Craving a Philly cheesesteak sandwich? Learn how to make the best Philly cheesesteak directly on the griddle in your backyard with only a few ingredients.
Why this recipe works
Ease of cooking: Cooking the Philly cheesesteak on the griddle gets everything cooked in one spot, making this recipe very simple. Thanks to the griddle’s even heat distribution, easy temperature control, and the space to put all the griddled ingredients together, the Philly cheesesteak makes for a fresh and hot meal to remember.
The steak: Sliced or shaved ribeye steak can be marinated ahead of time to make dinner time quick and tasty.
The vegetables: The griddle makes cooking onions and peppers a breeze. Once the onions start to caramelize, add the peppers, and cook to your liking. If you like peppers with more of a snap, simply cook them less.
Hoagies or buns: Grilling buns on the griddle for this recipe has 2 purposes. Pure buttery goodness, but also it allows the buns to handle all the moisture from the Philly’s ingredients.
Jump to:
- Why this recipe works
- One-spot wonder, my go-to for an easy meal
- Ingredients
- Substitutions
- Variations
- How to make Philly cheesesteak on the griddle
- Yum! That was good, what else can I cook on the griddle?
- Tips for a perfect Philly Cheesesteak on the griddle
- What to serve with Philly cheesesteak
- Equipment
- Don’t forget the air fryer for clever meal ideas
- FAQ
- Philly cheesesteak on the griddle
- Food Safety
As you probably know by now, I love cooking on the griddle. For me, it is all about convenience. For years, I have made one-pot wonder recipes to save time. Now, it’s the griddle’s turn to shine as a “one-spot wonder”. Let me take a moment here to share some stress free, no fuss recipes just like the Philly cheesesteak.
One-spot wonder, my go-to for an easy meal
The convenience of the griddle is that there is no fuss when cooking or cleaning, that is why it is a one-spot wonder. If you’re new to griddling, follow the KISS principle. Start with a breakfast on the griddle, you’ll see how everything flows together. Burgers or sliders are a crowd favorite. Even better, everything comes together outside in under 30 minutes. Now here’s a game-changer or should I say a challenge, ribeye vs New York strip steak. All done on the griddle. Don’t stop there. How about marinating and cooking a flank steak? It gets the perfect sear and medium rare steak temperature. Oh, while it is resting, you can make taco shells for flank steak tacos. These are just a few of the griddle recipes that are stress free and no fuss.
Let’s get back to what we are all here for, a griddled Philly cheesesteak. With its various ingredients, the griddle gets everything done in one spot with easy steps to follow. Let’s take a quick look at those ingredients.
Ingredients
You can keep the ingredients to a minimum for the Philly cheesesteak because the freshness of each packs the flavor punch.
- Ribeye steak: It can be thinly sliced or shaved ribeye steak.
- Philly cheesesteak seasoning: We kept this one simple: oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Vegetables: Onions & peppers. Keep it simple and fresh. If the kids don’t like onions, cut more peppers.
- Cheese: Don’t skip this. We used provolone, for its mild yet sharp flavor that complements all of the ingredients.
- Au jus: 🤫Completely optional, but a great addition for adding a secret layer of flavor.
Don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom of the post where the recipe card has a whole lot more details and the exact amounts for all the ingredients.
Substitutions
Sometimes substitutions are inevitable and having options is a great way to use what you already have in the pantry. Good news, this griddle Philly cheesesteak is no exception. You can substitute the ribeye steak with another cut of meat:
- Sirloin steak is a leaner option or even leftovers from your weekend steak BBQ.
- Chicken breasts are a great option for a chicken Philly cheesesteak.
- Ground beef is an option too. You can cook it up on the griddle like in our street tacos, just use the Philly cheesesteak seasoning. You can even use leftover ground beef from the air fryer. Simply warm it up on the griddle with the veggies then add the secret ingredient, au jus.
Variations
There are so many ways to make a Philly cheesesteak your signature sandwich. Look what you have in the spice rack and see how you can adapt it for everyone. Here are some of our favorite variations we have done.
- Spicy – Add some chili powder or red pepper flakes to the meat, that’s for Sean & Vittoria.
- Deluxe – In addition to the onions and peppers, sauté some mushrooms and substitute the provolone with Pepper Jack cheese. This is my favorite.
- Kid-friendly – Add some bacon bits to the vegetables and use a Colby Jack cheese instead of provolone.
How to make Philly cheesesteak on the griddle
Making the Philly cheesesteak on the griddle is not complicated, each step flows into the next. You can easily make it fancier or as loaded as you want. We kept it simple so everyone will enjoy it and give you a classic base to build from.
Season the ribeye steak.
Grill the onions and peppers.
Sear.
Assemble and Enjoy!
Don’t worry, the recipe card has more deets on how to make it with time and temperature. You just need to scroll down to the bottom of the post.
Yum! That was good, what else can I cook on the griddle?
Do yourself a favor, don’t stop at one recipe a week on the griddle. Here are some fun recipes you can try out.
Tips for a perfect Philly Cheesesteak on the griddle
- Preheat the griddle and get it nice and hot, or like the husband likes to say, “get it stable.”
- Slice the beef as thin as you can.
- Don’t skip grilling the onions and peppers. The griddle allows you to cook them to your liking, just warmed through to tender and caramelized.
- Use your preferred cheese, don’t skip this.
- Grilling the buns. This will accentuate the flavors and help the sandwich to hold together with all the moisture from the veggies and steak.
What to serve with Philly cheesesteak
- Crispy fries or onion rings
- Mozzarella cheese sticks
- Roasted potatoes
Equipment
- Griddle
- Large spatula
- BBQ tongs
Don’t forget the air fryer for clever meal ideas
We got you covered, check out some of our favorite air fryer recipes.
FAQ
It is really simple to caramelize onions on the griddle. Usually, it is the first thing to get started because you can keep them warm on the side while cooking the main course. Check out our post for all the details.
Yes. The ribeye is considered the classic choice for the Philly Cheesesteak, but you can easily substitute it with top round, sirloin, or even chicken.
I lucked out with my butcher and he had set aside some shaved ribeye steak for me. That does not happen often, so the solution is so easy. All you need to do is to place the ribeye in the freeze for 15 – 20 minutes. This stiffens up the steak and makes it a snap to thinly slice it.
No, but I strongly suggest it. It aids in tenderizing and deepens the flavor.
What do you think of the Philly cheesesteak on the griddle? Please leave us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the review below and tag me @thekitchenbucketlist on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Philly cheesesteak on the griddle
Equipment
- Griddle (Outdoor or large indoor)
- BBQ tongs
- Griddle spatula
- Griddle scraper
Ingredients
Steak & Vegetables
- 6 hot dog buns (Hoagies or your preference)
- 1 pound sliced or shaved ribeye steak
- ½ cup olive oil, divided (You may need more or less depending on your method of cooking and how well your griddle is seasoned.)
- 1 medium onion, sliced (Red or sweet onions)
- 1 bell pepper, sliced (Any color bell peppers will work.)
- 6 slices of provolone cheese (Mozzarella or Colby Jack are great options.)
Philly Cheesesteak Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Au jus (optional)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 4 drops Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Butter the inside and outside of the buns. Set aside.
Prepare and season the ribeye steak for the Philly cheesesteak
- Thinly slice the ribeye into strips. To make this easier place it in the freezer for 15 – 20 minutes. Then slicing the ribeye steak is a breeze.
- Place the steak slices in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix to coat every piece.
- Sprinkle the salt, garlic powder, and ground pepper. Mix so the seasoning is evenly coating the ribeye slices. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight to marinate.
Homemade au jus (The secret option, you can use store-bought one as well.)
- In a small saucepan, over medium heat on the stove or griddle, melt the butter.
- Add the flour and whisk until you have a paste.
- Pour in the beef broth. Whisk until all ingredients are combined.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and paprika. Mix well and keep cooking until your desired thickness.
- Set aside until ready to use. If you are doing the au jus on the griddle, place it in the holding area to keep warm.
Cooking on the griddle
- Preheat the griddle on low heat for 5 minutes. The temperature of the griddle will be around 325℉ – 350℉.
- Turn 1 or 2 burners off, depending on the size of your griddle. This area will serve as your holding area for the veggies and buns.
- On the hot burners, add 2 – 3 tablespoons of oil and the onions. Sauté them for 6 – 8 minutes or until translucent and softened to your liking. Make sure to move them around using your spatula every few minutes.
- Add the peppers and mix. Mix and cook for 4 – 5 minutes or until the peppers are warm and softened to your liking. Set aside in the holding area.NOTE: You may need to add some oil to help mix and avoid sticking to the flat top.
- Time to grill the buns until golden, do not skip this step. A grilled bun makes for a buttery crispy bite versus a soggy bun that falls apart.
- Set the buns aside in the holding area.
- Increase the griddle cooking area temperature to 400℉. Then it is time for the ribeye steak.
- Place the seasoned ribeye slices on the griddle as flat as possible to sear evenly.
- Sear for 1 minute, flip, and sear for an additional minute until done. Then turn the burners to low. NOTE: If you think it will be too much steak to flip quickly, just do 2 batches.
- Place the cooked steak over the vegetables and bring back to the low heat side of the griddle.
- Mix the vegetables and meat together.
- Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of au jus to the steak and veggies. Mix well. *OPTIONAL*
- Divide the seasoned steak and veggies into equal portions to fit the grilled buns, then turn the burners off. NOTE: This recipe was divided to fill 6 hot dog buns.
- Add the provolone cheese on top and allow the cheese to melt, for about 2 minutes. NOTE: If you want the cheese to melt faster, you can use a dome.
- Once the cheese is melted to your liking, use your spatula and slide each portion on a grilled bun.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
Food Safety
All of us are responsible for the safe preparation, cooking, and serving of food. The Kitchen Bucket List shares with you our personal experiences in cooking and food safety. We are not a food safety site. As a convenience, we provide informative information we find from food safety sites. If you have questions about your food safety check your local guidelines and/or head over to the USDA.
Here are some key things to remember:
- Like Mom always said, “Wash your hands.” It is the easiest thing to do for your food safety.
- Avoid cross-contamination between raw food items and the utensils with which they come in contact with.
- Choosing the appropriate oil for frying, sautéing, or to use out on the griddle is not just a taste choice. Knowing the smoking point will prevent exposure to harmful compounds.
- When you head out to use the BBQ, smoker, or outdoor griddle think about the safe placement of each. Pay close attention to the griddle it is a large hot open surface that can splatter oil.
Oh my goodness, this was amazing! My son is a big Philly cheesesteak fan and he said I nailed it with this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing.
Gimme all the Philly Cheesesteaks and on the griddle…perfection! Great recipe!
I’m craving a Philly cheesesteak and planning to make it on the griddle in my backyard with just a few simple ingredients!
This looks awesome, sooo juicy! Can’t wait to get my grill out.
Love this idea on a grill, can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing!