What kind of Philly girl would I be if I didn't develop a cheese steak pizza for my blog? Whether you like yours with provolone or Cheez Whiz, I've got you covered.
John and I both grew up a short drive away from Philadelphia—John just across the Delaware in New Jersey, and I on the PA side of the same river, about 40 minutes north. So naturally, like many other Philly identifiers, we have opinions about cheese steaks. Whiz wit? (John's a Cheez Whiz guy, but I've always gone with a mix of sliced American and provolone.) Fried onions and peppers? (YES.) Mushrooms? (Yes for me, no for John.) Ketchup? (Obviously.) Mayo? (Never.)
Feel free to customize your pizza according to your own cheese steak preferences (leave out the mushrooms and double up on onions or peppers), but do me a favor and don't skimp on the meat. You want a steak with lots of marbling so it won't dry out in the oven. For the same reason, it's important that you stir-fry the meat for no longer than instructed and top the pizza in this order: ketchup, then steak, then vegetables, and finally cheese. If the steak is on top when it goes in the oven, it will easily get overcooked.
Cheese Steak Pizza with Cheez Whiz
For the Cheez Whiz option, top your dough with a spiral of ketchup, cooked sliced steak, onions, peppers, and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and bake until the bottom and edges are evenly browned. Meanwhile, microwave the Whiz in a glass measuring cup until it's pourable. When the pizza's done baking, take it out of the oven and drizzle the cheese on top.
Cheese Steak Pizza with Sliced Provolone and American
For the sliced cheese option, top the dough with ketchup, cooked steak and veggies, a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and top with a single layer of provolone and American slices. Bake until the crust is browned evenly around the edges and across the bottom.
Notes on Baking
Because there's a lot going on here, toppings wise, it's best to bake this pizza at the highest-possible heat on a baking stone or steel plate. If you don't have a stone or steel, I recommend parbaking the crust before you add toppings to prevent sogginess: Stretch or roll out the dough, lay it on your baking sheet or pizza pan, and prick it all over with a fork. Bake at 500°F for 2 to 3 minutes, just until it looks dry and very lightly browned. Next, squeeze ketchup in a spiral on top, scatter on the cooked steak, and finish with the veggies (and sliced cheese, if you're going that route). Bake until the crust is evenly browned, take out of the oven, and top with a spiral of Cheez Whiz (if using).
Want more pizzafied classics? Check out the archives.
Cheese Steak Pizza, two ways
Equipment
- Large rimmed baking sheet or baking stone/steel
- Pizza peel (optional)
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Cutting board and knife
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 ounces boneless beef sirloin, rib eye, or NY strip steak
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing the dough
- ¼ medium white or yellow onion, thinly sliced (⅓ cup)
- ¼ medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced (¼ cup)
- ¼ medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (¼ cup)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground back pepper
- 2 to 3 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 1 (14 to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
- Tomato ketchup
If going "Whiz wit"
- ½ to ⅔ cup Cheez Whiz
If using provolone and American cheeses
- 4 to 5 thin slices American cheese
- 4 to 5 thin slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Place your pizza stone or steel (if using) on an oven rack in the middle of your oven. If you plan to cook your pizza on a baking sheet, just place a rack in the middle of the oven (you do not need to preheat the baking sheet). Preheat the oven to 500°F (or the highest temperature your oven will allow, if using a pizza stone/steel) and let it heat up for 30 to 45 minutes while you make the dough and/or prep the toppings.
To prep the toppings
- Put the steak on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes. You want it to be firm around the edges but still give a little in the center. (This will make it easy to slice.)
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and season with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the vegetables are soft and just beginning to caramelize, 7 to 9 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for 3 or 4 more minutes, stirring constantly, until they are tender and release their liquid. Transfer the vegetables to a paper towel–lined plate; do not wipe out the skillet.
- Take the steak out of the freezer and cut it into ⅛-inch-thick slices. Toss in a bowl with ½ tablespoon olive oil, a big pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Set the same skillet you used to cook the vegetables over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil, then the beef and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, just until the pieces are half browned and half pink. (They will finish cooking on the pizza in the oven.) Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the steak to a paper towel–lined plate.
To top and bake the pizza on a stone or steel plate
- If you’re using a pizza stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle and transfer it to a lightly floured pizza peel.
- Brush the dough lightly with olive oil.Squeeze a spiral of ketchup onto the dough. Scatter the meat evenly on top, followed by the onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. If you're making yours "wit Whiz," you're done topping for now. If you're making yours with provolone and American cheeses, arrange the sliced cheese on top, alternating slices of each until the entire pizza is covered.
- Shimmy the topped dough onto the hot baking stone or steel plate in the oven and bake for 6 minutes or until the crust is golden around the edges and evenly browned across the bottom. If you're making the sliced cheese version, the cheese will brown in big spots.
To top and bake the pizza on a baking sheet or pizza pan
- Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle and transfer it to a dark-colored, heavy duty baking sheet or pizza pan.
- Prick the dough all over with a fork and brush it with olive oil, making sure to get all the way to the edges. Place the baking sheet on the rack in the middle of the oven and bake just until the crust is pale golden and looks dry on top, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Squeeze a spiral of ketchup onto the dough. Scatter the meat evenly on top, followed by the onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. If you're making yours "wit Whiz," you're done topping for now. If you're making yours with provolone and American cheeses, arrange the sliced cheese on top, alternating slices of each until the entire pizza is covered.
- Put the baking sheet back on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 8 minutes or until the crust is evenly browned around the edges and across the bottom and the sliced cheese (if using) has browned in big spots.
If you're making yours "wit Whiz"
- Scoop the Cheez Whiz into a glass measuring cup and microwave for about 1 minute, stopping every 20 seconds to stir, until it's melted and pourable. Drizzle the Whiz in a spiral over the cooked pizza just before slicing.
Bryan says
Yum! Rocky-approved 🙂