Philly Cheesesteak Pizza With Garlic Sauce

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 1 large 14-inch pizza, 4 servings
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 18 minutes
• Total Time: 38 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature for 30 minutes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus 1 teaspoon for the pan
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• 8 ounces ribeye or sirloin steak, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese, about 6 ounces
• 1/2 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, about 2 ounces
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal or flour for dusting

Do This

• 1. Preheat oven to 475°F with a pizza stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet inside for 30 minutes.
• 2. Sauté onions and peppers in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 6 to 7 minutes; season lightly.
• 3. Quickly sear thin steak in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 1 to 2 minutes with Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
• 4. Stir melted butter, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper together for the garlic base.
• 5. Stretch dough to a 14-inch round, brush with garlic base, and top with provolone, mozzarella, steak, onions, and peppers.
• 6. Bake at 475°F for 11 to 13 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is melted.
• 7. Rest 3 minutes, slice, and serve hot.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Big cheesesteak flavor: Tender shaved steak, sweet sautéed onions, peppers, and melty provolone bring the classic sandwich experience to pizza night.
• No heavy sauce: A light garlic butter and olive oil base keeps the crust crisp and lets the steak and cheese shine.
• Fast but satisfying: Once the oven is hot, the toppings cook quickly and the pizza bakes in about 12 minutes.
• Easy to customize: Use ribeye, sirloin, deli roast beef, extra peppers, mushrooms, or your favorite blend of cheeses.

Grocery List

• Produce: Yellow onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic cloves
• Meat: Ribeye steak or sirloin steak, preferably very thinly sliced or partially frozen for easy slicing
• Dairy: Provolone cheese, low-moisture mozzarella cheese, unsalted butter
• Bakery: Fresh pizza dough
• Pantry: Olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, cornmeal or flour

Full Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough and Pan

• 1 pound fresh pizza dough, rested at room temperature for 30 minutes before stretching
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal or all-purpose flour, for dusting the peel or pan
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, for greasing the pan if using a baking sheet

For the Light Garlic Base

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Cheesesteak Topping

• 8 ounces ribeye steak or sirloin steak, sliced as thinly as possible against the grain
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided for cooking
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced, about 3/4 cup
• 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced, about 1/2 cup
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced, about 1/2 cup
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more to taste

For the Cheese

• 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese, about 6 ounces
• 1/2 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, about 2 ounces

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven for a crisp crust

Place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or an inverted rimmed baking sheet on the center rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475°F for at least 30 minutes. A thoroughly heated surface helps the bottom crust brown quickly before the toppings overcook.

If you are using a regular baking sheet instead of a stone or steel, lightly grease it with 1 teaspoon olive oil and set it aside. The pizza will still be delicious, though the bottom may be slightly softer.

Step 2: Prepare the steak for thin, tender pieces

If slicing the steak yourself, place it in the freezer for 20 minutes before cutting. This firms it up and makes it much easier to slice very thinly. Using a sharp knife, slice the steak against the grain into pieces about 1/8 inch thick or thinner.

Pat the steak dry with paper towels. This matters because dry steak sears instead of steaming, giving you better flavor and a less watery pizza.

Step 3: Sauté the onions and peppers

Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper. Season with 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, lightly browned at the edges, and still have a little bite. Transfer them to a plate and spread them out so they cool slightly instead of steaming.

Step 4: Quickly sear the steak

Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add the thinly sliced steak in a single layer, or as close to a single layer as possible. Cook for 45 seconds, then stir and cook for another 45 to 60 seconds, just until mostly browned.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, the remaining 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Stir once or twice, then remove the skillet from the heat. The steak should be slightly underdone because it will finish cooking in the oven.

Step 5: Mix the light garlic base

In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes so the garlic flavors the butter and oil.

This base should be thin and brushable, not thick like a sauce. It gives the pizza a savory garlic flavor while keeping the cheesesteak toppings front and center.

Step 6: Stretch and top the pizza

Lightly dust a pizza peel, sheet of parchment paper, or baking sheet with cornmeal or flour. Stretch the room-temperature dough into a 14-inch round, leaving the outer edge slightly thicker for the crust. If the dough keeps snapping back, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching.

Brush the garlic base evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle on about two-thirds of the provolone and mozzarella. Add the sautéed onions and peppers, then scatter the seared steak evenly over the top. Finish with the remaining cheese so some of it melts over the steak and vegetables.

Step 7: Bake until bubbling and golden

Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 475°F for 11 to 13 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown, the cheese is fully melted, and the steak edges look lightly browned.

If using a standard baking sheet, place the sheet on the center rack and bake for 13 to 15 minutes. For extra browning on top, move the pizza to the upper rack for the final 1 minute, watching closely so the cheese does not burn.

Step 8: Rest, slice, and serve

Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let it rest for 3 minutes. This short rest helps the cheese settle so the toppings stay on the slices. Cut into 8 slices and serve hot while the provolone is still soft and stretchy.

Pro Tips

• Slice the steak thin: The thinner the steak, the more tender the topping. Partially freezing the meat for 20 minutes makes slicing much easier.
• Do not fully cook the steak in the skillet: Pull it from the heat when it is just browned. It will finish in the oven and stay tender.
• Keep toppings fairly dry: Spread cooked steak and vegetables on a plate before topping the pizza so excess steam and juices do not soak the crust.
• Use provolone for the signature flavor: Mozzarella helps with melt and stretch, but provolone gives this pizza its cheesesteak character.
• Preheat long enough: A hot stone, steel, or sheet pan is the easiest way to get a crisp bottom crust in a home oven.

Variations

• Mushroom cheesesteak pizza: Add 4 ounces thinly sliced mushrooms to the skillet with the onions and peppers. Cook until their moisture evaporates and the edges brown.
• Spicy cheesesteak pizza: Add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the garlic base and top the baked pizza with sliced pickled jalapeños.
• Creamier white base: For a richer pizza, spread 1/4 cup softened garlic-and-herb cream cheese very thinly over the dough before adding the garlic butter and cheese.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Storage: Let leftover pizza cool completely, then store slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, in a 375°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or in an air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes. Microwaving works, but the crust will be softer.

Make-ahead: The steak, onions, and peppers can be cooked up to 24 hours in advance. Cool them completely and refrigerate in separate airtight containers. The garlic base can be mixed up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; gently warm it until brushable before using. For best texture, stretch and bake the pizza right before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 642 kcal | Carbs: 56g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Sodium: 1090mg | Cholesterol: 92mg