Philadelphia US · Lunch & handhelds

Philadelphia cheesesteak

Name: Philadelphia cheesesteak
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 1 h 6 min
Yield: 4 cheesesteaks
Cuisine: Philadelphia US
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds boneless ribeye steak; 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons neutral oil, divided; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 8 slices white American cheese; 4 teaspoons water; 4 soft-crusted 8-inch Italian steak rolls

Thin-shaved ribeye, griddled onions, and melting white American cheese packed into a soft-crusted Philadelphia-style long roll.

About 1 hr 10 minTotal

About 40 minActive

$$$Cost

ModerateDifficulty

Makes 4 cheesesteaks

Equipment

Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan; the crust will be lighter but still valid.
Best starting skillet
Lodge 10.25-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet · L8SK3
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan; the crust will be lighter but still valid.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched the recipe’s diameter and preheating method, then checked material, heat retention, cooktop fit, weight, care, stable model identity, and exact destination. Kwilt has not cooked with this skillet.
Lodge 10.25-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet · L8SK3: The 10.25-inch seasoned surface matches the recipe footprint and retains enough heat to create the crisp cornbread edge promised by a preheated skillet method. Trade-off: It weighs more than five pounds, the handles become hot, and avoiding rust requires prompt hand washing, drying, and light oiling.
Another workable path: Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan with the recipe’s fat; the crust will be lighter but the crumb and flavor remain valid.
Sources
Lodge cast-iron material and care
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 4 cheesesteaks

1 1/2 pounds boneless ribeye steak
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 slices white American cheese
4 teaspoons water
4 soft-crusted 8-inch Italian steak rolls

Instructions

Freeze the ribeye for 30 minutes until firm but not solid. Slice it across the grain as thinly as possible, then cut long ribbons into bite-size lengths.
Heat a over medium-high. Add half the oil and the onion with one-quarter of the salt; cook until tender and browned at the edges, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Raise heat to high. Add remaining oil, spread beef in one uncrowded layer, and season with remaining salt and pepper. Let it sear 45 seconds, then turn and chop with two spatulas until barely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Fold onions into the steak and divide into four long piles. Lay two cheese slices over each pile, splash 1 teaspoon of the water beside each, and cover for 30 to 45 seconds until the cheese slumps into the meat.
Warm the rolls briefly without crisping them. Open each roll over a steak pile and use a spatula to turn the meat and cheese into the bread. Serve immediately.

Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia sandwich cooking

From the table

About this recipe

The Philadelphia cheesesteak grew from the city's twentieth-century street and sandwich culture, centering thinly chopped beef and melted cheese in a soft long roll, with fried onions ordered wit or witout.

In Philadelphia, fried onions are ordered “wit” or “witout,” and Cheez Whiz, American, and provolone are all established choices. Bell peppers are not part of the default traditional build and are intentionally omitted. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Choose white American for reliable home melting while preserving Philadelphia’s accepted ribeye-onion-roll structure and omitting nontraditional default bell peppers.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe