A cheesesteak is shaved beef, softened onion and pepper, and melted cheese. This turns all three into a soup without losing any of them — but the cheese goes into the liquid rather than over it.
The beef is browned first and taken straight back out. It returns at the very end, so it never sits in simmering broth long enough to toughen.
Why This Recipe Works
- Browning the beef quickly over medium-high heat builds colour without cooking it through twice.
- Three tablespoons of flour cooked for a minute is what lets four cups of broth and a cup of milk thicken into something creamy.
- Adding the liquid gradually to the roux keeps it smooth instead of lumpy.
- Cream cheese and provolone whisked in off a hard boil melt into the broth rather than stringing.
Ingredient Notes
- Shaved beef
- A pound, or very thinly sliced sirloin. Shaved is the cheesesteak cut and it cooks in a minute or two.
- Red and yellow bell pepper
- One of each, diced. Both colours are visible in the finished bowl.
- Provolone
- A cup, shredded, whisked into the broth. It is the cheesesteak cheese and it is meant to disappear into the soup.
How to Make It
Brown the beef, remove it
Brown beef quickly in oil over medium-high heat; transfer to a plate.
Soften the vegetables
Reduce heat to medium, add butter, onion, peppers and garlic, and cook 6 to 8 minutes until softened.
Roux, then liquid
Sprinkle in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in broth and milk; simmer until lightly thickened.
Melt the cheese through
Whisk in cream cheese and provolone until fully melted into the broth rather than forming a cheese cap.
Beef back in
Return beef, season with salt and pepper, and heat through. Serve with parsley and crusty bread.
Turning a Cheesesteak Into a Soup
Five moves in one pot, and the order matters more than anything else. Each rung sets up the next, and the beef deliberately sits out the middle of it.
SearBrowned at the edges, then out - it returns in the last step.
A pound of shaved beef into hot oil over medium-high heat, browned quickly and moved straight to a plate. This is the only browning the dish gets.
Soften6 to 8 minutes, until softened.
Heat down to medium, then butter with a diced yellow onion, a red and a yellow pepper and two cloves of garlic. They cook down into the sweetness the broth is built on.
ThickenSimmer until lightly thickened.
3 tbsp of flour stirred in and cooked for a minute, then 4 cups of beef broth and 1 cup of whole milk whisked in gradually. Adding the liquid slowly is what keeps the roux smooth.
Melt inFully melted and uniform - no strands, no lid of cheese.
4 oz cream cheese and 1 cup of shredded provolone whisked through until they are part of the broth. This is where a cheesesteak soup either becomes creamy or grows a cheese cap.
Success Tips
- Get the pan properly hot for the beef and move it out fast — it finishes in step 5.
- Add the broth gradually to the roux, whisking as you go, or the soup will be lumpy.
- Keep the heat down once the cheese goes in. A hard boil is what makes provolone string.
Serving Ideas
Six servings in white bowls, cream-coloured with the beef, pepper and onion visible, finished with parsley and served with crusty bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I broil cheese on top?
No. The cheese is melted into the broth; there is no cheese cap on this soup.
Why take the beef out after browning?
So it does not sit in simmering broth for the rest of the cook. It goes back in at the end to heat through.
Do I need both pepper colours?
Yes — red and yellow are both part of how the dish reads.
