

If you like Philly Cheese Steak flavor but would like to enjoy it in a different format, give one of these recipes a try:

• Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes, which is a super easy weeknight option.
• Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot Recipe

If your crew is more of a ham than a steak family or you’re looking for a kid-friendly option, try these tasty Hot Ham and Cheese Rolls.