Philly Cheesesteak Sliders

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 2 tbsp neutral oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced into short strips
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 lb (454 g) shaved or very thinly sliced ribeye or sirloin
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 package (12 count) Hawaiian-style sweet rolls, still connected
• 8 slices (about 6 oz / 170 g) mild provolone cheese
• 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated, or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley, optional

How to make Philly cheesesteak sliders

1. Step 1.

   Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

2. Step 2.

   Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes, until the onion is soft and lightly golden and the skillet is dry. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Step 3.

   Turn the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add half of the beef in a loose layer and cook without stirring for about 1 minute, until browned underneath. Chop and turn it with a spatula and cook just until no longer pink, about 1 minute more. Transfer to the bowl and repeat with the remaining beef.

4. Step 4.

   Drain off any liquid in the bowl. Chop the steak into smaller pieces, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper and toss everything together.

5. Step 5.

   Without separating the rolls, slice the slab horizontally with a serrated knife. Set the bottom half in the baking dish and layer it with 4 provolone slices.

6. Step 6.

   Spread the steak mixture evenly over the cheese, pressing it gently to the edges. Cover with the remaining 4 provolone slices and replace the top half of the rolls.

7. Step 7.

   Stir the garlic into the melted butter and brush it over the tops of the rolls. Cover the dish loosely with foil.

8. Step 8.

   Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5–8 minutes, until the provolone is fully melted at the edges and the roll tops are golden.

9. Step 9.

   Sprinkle with parsley, if using. Let stand 3 minutes, then cut along the roll seams and serve warm.

Choosing the beef

Ribeye is the traditional cheesesteak cut because its marbling keeps very thin slices tender and flavorful. Sirloin is leaner and less expensive; it works well if you are careful not to overcook it. Many supermarkets sell “shaved steak” or “Philly steak” in the meat case, which saves the hardest part of the prep.

If you are slicing a steak yourself, partially freeze it first. A 30 to 45 minute rest in the freezer makes the meat firm enough to cut into thin slices with a sharp knife. Thickness matters more than the exact cut. Thick strips turn chewy in a slider, where the bread gives you no room to tear the meat apart.

Brown the steak, do not stew it

A full pound of thin beef dropped into a skillet at once cools the pan and releases liquid. The meat then simmers until gray, and all that moisture ends up soaking into the bottom rolls. Cooking the beef in two batches over medium-high heat avoids both problems. Spread it out, leave it alone for a minute so the underside browns, then chop and turn it. Thin shaved beef needs only about 2 minutes total per batch; it will cook a little more in the oven.

Chopping the steak smaller after cooking is not just for texture. Long ribbons pull out of a slider in one piece when someone bites into it. Short pieces stay in the roll, and each slider gets an even share of the filling.

Cook the onions and peppers until the pan is dry

Onions and green bell peppers are both full of water. Cooked quickly over high heat, they stay crunchy and release that water later, inside the rolls. Give them 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat with a pinch of salt, which draws out moisture and helps them soften. They are ready when the onions are limp and golden in spots and nothing is sizzling wetly in the pan.

Green peppers are a common cheesesteak addition, though not universal in Philadelphia. Leave them out for an onion-only version, or add 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms with the vegetables, cooking them until their liquid has fully evaporated.

Which cheese to use

Mild provolone is the best fit for a baked slider. It melts smoothly, holds the filling together and tastes like a cheesesteak without overwhelming the beef. Sharp provolone adds more bite, but it can taste strong to guests expecting the familiar flavor. White American cheese is another traditional option that melts even more creamily. Cheez Whiz, the other famous cheesesteak choice, is best saved for sandwiches made to order; in a baked tray it soaks into the bread.

The cheese goes both under and over the filling. The bottom layer helps protect the bread from moisture, and the top layer glues the filling to the upper rolls, making the sliders easier to separate and eat.

Baking: foil first, then uncovered

Hawaiian rolls brown quickly because of their sugar. A loose sheet of foil for the first 10 minutes lets the filling heat through and the cheese melt without darkening the tops too much. Remove it for the last few minutes so the garlic butter can toast. The sliders are ready when you can see melted provolone at the edges of the tray and the tops are evenly golden.

Prefer a less sweet bread? Soft white slider rolls or brioche slider buns work in the same way. Brioche browns even faster, so check it a couple of minutes early.

Party planning

Cook the vegetables and beef up to 1 day ahead, cool them quickly and refrigerate them together. Warm the mixture briefly in a skillet before assembling, so the sliders bake in the same time. Assemble no more than a couple of hours before baking, since the rolls absorb moisture when they sit.

Plan on 2 sliders per person when they are part of a spread and 3 when they are the main food. The recipe doubles easily in two 9×13-inch dishes. Bake them in turn so a second hot tray is ready when the first is empty.

Leftovers

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours for up to 3 days. Reheat them wrapped in foil at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until hot through. The microwave softens the rolls noticeably, but it will do in a pinch for one or two sliders.