By Christie Vanover | Published January 26, 2014 | Last Updated March 13, 2023

Warning! I cannot be held responsible if you gain weight after reading this post for Philly Cheesesteak Dip. It’s not that this dip has more calories that the average Game Day party food, it’s just that it’s sooooo good, it will be hard to stop eating it.
The dip is inspired by the Philly Cheesesteak. I read up on the famous sandwich to learn a few tricks of the trade. It comes down to the meat, cheese and bread. Since this is a dip, the bread isn’t as important, but you should look for a nice, softy hoagie to sop all of this goodness up.
The Meat
Pat’s King of Steaks owner, Frankie Olivieri, told ColdHardFootballFacts.com that he uses rib-eye sliced thin because it has the best proportion of meat to fat. Rib-eye is my favorite cut of beef for the same reason.
If you have a good butcher, you can get them to slice it thin for you. Unfortunately, I went to two regular grocery stores today and neither had a meat slicer. No problem. I took the meat home and froze it for 45 minutes, which made it really easy to get a nice, thin slice. Look at the marbling in that meat. Yum!
The Cheese
I’ve only ordered Philly’s with Provolone cheese, but some folks out there love their cheesesteak wit whiz, Cheese Whiz that is. Philly sandwich shops also offer American cheese. I did a facebook poll to see how Zesties like their cheesesteaks, and Provolone was the unanimous winner.
The Onions
Sweet yellow onions seem to be the Philly standard for cheesesteaks, and onions are the only veggie on the original. You order wit or wit-out. If you want extra stuff like peppers, mushrooms or jalapenos that’s a whole ’nother sandwich.
So I had the basics for the dip: thinly sliced rib-eye steak, Provolone and American cheese, and onions. By all means, you can add peppers, mushrooms or jalapenos if you like. This recipe is definitely versatile.
After sautéing the onions (and your veggies of choice), I seasoned the steak and cooked it in the pot. Using two bamboo spatulas, I tore the meat apart. In Philly, they use griddles and metal spatulas…but I wanted a one-pot dip and didn’t want to scratch my Le Creuset pot.
Next, I added some beef broth for added meatiness because I’m a sucker for au jus. Before melting in the cheese, I added some mayo. I love my Philly’s smothered in mayo. It adds a little tangy creaminess.
I threw in some cheese slices, stirred until melted and served it with cubes of soft, fresh baked hoagies from the grocery bakery.
I asked my hubby to be the hand model as I shot a few pictures. Then, I left the dip while I went to download the photos. Next thing I know, he’s asking me if he’s supposed to save any for me. That is a Vegas jackpot. If he doesn’t care for something, he’ll take a few bites and walk away. When I came back to the kitchen, only a quarter of the dip was left. Cha-ching!
I hope you enjoy this for your game day party.
Philly Cheesesteak Dip
Ingredients
- 2 rib-eye steaks ~1.5 lbs.
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning optional
- ¼ tsp. granulated garlic
- ¼ tsp. onion powder
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped sweet yellow onion
- ½ cup beef broth
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 6 slices 4 ozs. Provolone cheese
- 6 slices 4 ozs. American cheese
- 3 soft hoagie rolls
Instructions
- Ask your butcher to shave the beef. If you don’t have a butcher with a meat slicer, freeze the rib-eye steaks for 45 minutes. Remove them from the freezer. Slice off the outer fat rind and discard.
- Slice the remaining meat into slices the thickness of bacon.
- Place the steak in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, Creole seasoning, garlic and onion.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. (If you would like to add peppers, mushrooms or jalapenos, add them with the onions)
- Add the beef and stir to combine. Let the meat cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Using two bamboo spatulas (or other kitchen utensils with flat ends), tear the meat apart to shred. Hold one portion of the meat down with one utensil and pull the meat apart with the other utensil. Continue with this process, until the meat is in bite-sized pieces. If you find pieces too hard to shred, pull them out of the pot.
- Add the broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the mayo to combine.
- Add the American cheese and stir, until melted. Add the Provolone cheese and stir until melted. Keep warm over low heat.
- Slice the hoagie rolls into 2-inch squares and arrange on a large platter.
- Serve the dip warm with slices of soft hoagie rolls.
This estimate was created using an online nutrition calculator
Elise Ramer says
So I just finished making this, and Oh my friggin’ god, this is amazing. This Philly girl also approves with flying colors (green and silver to be exact). This is dip is going to win the night for sure. SUPER BOWL APPROVED!
zestuous says
Awesome! So glad it was a hit.
Suzanne says
How many does this feed? Looks fabulous!!
zestuous says
Thanks Suzanne. I would say 4-6, if you’re not serving a lot of other things. If you have a full spread of appetizers, you could stretch it to 8-10 servings
Denise Madej says
Thank you for posting this recipe. It looks delish! I was born and raised in Philly. I love how you did your research for making it like an authentic Philly Cheese steak. A few years ago I moved 55 miles from Philly and it drives me crazy when I see places that have “Philly Cheesesteaks” on their menu and they have green peppers, red onions or marinara sauce on it. That is by no means a Philly steak lol
Can’t wait to try this recipe 🙂
Stacey Evans says
This is making my mouth water! I’m going to try this today for the Super Bowl Game! Before I started my cooking blog, years ago I was a Flight Attendant for Eastern Air lines. When I would layover in Philadelphia, I would always go to Pats, so miss it! Thanks for posting, can’t wait to try!
zestuous says
Thanks Stacey. I hope you had a great Super Bowl Party.
Jill says
Holy yum this looks good! I may have to add this to my superbowl menu this year. And THANK YOU for the clarification about onions, meat and cheese being the only things in a Philly cheesesteak. It bugs this Philly girl to no end when I see recipes and menu items everywhere that seem to think green peppers is a cheesesteak staple. It’s delicious, don’t get me wrong, but is in no way authentic.
zestuous says
Thanks Jill. I love hearing that a Philly girl approves. That makes my day.