The Best Easy Philly Style Cheesesteak Sliders Recipe

A Philly Cheese Steak Slider recipe, from a Philly girl! Loaded with thinly sliced steak, fried onions, 2 kinds of cheese, and baked to perfection with a garlic butter and sesame seeds!

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A Philly cheese steak slider recipe, from a lifetime Philly girl

Being a Philly girl through and through, I am very passionate about our flagship sandwich, the Philly Cheesesteak. I love a classic cheesesteak with fried onions and extra cheese, and have even been known to indulge in a cheesesteak hoagie from time to time (don't knock it 'till you try it).

Quintessentially Philly, I feel it is one of the most perfect sandwiches, and there is something about it's delicious simplicity. It's not a bells and whistles sandwich. The authentic cheesesteak requires only slightly caramelized onions, plenty of cheese, and a good hoagie roll to make me (and most Philly natives) happy. So for this sliders recipe, I celebrate the balanced simplicity of the sandwich.

These easy Philly Cheesesteak Sliders make a great game day snack, quick weeknight dinner, or party appetizer. Loaded with 2 types of cheese, fried onions, and perfectly cooked shaved steak, and topped with slightly crispy, garlic butter buns, these sliders are a true crowd pleaser.

Un-Philly things I don't like to see on a cheesesteak

• Green peppers or bell peppers. Ask any lifelong Philadelphian, we just don't do that here. We love a hot cherry pepper, a banana pepper, or even a sweet pepper, but we aren't really doing bell peppers.
• Ground beef, roast beef, or beefy cuts of steak like skirt steak or New York strip. It's all about thinly sliced steak, cooked on a lower flame so it retains it's juiciness and has a nice texture. An authentic cheesesteak isn't seared, it's actually kind of grey, and that's the way we love 'em.
• Fancy cheeses. Go to any steak shop in Philly, and we're doing Wiz Wit (cheese whiz and fried onions), American, or Provolone. It's all about gooey, cheesy steak goodness. A good cheesesteak doesn't need much to be absolutely delicious. 

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make these Cheesesteak sliders:

• Neutral oil, such as canola oil, for cooking the onions.
• A medium onion or large onion, thinly sliced. Yellow onion is great for this recipe! 
• A pound of shaved beef steak, such as Old Neighborhood. You can find shaved steak in the meat section of most grocery stores. It's very thin, making it the perfect candidate for a great cheesesteak.
• A pack of dinner rolls or slider rolls, such as Kings Hawaiian rolls.
• 6 slices American cheese (I used black pepper Cooper Sharp Cheese, but use whatever American cheese you like!). 
• 6 slices Provolone cheese. I love a extra cheesy cheesesteak, so I doubled up on this recipe!
• 2 cloves minced garlic. You'll mix this with butter to make a delicious garlic butter, and brush all over the tops of the slider rolls before baking.
• Melted butter.
• White sesame seeds. I love a seeded roll for my cheesesteak, but you can leave these off if you prefer.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning the steak and onions.

How to make this easy Philly Cheese Steak Slider recipe

1. Cut slider rolls in half, separating tops and bottoms (keep full set intact, so you have 2 sections). 
2. Place rolls cut side up on a cookie sheet, and place under oven’s broiler on high for 1-3 minutes, until lightly toasted (checking frequently to prevent burning). 
3. Transfer to parchment or foil lined baking sheet.
4. Layer sliced provolone cheese slices on bottom buns, and set aside. 
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Heat canola oil over medium heat in a large nonstick frying pan or large skillet. 
7. Add onions, and season with salt and pepper. 
8. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, 8-10 minutes. 
9. Add shaved steak to pan, and season again with salt and pepper. 
10. Cook, breaking up as you go, until all steak is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. 
11. Transfer steak and onion mixture to bottom buns over provolone, leaving any excess liquid in the pan behind. 
12. Top with sliced American cheese, then with top layer of slider rolls. 
13. Whisk garlic and melted butter together, and brush top buns with melted butter garlic mixture. 
14. Sprinkle top of garlic butter rolls evenly with sesame seeds. 
15. Bake in preheated oven on parchment or foil lined sheet for 10-15 minutes, until just toasty and cheese is melted. (see recipe card below for full recipe).

Make Ahead

If you want to prep the ingredients in advance, you can store the cooked steak and onion mixture in an airtight container in the fridge overnight, and assemble just before serving.

What to serve with the sliders

You'll want to use a very sharp knife or serrated knife to cut the sliders. Once they are ready, I love to serve classic Philly Cheesesteak shop toppings on the side for guests, such as hot cherry peppers, banana peppers, a side of cheese wiz for those who LOVE them some cheese, and ketchup. A side of french fries, tater tots, or onion rings never hurt, either! 

Substitutions and Additions

• If you can't find thinly sliced steak, you can use frozen steak, such as Steak Umms in a pinch, or very thinly sliced ribeye. Your best bet if you can't find prepared shaved steak at your local grocery store is a local Asian Market. They often offer a variety of thinly sliced steak options. Thin sliced Ribeye steak works great, too! 
• If you aren't a fan of onions, leave them out!
• Instead of classic Hawaiian Rolls, you can use any slider buns.
• If you're a fan of mayo, you can swipe a thin layer over the buns before assembling.
• Serve some warm Cheez Whiz on the side for even more cheesy goodness! 
• Try olive oil in place of canola.
• No fresh garlic? Use garlic powder instead for the garlic butter. Use about 1 teaspoon or to taste. 
• Add some Worcestershire sauce to the steak for extra flavor! 

More Easy Slider Recipes

If you love this Philly Cheese Steak Slider recipe, you'll love these tasty savory sliders, too! 

• BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders
• Sloppy Joe Sliders
• Buffalo Chicken Sliders
• Cheesy Baked Cheeseburger Sliders
• Thai Burger Sliders with Green Curry Mayo
• Veggie Burger Sliders with Miso Mayo

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