Make your own mouthwatering Philly Cheesesteak when that craving hits! This version has juicy steak, capsicum, jalapenos, cheese & spicy mayo
I can’t blame hubby for this one!
What to do when you’re craving a Philly Cheesesteak and there are no places that offer one nearby? You make your own, of course! You’ll be happy to know it’s easy to make and tastes just as good or even better.
I’m not really a steak lover because I prefer seafood or chicken, but it’s really hard to resist a mouthwatering Philly Cheesesteak. This spicy version has juicy, tender pieces of steak with onions, red capsicum, jalapenos, provolone cheese and spicy mayo on buttery crusty chewy bread.
Hubby and I flew to the US back in 2015 just days after our wedding for our honeymoon. Our itinerary was utterly chaotic and too adventurous! We did 8 cities in 6 weeks, but, sadly; we didn’t make it to Philadelphia.
Not only did we not stop by Philadelphia, but we also didn’t try a Philly Cheesesteak whilst we were in the US! I know… I know, I’m sure we missed out big time, but hey, it’s only a painful 20+ hour trip for us to visit again from Sydney.
The popularity of Philly Cheesesteak has reached our shores, and we’ve seen a few places pop open. None close to us, but it’s probably a relief! Constant binge eating of Philly Cheesesteak rolls can’t be a good thing!
However, after making my own Philly Cheesesteak, I seriously don’t think I’ll buy one again! Unless I’m far from my kitchen or in the US. My husband, Tomi and I are in love with this homemade spicy version.
Tomi recently came home from a hard day’s work to these Philly cheesesteaks. Needless to say, he was extra nice to me that evening. He did the kitty litter and our toddler’s night routine whilst whistling happily!
Spicy Philly Cheesesteak
Traditional Philly Cheesesteak isn’t spicy, but I love things hot! So I always make my Philly Cheesesteak spicy. It’s not much of a change and is effortless. I mix hot sauce with mayo and add pickled jalapenos and red capsicum (bell pepper) when frying the steak. Oh boy, it’s so good!
What’s the best cut of steak for Philly Cheesesteak?
In the US, the popular steak to use is rib-eye in Philly Cheesesteak. You can find this rib-eye in specialty butchers but may have trouble finding it at the supermarket. I used scotch fillet steak, which was quite expensive, but worth every cent! Our steak was so tender, juicy and flavourful! For a cheaper alternative, try porterhouse, T-Bone or sirloin steak.
What bread to use for Philly Cheesesteak?
They often use hoagie rolls for Philly Cheesesteaks in the US. We don’t have hoagie rolls here, but any soft white bread rolls would work as a substitute, like a sub or a baguette roll. It just needs to be toasted on the inside before use.
I used pane di casa rolls, which were crusty, soft and chewy. I thought they were perfect with my Philly Cheesesteak!
What cheese goes into Philly Cheesesteak?
The traditional cheese for Philly Cheesesteaks is provolone. Provolone is mild and quite similar to mozzarella cheese, but it has more flavour. Provolone may be a little difficult to find here, so you could swap it with good-quality mozzarella or American yellow burger cheese.
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Ingredients for Spicy Philly Cheesesteak
Steak – Rib-eye steak or scotch fillet steak if you’re looking for juicy and tender steak, but they’re expensive. If you want something a little more affordable, you could use porterhouse, T-Bone or sirloin steak.
Provolone cheese is mild and quite similar to mozzarella cheese, but it has more flavour. Provolone may be a little difficult to find here, so you could swap it with good-quality mozzarella or American yellow burger cheese.
Hoagie rolls – We don’t have hoagie rolls here, but any soft white bread rolls would work as a substitute, like a sub or a baguette roll. It just needs to be toasted on the inside before use. I used pane di casa rolls, which were crusty, soft and chewy. I thought they were perfect with my Philly Cheesesteak!
Hot sauce – Use your favourite hot sauce and add as much or little as you like. I used Frank’s Redhot sauce.
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How to make Spicy Philly Cheesesteak
Step-by-step guide with photos
Freeze the steak for 30 to 45 minutes for easier slicing. Slice the steak against the grain into very thin strips, then chop them again roughly into smaller pieces.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, then place the pieces of steak in a single layer. Leave to fry untouched for 2 minutes, then flip over and cook the other side for another two minutes. The steak doesn’t need to be cooked completely at this stage. Transfer the steak onto a plate, then use paper towels with tongs to clean the inside of the pan.
Heat oil in the same frying pan over medium-high heat. Place in the onions and capsicum, then stir-fry for 2 minutes or until softened. Return the steak to the pan, along with jalapenos, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir-fry for a minute, then add in the cheese. Once the cheese melts, remove the pan from heat and stir to combine the cheese with the steak. Try a piece of steak and add more salt and pepper to your liking if needed.
Slice open the rolls, then butter them on the inside. Grill the buttered side of the rolls over high heat for a few minutes or until nicely toasted. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and hot sauce. Divide the steak filling into 4 portions and place them in the rolls, then drizzle with the spicy mayo sauce. Best served immediately.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
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Cheers – Cat T
Spicy Philly Cheesesteak
Video
Ingredients
- 650 gm Scotch fillet beef steak (NOTE 1)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral-tasting oil)
- 1 small brown/yellow onion (or half of a large, diced roughly)
- 1 medium red capsicum (bell pepper, seeded & sliced thinly)
- ⅓ cup sliced pickled jalapenos (drained)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 180 gm provolone cheese (sliced thinly or grated) (NOTE 2)
- 4 Hoagie rolls (NOTE 3)
- butter (for spreading)
SPICY MAYONNAISE SAUCE
- 3 tbsp whole egg mayonnaise (or good quality mayo)
- 2 tsp hot sauce (I used Frank's redhot sauce) (NOTE 4)
Instructions
- Freeze the steak for 30 to 45 minutes for easier slicing. Slice the steak against the grain into very thin strips, then chop them again roughly into smaller pieces.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, then place the pieces of steak in a single layer. Leave to fry untouched for 2 minutes, then flip over and cook the other side for another two minutes. The steak doesn't need to be cooked completely at this stage. Transfer the steak onto a plate, then use paper towels with tongs to clean the inside of the pan.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in the same frying pan over medium-high heat. Place in the onions and capsicum, then stir-fry for 2 minutes or until softened. Return the steak to the pan, along with jalapenos, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir-fry for a minute, then add in the cheese. Once the cheese melts, remove the pan from heat and stir to combine the cheese with the steak. Try a piece of steak and add more salt and pepper to your liking if needed.
- Slice open the rolls, then butter them on the inside. Grill the buttered side of the rolls over high heat for a few minutes or until nicely toasted. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and hot sauce. Divide the steak filling into 4 portions and place them in the rolls, then drizzle with the spicy mayonnaise sauce. Best served immediately.
