Philly Cheese Steak "Casserole"

Tender beef, fried onions and sauteed mushrooms, nestled into uncooked, buttery dinner rolls and topped with cheese before baking. See what happens when you pop that casserole in the oven? The rolls rise, the cheese melts, and the steak is engulfed in freshly baked bread. Like a pillowy hug. A delicious, pillowy hug.
This is an excellent way to serve a bunch of cheesesteaks at once - I promise you, everyone will be happy (and served at the same time).

Oh, and these cheesesteaks go great with my Smashed Potatoes with Ketchup and Cheese!

About the rolls: I used Rhodes frozen dinner rolls and thawed them overnight in my fridge. You can use refrigerated or frozen dinner rolls, just make sure you don't let them rise before baking. The goal is to have the rolls rise up and around the cheesesteak filling.

About the steak: In my opinion, the best cheesesteaks are those made with thinly sliced ribeye.  Ribeye is incredibly flavorful and tender (it won't toughen up as it cooks) making it perfect for cheesesteaks (you want the sandwich to taste like steak). It also has the ideal amount of fat so, as the steak cooks, the fat melts into the meat and bastes it  - enhancing the flavor and tenderness.

About the toppings: I added fried onions and mushrooms because that's what we like in my house. You can also add fried bell peppers (fry them right along with the onions in the first step).

Want chicken? Or a vegetarian option? Cool! Simply substitute sauteed chicken for the steak. For a vegetarian version, try grilled or sauteed vegetables, such as zucchini, yellow squash and sliced portobello mushrooms.

Want to prep ahead? So did I, so I know this works. Assemble the cheesesteak casserole as directed below and, BEFORE BAKING, cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Pull the dish from the fridge and remove the plastic wrap 30 minutes before baking.

Philly Cheese Steak "Casserole" 

Cooking spray
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 cups thinly sliced cremini or button mushrooms
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pound thinly sliced ribeye steak
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
10-12 refrigerated or frozen dinner rolls (thaw frozen rolls in the refrigerator so they don't rise)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar or provolone cheese
Ketchup for serving

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until browned and soft, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the onion from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
Add the mushrooms to the same skillet over medium heat. Cook until soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the steak and cook until browned on all sides, turning frequently. Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Place the melted butter in a shallow dish and - working one at a time - add the rolls and turn to coat the rolls with the butter. Transfer the rolls to the prepared pan (it's OK if there's room between the rolls, that will fill in when they rise).
Press the steak into the rolls. Top the steak with onions and mushrooms as desired (I did half with onions and half with mushrooms). Top with the cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the rolls are puffed up and golden brown and the cheese melts. Serve with ketchup on the side.
Serves 4

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