Philadelphia Cheese Steak Sandwich (Lower Fat)

A lighter take on the Philly cheesesteak that swaps the greasy griddle for cooking spray and uses reduced-fat cheddar (or muenster) without losing that melty, beefy, pepper-and-onion satisfaction. Thinly sliced flank steak piled on split hoagie rolls with sauteed onion rings and red and green bell peppers, then broiled until the cheese bubbles.

The trick to keeping it low-fat is adding small splashes of water while cooking the peppers and onions instead of oil. The water creates steam that softens the vegetables and prevents browning too fast without adding any fat. Butter-flavored cooking spray gives you that buttery aroma up front.

Pro Tips

• Slice the flank steak as thin as possible, almost shaved. Partially freezing the steak for 20 minutes makes razor-thin slicing much easier.
• Broil close to the heat source and watch it. One minute is all you need. The cheese should be melted and bubbly, not brown and leathery.
• Use the raw steak directly on the rolls before broiling. The broiler’s intense heat cooks the thin slices through in seconds while melting the cheese on top.
• Slice the peppers and onions uniformly thin so they cook at the same rate.

Variations

• Use provolone for a more traditional Philly cheesesteak experience.
• Add sliced mushrooms to the pepper and onion saute for extra bulk without extra fat.
• Spread the rolls with a thin layer of mustard or hot pepper relish before loading the steak.