Easy Steak & Cheese Sandwiches

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Make dinner a quick win with these easy steak and cheese sandwiches. Sautéed steak, onions, and peppers combine for a sandwich everyone loves.

When it comes to the end of the day, the last thing I want to be thinking about is what is for dinner.

We’re all busier than ever these days — despite attempts to cut out as many extra tasks as possible — but we shouldn’t have to sacrifice a good meal.

While I have bouts of oh-my-gosh-I-can’t-stop-moving, there’s plenty of time for cozy moments with the kids and a home-cooked dinner every night.

That’s not to say I’m whipping up three-course meals. Sometimes it’s all I can do to remember to pull out the greens for a salad or steam up some frozen broccoli. Those days, I have to take a few deep breaths before reminding myself that these are just tiny bumps in life.

Jumping over those little bumps, I hope I’m preparing for the major roadblocks that are sure to come down the line. And the best way I know how to prepare is to keep quick, cheap meals in my back pocket.

I’ve made these Easy Steak and Cheese Sandwiches a couple of times in the last month, and they have been perfect for the chilly evenings we’ve had lately. 

They were born of the need to use up some tenderized round steak that we got in a meat share, without making chicken-fried steak.

A few years ago we bought part of a cow, and our freezer was stuffed with all sorts of grass-fed beef cuts. It was fun cooking all the different cuts, until we came to that tenderized round steak. 

For some reason, it threw me a loop, and I couldn’t think of anything to make except that chicken-fried steak. Luckily, the internet is a wonderful thing, and I’ve been making these steak and cheese sandwiches with round steak for years now.

What is round steak?

Round steak is an inexpensive cut of beef that comes from the back end of the cow.

It’s often used for slow cooking because it is very lean and thus can be tough if not prepared properly. 

Tenderizing round steak helps to soften the muscle fibers to make it less chewy. You might see round steak at the store with lots of little divots all over it from the tenderizing mallet or machine.

Because round steak is so cheap, it’s a great go-to once you know what to do with it.

What kind of cheese can I use?

I like to use thin sliced provolone in these, but gouda and muenster are also good. 

Sliced cheese works best as it is easy to divide up and lay on the sandwiches for broiling. Shredded cheese also works if that’s what you have on hand, though! 

My older son likes to use pepper jack for some extra heat, while my younger prefers mozzarella. 

How do I reheat steak and cheese sandwiches?

If there are any leftovers, I like to keep the components separate until I’m ready to eat.

The meat and veggies can go into the same container with any extra juices, and reheated together as well. Reheating the filling in the microwave is quick and easy.

If you have a toaster oven you can assemble the sandwiches and reheat the whole thing together, otherwise I recommend assembling and broiling as in the original recipe.

To take these sandwiches on the go, assemble and broil, then wrap tightly in foil to keep as much heat in as possible. I don’t recommend heating the entire sandwich in the microwave as the bread can get tough, but if you do make sure to remove it from foil and put on a plate!

The sandwiches are really easy to make, and you could even cook the meat and veggies ahead of time in a big batch. Add whichever peppers you like — bell peppers to keep it sweet, or jalapeños for a kick.

Note that these sandwiches are not Philly cheesesteaks, but they do come together so quickly that you can make them any night of the week.