Steak and Cheese Sliders
Inside: Step-by-step photos and instructions to build the ultimate steak sliders, with variations, tips and more.
Steak and cheese sliders are the ultimate party food and make the best game-day snacks. This recipe uses leftover steak, caramelized onions and two types of cheese on slider rolls. So irresistibly delicious, these hot, melty cheese steak sliders will be gone in a flash.
No one can resist sliders — a two to three-bite sandwich that satisfies your big sandwich cravings without committing yourself to a 12″ hoagie. I make Cedar-Planked Salmon Sliders when the weather permits and our favorite Leftover Turkey and Egg Oven Sliders for a post-holiday breakfast.
These steak and cheese sliders are pure indulgence. Made with thinly sliced steak (not shaved beef), sweet caramelized onions, grated Gruyere and horseradish spiked cream cheese, these party-sized sammies are the ultimate comfort food.
This recipe differs from my Classic Cheesesteak Sandwich because it skips the green bell pepper and onion saute and uses thin slices of previously cooked steak instead of pan-grilling ribeye.
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Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- It’s quick and easy to make.
- You can use whatever steak you like – even leftovers work for this slider recipe.
- The cream cheese and horseradish spread gives a piquant flavor to the sandwiches and is unique compared to other cheese steak sliders.
- Gruyere is a perfectly oozy melting cheese that everyone loves.
- Steak and cheese sliders are ready to eat in under an hour.
Ingredients:
- King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls – or other slider rolls.
- Steak – I used some leftover Bourbon Marinated Grilled Flank Steak, but you can use hangar steak, ribeye steak, sirloin, skirt steak, or any other steak you choose.
- Caramelized Onions – these sweet onions can be made up to a week ahead (or kept in the freezer until you’re ready). Learn how to caramelize onions here.
- Cream Cheese – for the first cheese layer in the steak sliders.
- Horseradish – you can grate horseradish root or look for prepared horseradish in the refrigerated section. Don’t use horseradish sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce – to add an umami richness to the horseradish cheese and for brushing the slider rolls.
- Gruyere is a Swiss cheese that’s often used to make fondue. It has a delicious melting quality that’s delicious on these sliders.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter to control the dish’s saltiness better.
- Sesame Seeds – (optional) for topping steak and cheese sliders.
Step-by-Step directions:
- Combine the cream cheese, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and evenly mixed. Set aside.
2. Combine the melted butter, Worcestershire sauce and sesame seeds in a separate small bowl. Set aside.
3. Slice the slider rolls in half with a bread knife. (Try to make the top and bottom as even as you can).
4. Spread the horseradish cheese in an even layer over the bottom slider buns.
5. Slice the steak very thinly on a cutting board. (It’s easy to do with a long, thin carving knife and cold leftover steak). To ensure tender beef, slice it against the grain very thinly.
6. Pile 3-4 strips of steak over each slider bun portion (this will make it easier to pull the steak and cheese sliders apart after baking).
7. Top each serving of steak with a spoonful of caramelized onions.
8. Top the steak sliders with grated gruyere cheese.
9. Place the top slider buns over the cheese layer and brush with the basting butter.
10. Seal the steak and cheese sliders in tin foil and set on a sheet pan or in a baking dish to bake at 350° F. for 20 minutes.
11. After the first 20 minutes of baking, pull back the foil to expose the top of the buns and continue to bake for 8-10 minutes or until browned.
Cooking Tips
- Slice the meat as thinly as possible to make it easier to eat; cold leftover steak is the easiest to cut.
- I also try to use rare or medium-rare cooked beef for this recipe because it will continue to cook when baking the sliders.
Variations:
- Substitute Gruyere cheese with another cheese like cheddar, Swiss, provolone, fontina or Jarlsberg.
- For more intense seasoning, add ¼ teaspoon each of kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to the cream cheese mixture.
- Swap sauteed mushrooms for the caramelized onions for mushroom and Swiss steak sliders.
- For a cheesesteak slider, omit the horseradish cheese and add sauteed green pepper.
- For Philly cheesesteak sliders – use grilled onions instead of caramelized and top with provolone cheese or heated Cheez Whiz (it’s a thing).
- Make cheese steak sliders with ground beef by browning ground round over medium-high heat in a large skillet and seasoning with Worcestershire sauce, onion, and garlic powder. Serve on slider buns with melted cheese.
Storage and Freezing:
Make Ahead and Storage:
- You can make individual components of this recipe in advance, such as the caramelized onions, horseradish cheese and basting butter. Store each component in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Bring the horseradish cheese to room temperature before using.
- Melt the basting butter in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to return it to a liquid state.
- You can assemble the steak sliders earlier in the day and bake at the last minute to serve warm.
- Store leftover steak and cheese sliders wrapped in aluminum foil for 1-2 days. Reheat in a low oven (300° F) for 10-12 minutes to warm through.
Freezing:
Steak and cheese sliders don’t freeze well, so I recommend enjoying them fresh when they’re at their best.
What to serve with cheese and steak sliders:
- French Fries (store-bought or try these Homemade French Fries)
- Onion Rings – we like Alexia brand
- Tater Tots – either regular or sweet potato tots
- Potato Chips – simple and classic
- Beer or N/A Beer
- Southern Coleslaw
- Loaded Potato Salad with Bacon and Egg
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Steak and Cheese Sliders
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 package Kings Hawaiian sweet rolls
- 1 pound grilled steak I used grilled flank steak
- 1 cup caramelized onions
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 heaping tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce divided
- 1 cup grated gruyere cheese
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1½ teaspoons sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 325° F.
- In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, horseradish and 1 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce until creamy and smooth.
- In another small bowl, combine the melted butter, the remaining teaspoon of worcestershire sauce and sesame seeds and whisk together.
- Remove the Hawaiian rolls from the package in one piece. Use a bread knife to slice the rolls in half – try to make the two halves roughly even in height.
- Transfer the bottom half of the rolls to a baking sheet lined with a large piece of aluminum foil (I used heavy duty aluminum foil).
- Spread the bottom half of the rolls with the cream cheese mixture until it’s evenly coating the bottom.
- Very thinly slice the steak into strips or bite-sized pieces. I made my slices so thin that they were almost like deli meat slices.
- Pile 3-4 slices of steak in piles over the rolls (try to arrange them so they’re roughly placed in 12 equal piles that will approximate where the rolls will pull apart.
- Top each pile of steak with a generous spoonful of caramelized onions. Sprinkle the grated gruyere cheese over the onions. Rest the top half of the Hawaiian rolls over the cheese.
- Brush the tops of the buns with the melted butter mixture, sprinkle on more sesame seeds if needed.
- Wrap the steak and cheese sliders with the aluminum foil to cover them completely and bake for 20 minutes. Open the foil to expose the buns and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until the rolls brown.
- Serve.
NUTRITION:
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Loved these sliders. The horseradish takes this to a higher level of flavor.