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Dig into the best steak sandwich filled with juicy sliced beef, caramelized onions, garlic aioli, and melty cheese, toasted between two buttery bread slices!
I love easy sandwich recipes like these mouthwatering steak sandwiches and my classic Italian subs to tide us over on busy weekdays.
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My husband goes crazy for a steak sandwich, whether it’s a Philly cheesesteak or this favorite steak sandwich recipe packed with tender sliced beef, creamy aioli, and caramelized onions. I can’t blame him! This steak sandwich is saucy, cheesy, and full of flavor, and you can make it with just a handful of ingredients.
What Makes This the Best Steak Sandwich
- It’s all in the details. Simple extra steps like caramelizing the onions, toasting the bread, and using homemade garlic aioli take this steak sandwich to the next level.
- Easy to make. I like to get a head start on preparing the steak and onions, so everything is ready to go. This sandwich comes together quickly and easily and toasts on the stovetop so you don’t need any oven time or fancy equipment.
- Satisfying. Juicy steak sandwiches are such a treat. Make them for lunch, dinner, or any meal, and you won’t be disappointed. It’s easy to customize this recipe by marinating the steak, adapting the dressings, and adding in extra veggies, like mushrooms.
What You’ll Need
This steak sandwich keeps things simple yet delicious. I’ve included my notes on the ingredients below, and you’ll find the printable recipe card below the post with the full recipe amounts and instructions.
- Steak – I use sirloin, but you can use your favorite cut. Ribeye would be great here! Cook the steak to your desired doneness using your preferred method (my favorite is sous vide steak since it’s foolproof), then thinly slice it against the grain. To save time, you can also make this sandwich with pre-cut roast beef from the deli.
- Bread – Any thick-cut bread slices will do. I always have sourdough on hand, so that’s what I use. But you can use any type of bread you’d like, whether that’s whole wheat, ciabatta, or even a hoagie roll.
- Cheese – My favorites are mild Provolone slices or Pepper Jack cheese (if you like a little spice). Just about any kind of cheese goes, so feel free to use Swiss, Gouda, Mozzarella, or cheddar cheese.
- Caramelized Onions – I love making this sandwich whenever I have a batch of slow cooker caramelized onions in the fridge. Just reheat them when you’re ready and save the step of caramelizing the onions before you assemble the sandwiches.
- Aioli – Optional, but I love the extra kick that comes from using garlic aioli instead of plain mayonnaise. Of course, you can use classic store-bought or homemade mayo if you’d prefer.
- Butter – Softened so it’s easy to spread over the bread. You can use olive oil in place of butter if needed.
How to Make a Steak Sandwich
Toasting the bread makes all the difference! Follow these steps to make a melty, cheesy steak sandwich at home. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable instructions.
- Prepare the bread. While you preheat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat, butter the outside of the bread slices. Arrange all the slices butter-side-down on the hot pan.
- Assemble. Add cheese to 4 of the bread slices. Then, divide the caramelized onions between the remaining 4 slices. Let them cook, open-faced, until the cheese has melted and the bread is toasty and golden. I find it helpful to cover the skillet with a lid to make the melting easier.
- Add steak. Next, spread aioli over the melted cheese and top that with sliced steak. Fold the sandwiches together and transfer them to a platter or plate for serving. Slice in half, and dig in!
Recipe Tips
- Cook the steak how you like it. You can use the stovetop, grill, or even the air fryer to cook your steak to your preferred doneness. I like to cook mine to a nice medium-rare, where the internal temperature reaches about 135ºF on an instant-read thermometer.
- Cut against the grain. For super-tender steak slices, slice the cooked steak against the grain. The “grain” is the direction the fibers or lines run in a piece of meat. Identify the direction of the lines, and cut across rather than with them.
- Different sauces. Instead of aioli, you can dress your steak sandwich with mayonnaise, Thousand Island dressing, or a herby sauce, like pesto or chimichurri.
- Add veggies. Steak and mushrooms are a classic combination, or you can add sautéed bell peppers, and leafy greens, like arugula, spinach, or lettuce.
- Use the air fryer instead. I cook this sandwich similar to a stovetop grilled cheese. But, you could easily make it in the air fryer following similar cooking instructions as my air fryer grilled cheese.
Serving Ideas
A steak sandwich is a delicious and satisfying lunch or light dinner. Just add an easy tossed salad, Caesar salad, or classic potato salad on the side to round out the meal. It’s also great with macaroni salad. In the colder months, I love having my toasted steak sandwich with a bowl of vegetable soup, too, like this creamy tomato soup or Instant Pot potato soup.
Storing Leftovers
This steak sandwich is best enjoyed right after it’s made. Whenever possible, I recommend storing the sandwich ingredients separately in the fridge and assembling the leftovers before serving. Keep the steak, caramelized onions, and aioli airtight in separate containers for up to 4 days. Assemble your sandwich as directed, and enjoy.
More Sandwich Recipes
Steak Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 pound sirloin steak, cooked to desired doneness and thinly sliced.
- 8 slices sourdough bread, thick cut
- 4 slices Provolone, or Pepper Jack Cheese
- 1 cup caramelized onions
- ½ cup garlic aioli
- 4 Tablespoons butter, softened
Instructions
- Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium high heat.
- Butter the outside of the slices of bread. Place 4 slices of bread, buttered side down on griddle and top those with the sliced cheese. Place the remaining 4 slices of bread, buttered side down on the griddle and divide the caramelized onions over those 4 slices of bread.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden and toasted. You can cover with a lid to a large skillet to melt the cheese if necessary.
- Spread the aioli over the melted cheese and top with sliced steak. Assemble the sandwiches and remove from the heat. Place on a cutting board and cut in half to serve.
Notes
- Plan ahead and make slow cooker caramelized onions, then reheat them when you’re ready to assemble the sandwiches.
- Homemade garlic aioli is super simple. However, you can use a store-bought version or even just Mayo if you prefer.
- Cook the steak using your favorite method and any cut you like. I like sous vide steak as it’s perfectly cooked every time.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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That chimichurri spread sounds awesome! You really can’t go wrong with a steak sandwich!