Philly cheesesteak sliders are soft, sweet pull-apart buns filled with tender shaved steak, sautéed onions and green peppers and melted provolone, then brushed with a buttery thyme topping and baked until golden. They are party food for game day, a potluck or an easy Friday dinner.
How to make Philly cheesesteak sliders: Cook sliced onion and green pepper until soft, then add shaved steak with Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder and cook to at least 145°F. Spread the mixture over the bottom half of a connected sheet of slider buns, add provolone and the bun tops, brush with thyme butter and bake at 400°F for 17–20 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pan and one baking sheet. The filling cooks in a skillet and the sliders bake together.
- Pull-apart. The buns stay connected, so you assemble all 12 at once.
- Shaved steak cooks fast. There is no long simmer.
- A golden, buttery top. Melted butter, thyme and a little Worcestershire are brushed over the buns.
Ingredient Notes
Shaved steak. A 1/2 pound, fresh. It is sliced paper-thin and breaks up easily in the pan.
Onion and green bell pepper. One large of each, thinly sliced.
Worcestershire sauce. One tablespoon for the steak, and another 1/2 teaspoon for the topping.
Garlic powder. A 1/2 teaspoon, with salt and pepper to taste.
Sweet bread buns. One package of 12. Leave them joined together when you slice them.
Provolone cheese. Six slices. American cheese is another common choice for cheesesteak sliders.
Butter and dried thyme. One tablespoon of melted butter and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves, not ground thyme.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound shaved steak, fresh
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 package sweet bread buns (12 buns), kept connected
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, not ground
How to Make Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and green bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
3. Cook and check the steak. Add the shaved steak, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, the garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Break up the steak with two forks as it cooks. Check the beef with a food thermometer instead of going only by its color: cook to at least 145°F, then let it rest for at least 3 minutes before assembly.
4. Assemble the sliders. Slice the connected buns in half horizontally and place the bottom half on a baking sheet. Spread the steak mixture evenly over it, add the provolone, and replace the bun tops.
5. Brush and bake. Mix the melted butter, dried thyme and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Brush over the bun tops. Bake for 17–20 minutes, until the tops are golden and the cheese has melted.
When Is the Shaved Steak Ready?
When a food thermometer says so. Shaved steak loses its red color quickly, and that happens before you can be sure it is cooked. Color is not a safety check. Cook the beef to at least 145°F, then give it a rest of at least 3 minutes before it goes onto the buns.
| Check | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| The steak is no longer red | It has changed color. It may not be done. |
| Thermometer reads at least 145°F | The beef is safely cooked |
| Rested at least 3 minutes | Ready to spread on the buns |
The same care goes for serving. At a party, keep the hot sliders at 140°F or warmer. Do not let a tray sit out for more than 2 hours.
Tips for Success
How do I slice the buns?
Keep the whole sheet of buns connected and cut it in half horizontally, so you have one bottom slab and one top slab.
How do I know the sliders are done?
The tops are golden and the cheese has melted. That takes 17–20 minutes at 400°F.
What seasonings do I use for Philly cheesesteaks?
This recipe seasons the steak with Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and the buns with thyme butter.
Why thyme leaves and not ground thyme?
The recipe calls for dried thyme that is not ground. The leaves are stirred into the butter and brushed over the tops.
Can I use a different cheese?
Provolone is what this recipe uses. American cheese is another choice for cheesesteak sliders.
How Long Can Cheesesteak Sliders Sit Out?
No more than 2 hours at room temperature. For a longer party, keep them hot, at 140°F or warmer, or bring them out in smaller batches. Anything that has been out past 2 hours should be thrown away, not put back in the refrigerator.
How Long Does It Take?
About 38 minutes: 15 minutes of prep, about 20 minutes of cooking and baking, and the 3-minute rest for the steak. The recipe makes 12 sliders.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in covered, shallow containers and to use them within 3 to 4 days. Do not wait for the sliders to cool completely on the counter first. Reheat leftovers to 165°F on a food thermometer, and do not use a slow cooker to reheat them.
What to Serve With It
If your crowd likes cheesesteak flavors, there is more: Philly cheesesteak garlic bread, Philly cheesesteak cheesy bread, Philly cheese steak sloppy joes, Philly cheesesteak pasta and the Philly cheese steak casserole. For another tray of sliders, make Thanksgiving sliders.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is shaved steak safely cooked before the sliders are assembled?
When it reaches at least 145°F on a food thermometer and has rested for at least 3 minutes.
What cheese do you use for sliders?
Provolone in this recipe, six slices over the steak.
How long can cheesesteak sliders sit out at a party?
Up to 2 hours. Keep them at 140°F or warmer if they need to stay out longer.
How many sliders does this make?
Twelve.
Final Notes
I check the steak with a thermometer while it is still in the pan, because shaved beef turns brown long before I trust it. If you make them, leave a comment to tell me how they turned out or ask a question.
Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 1 large green bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound shaved steak fresh
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon for the steak; 1/2 teaspoon for the roll topping
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 package sweet bread buns 12 buns; keep the buns connected when slicing
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme not ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and green bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the shaved steak, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, the garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Break up the steak with two forks as it cooks. Check the beef with a food thermometer instead of going only by its color: cook to at least 145°F, then let it rest for at least 3 minutes before assembly.
- Slice the connected buns in half horizontally and place the bottom half on a baking sheet. Spread the steak mixture evenly over it, add the provolone, and replace the bun tops.
- Mix the melted butter, dried thyme and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Brush over the bun tops. Bake for 17–20 minutes, until the tops are golden and the cheese has melted.
