These Smoked Philly Cheesesteak Sliders are the perfect party appetizer or meal! They’re made up of buttery slider buns loaded with juicy shaved steak, caramelized onions, and melted cheese.
When a party or game day rolls around, you’ll want to have some tasty appetizers lined up so your guests aren’t left hangry. One of my favorite appetizers is these easy Philly cheesesteak sliders.
They’re kind of like my Steak Sliders with Beer Cheese and Steak and Cheese Sliders, except Philly cheesesteak style, with caramelized sweet onions and shaved steak topped with melty cheese and stuffed into Hawaiian sweet rolls.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this Philly Cheesesteak Sliders recipe
- Philly Cheesesteak Sliders Ingredients
- This sauce is FYR!
- How to Make Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
- Philly Cheesesteak Sliders Tips
- More Slider Recipes
- How to Store Leftovers & Reheat
- What to Serve With Beef Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
- Recipe FAQs
- Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire
- Smoked Cheesesteak Sliders Recipe
Why you’ll love this Philly Cheesesteak Sliders recipe
This Philly cheesesteak sliders recipe is the ultimate crowd pleaser for any occasion, whether you’re making a quick weeknight dinner or an irresistible appetizer for an event. With gooey cheese, juicy cooked steak, and caramelized onions, these mini sandwiches will become your new favorite dish.
For other appetizer’s that pair well with our sliders, check out Grilled Trash Can Nachos, Nashville Hot Chicken Shotgun Shells, Garlic Parmesan Wings, Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip with Stuffed Crust and Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers.
Philly Cheesesteak Sliders Ingredients
Steak:
- Shaved Steak: Opt for shaved steak; it’s a time-saver, and its thin slices ensure quick and even cooking. I used it for its convenience and texture.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder are a simply trio that’s hard to beat!
- Canola Oil: Use it to cook the steak. Canola oil’s high smoke point makes it ideal for the searing process, giving your steak a delectable crust. Plus, it also helps the seasoning stick to our steak.
Onions:
- Chopped White Onions (thinly): Go for white onions; they bring a mild sweetness when cooked. Chop them thinly for a consistent, caramelized flavor throughout.
- Brown Sugar: This adds a touch of sweetness to the onions, enhancing their natural flavors and also contributing to that irresistible Philly cheesesteak profile.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter and onions – a match made in heaven. It adds richness and rounds out the onion’s sweetness.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Staying consistent since this is also what we used on the steak.
- Light Beer (2-3 oz): Yep, beer. Because it adds depth and a hint of bitterness that works wonders. It helps deglaze the pan, incorporating those flavorful browned bits.
Get stoked for life
This sauce is FYR!
Born from a deep passion for food and flavor. Whether you’re grilling in the backyard or live fire cooking around the world, we have what you need to transform every meal into an adventure.
Butter Glaze:
- Melted Butter: A simple yet effective glaze for your slider rolls. It adds a luxurious touch and that golden sheen we all love.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning (optional): Elevate your sliders with this seasoning blend. Its mix of garlic, onion, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds brings a flavorful twist.
Sliders:
- Slider Rolls: Choose soft and slightly sweet rolls, like fluffy Hawaiian rolls. They provide the perfect vessel for holding all that cheesy goodness.
- Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese: I chose Monterey Jack, but feel free to use American cheese or provolone cheese.
Looking for another cheesesteak-inspired meal? Check out my Cheesesteak Quesadilla or Animal Style Cheesesteak Recipe!
How to Make Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
Our first step is to cook both the steak and the onions for the sliders. The good news is that you can cook them in the same skillet, so you have fewer dishes to clean. #Winning!
First, preheat a cast iron skillet or a plancha over a medium high heat fire for direct cooking at around 375ºF. Drizzle a little bit of oil into the skillet, then add in the shaved steak. Sprinkle the steak with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then cook until the steak is heated all the way through, stirring and flipping often. This usually takes anywhere from 7-10 minutes!
Sauté the Onions
When the steak is finished cooking, pull it off of the skillet and set it to the side until you’re ready to serve. Be sure to keep it somewhere warm so it’s nice and fresh for the Smoked Cheesesteak Sliders! Next, add the onions to the same skillet. Sauté them for 5-6 minutes or until they start to turn translucent. Sprinkle on salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then add a couple tablespoons of brown sugar, because brown sugar is the key to perfect caramelized onions.
Cook the onions for another 2 minutes, then add in the light beer of your choice. You don’t need much, but beer adds a nice warmth. Allow the onions to simmer for another 7-10 minutes. When they have turned a nice amber/brown color, pull them off the grill and keep them warm.
Prep the Rolls
Next up we need to prep the rolls so we can assemble our Philly Cheesesteak Sliders. First, slice the rolls in half with a serrated knife so you end up with a top layer and a bottom layer. Leave the individual rolls on each “side” attached!
Add the bottom side of the rolls into a foil bin or large skillet, then top that with a layer of Monterey jack cheese followed by the cooked steak mixture and sautéed onions. Finish the fillings off with another layer of Monterey Jack cheese because cheesier is always better, then add on the top of the rolls.
Glaze the Sliders
Next, we’re finishing the Philly Cheesesteak Sliders off with a simple butter glaze. Simply melt a couple tablespoons of butter and spread that over the top of the assembled sliders. I like to sprinkle the tops with Everything Bagel seasoning to add a little extra flavor, but these sliders are delicious without too!
If you want to try chicken instead of beef, you’ll love my Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders or Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Sliders!
We’ve made the cheesesteak sliders, so now it’s time to make them into Smoked Philly Cheesesteak Sliders!
Smoke the Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
Preheat the smoker (or oven, if you don’t have a smoker) to 350-375ºF for indirect cooking. Place the foil bin/skillet of sliders into the smoker and cook them until the tops of the rolls are golden brown and crispy. I usually achieve this in about 10-12 minutes.
Next, pull the sliders off of the smoker, allow them to cool for a couple of minutes, then slice and dig in!
Philly Cheesesteak Sliders Tips
- Feel free to add in some green peppers for that traditional cheesesteak vibe.
- If your sliders start to get too brown on the top before they’re done, slide a piece of aluminum foil over the top.
More Slider Recipes
How to Store Leftovers & Reheat
Store leftover sliders in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. However, they may get soggy the longer they sit there.
To reheat:
- Turn your oven to 375F.
- Put your sliders on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes or until warm.
For convenience, you could also microwave these for 15 seconds, adding a few more seconds as needed.
What to Serve With Beef Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
Since these sliders will probably be gone in 30 seconds, it’s a good idea to stack up some other side dishes so your guests don’t go hungry. Some sides I’d recommend are potato salad, potato chips, French fries, or tater tots! A nice, crisp salad could be a good option too.
Recipe FAQs
No worries! You can slice up some skirt steak, flank steak, ribeye steak, or New York strip for this Philly cheesesteak slider recipe.
Nope feel free to leave it out if you like.
Yes! Feel free to make a garlic butter mixture to put on top.
Get The Cookbooks!
Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire
All the major tastes—salty, sour, sweet, bitter, and umami—are explored in depth, along with an investigation of other components you should consider when it comes to flavor, such as aroma, heat, and texture.
Full Length Recipe Video on Facebook!
Smoked Cheesesteak Sliders
Ingredients
Steak:
- 28 oz Shaved Steak
- 1.5 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1.5 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tbsp Canola Oil
Onions:
- 2 cups Chopped White Onions thinly
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1.5 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1.5 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1.5 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2-3 oz Light Beer
Butter Glaze:
- 2 tbsp Melted Butter
- 1 tbsp Everything Bagel Seasoning optional
Sliders:
- 1 pack Slider Rolls
- Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Instructions
- Begin by preheating a cast iron skillet or plancha over a medium high heat fire (around 375F) for direct cooking.
- Add some oil to the skillet, then add your shaved steak with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Cook until the steak is fully done (around 7-10 minutes) making sure to stir and flip often.
- Once the steak is done, pull off and keep warm until ready to use.
- Add your onions to the same skillet and begin sauteing them.
- Once they begin to turn translucent (around 5-6 minutes into cooking) add your salt, pepper, garlic powder and brown sugar. Stir and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
- Finally, add the beer to the skillet and let simmer for 7-10 more minutes until the onions are an amber brown. Once the onions are done, pull them off and keep warm.
- While keeping the rolls together, slice your Sliders Rolls in half so there is a top side and bottom side.
- Add the bottom side into a foil bin or cooking safe skillet. Add a layer of monterey jack cheese to the rolls, top that with your shredded shaved beef, sauteed onions and finish with another layer of cheese plus the top part of the buns.
- In a bowl, melt some butter. Gently spread the melted butter over the top of the rolls then sprinkle with the Everything Bagel Seasoning (optional).
- Preheat a smoker or oven to 350-375F for indirect cooking. Add your sliders in the foil bin on to the smoker to cook until they are golden brown & crispy (about 10-12 minutes).
- Once done, pull the sliders off and let cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Slice up your sliders, serve and enjoy!
These look amazing!
Family loved them!! A must cook!