Grilled Ribeye Steak Sandwich Recipe With Caramelized Onions and Melted Provolone

Grilled Ribeye Steak Sandwich Recipe with Caramelized Onions

Some sandwiches earn a permanent spot in your rotation, and this grilled ribeye steak sandwich is one of them. Picture a toasted ciabatta roll piled with thin slices of juicy grilled ribeye, a jammy heap of caramelized onions and mushrooms, two slices of provolone melted right into the steak, a handful of baby arugula for a peppery snap, and a generous smear of garlicky roasted red pepper aioli on both sides of the bread.

This one is a from scratch recreation of a daily special at Caviar and Bananas in downtown Charleston. The original recipe from Caroline Lindsey at Pinch Me, I’m Eating rebuilds it component by component: the roasted red pepper aioli, the caramelized onions and mushrooms, and the tender ribeye steak.

It also makes a good case that a steak sandwich can be an improvement on a perfectly grilled ribeye, because every bite gets steak, sweet onions, and melted cheese instead of only the middle.

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Timing is the one thing worth planning around. The recipe card lists 15 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cook time, and most of that cooking window belongs to the onions, which need time on the stove to turn soft, translucent, and caramel colored.

Made in one go, the whole thing takes about an hour, and the last stretch is mostly hands off.

The good news is that two of the three components can be made ahead. The roasted red pepper aioli and the caramelized onions and mushrooms both hold beautifully, so sandwich night can come together fast.

It is a recipe with several components and real prep time, but the payoff is a sandwich that tastes like a restaurant order made with equipment you already own.

If you want to get the steak itself dialed in first, start with this Grilled Ribeye Steak Recipe. And if the onion step is the part you want to practice on its own, Caramelized Onions for Steak Sandwiches are the same sweet building block you need here.

One sourcing note: this article is adapted from the original grilled ribeye steak sandwich with caramelized onions, which is where the ingredient amounts, times, and nutrition come from.

A great steak sandwich is not a compromise on a great grilled steak. It is the same steak, sliced thin, sauced, and stacked so every bite gets the good stuff.

Anatomy of a grilled ribeye steak sandwich

Every layer here has a job, and swapping or skipping one changes the whole bite.

The roll. Ciabatta is required, and not because it sounds impressive. This sandwich carries a lot of juicy toppings, so it needs a sturdy roll that will not fall apart in your hands. A soft hamburger bun will give up halfway through.

Buttering the insides and grilling them alongside the steak gives you a crisp, toasted interior that adds crunch to every bite.

The steak. Thin cut ribeye is the move, meaning a cut about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick, four steaks totaling roughly 1.25 to 1.5 pounds. This is not shaved ribeye, which is better suited to Philly cheesesteak sandwiches.

Seasoned with just kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, it cooks over high heat in about 30 to 45 seconds per side, then rests, gets sliced across the grain, and is tossed in its own juices.

The onions and mushrooms. This component takes the longest and asks the least of you. Sliced mushrooms go into the pan first over medium high heat to brown at the edges, then the onions join them and caramelize over medium low heat for 30 to 45 minutes.

It all happens in one pan, and the finished mixture lands on the steak in a soft, jammy pile.

The cheese. Two slices of provolone go right on top of the onions and mushrooms. That placement is deliberate: the cheese melts down over the pile and binds the onions and mushrooms to the sliced steak so the filling stays put. The base of the sandwich goes back on the grill for about two minutes to get it there.

The greens. Baby arugula is the fresh note that cuts through all that richness, and it brings a pop of color to the top of the stack.

The aioli. Roasted red pepper aioli ties everything together. It is mayonnaise based and packed with garlic and roasted red bell pepper flavor, so two tablespoons spread on both sides of the roll gets the flavor into every bite. It works right away and gets even better after a night in the fridge.

Here is the full ingredient list, grouped the way the recipe card groups it.

One small but important note from the recipe card: if you use the linked aioli recipe, make a double batch, because the quantities listed here are the correct amounts for four sandwiches.

Step one: the caramelized onions and mushrooms.

1. Prepare the onions. Cut them in half from root to end and peel off the papery skin. Quarter them, remove the core, then slice into strips about 1/4 inch wide from root to end.
2. Preheat a saute pan or large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter and let the butter melt.
3. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and sprinkle with a little salt. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook another 2 minutes to get some brown on the edges.
4. Lower the heat to medium low and add the remaining butter and the onions. Cook uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until the onions are floppy, translucent, and caramel colored. Add a little butter if the mixture starts looking dry.
5. Deglaze with about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water, scraping up any fond that has formed on the bottom of the pan. Add salt to taste and, if you like, a little sugar to bump up the sweetness.

Step two: the roasted red pepper aioli. Make this while the onions caramelize.

1. Finely mince the garlic cloves or smash them through a garlic press, then place them on a cutting board.
2. Add the kosher salt and smash it together with the garlic using the flat of a chef’s knife. Scoop it into a pile and smash again until it forms a relatively smooth paste.
3. Dice the roasted red pepper and place it in a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Squeeze out the excess liquid so the aioli does not turn out runny. You do not have to be gentle, since it gets pureed anyway.
4. Add the garlic paste, mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, roasted red peppers, and cayenne pepper to an immersion blender cup or the bowl of a mini food processor. Blend until smooth.

Step three: the steak and the rolls.

1. When the onions have about 15 minutes left, preheat your grill over high heat for about 10 minutes.
2. Brush both sides of the steak with a little olive oil, not too much or the grill will flare up, and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
3. Cut the ciabatta rolls in half and butter the insides.
4. Once the grill is hot, add the rolls butter side down on the grill warming rack. If you do not have a warming rack, turn one burner down to medium heat and place the rolls on that side. Cook about 3 minutes, until lightly toasted and golden brown.
5. Place the steaks on the grate over a hot burner. Cook about 30 to 45 seconds, flip, and cook another 30 to 45 seconds, then remove to a plate. Turn the grill down to medium low, but do not turn it off yet.
6. Let the steak rest for a couple of minutes. It does not need long because it is so thin. Slice across the grain with a sharp knife and toss the slices in any remaining juices.

Step four: assemble the sandwiches.

1. Spoon two tablespoons of aioli on each side of the roll. On the bottom half, pile on 1/4 of the steak slices and 1/4 of the caramelized onions and mushrooms. Add two slices of provolone, then put the bottom halves back on the grill for about 2 minutes, until the cheese is melted. You can turn the grill off now.
2. Add a handful of arugula on top of the melted cheese and place the other sauced half of the bun on top.
3. Cut the sandwiches in half if you like, and enjoy.

Tips & Tricks

These notes keep the recipe flexible, whether you are prepping ahead or working with what your kitchen already has.

Prep ahead. The caramelized onions and mushrooms and the red pepper aioli can both be made in advance, which makes quick work of the sandwich at mealtime. Make a big batch of onions and mushrooms and freeze the extra in ice cube tray portions.

Pop out a couple of cubes per sandwich, reheat, and you are set. The aioli is another good candidate for a day ahead, since it gets better overnight in the fridge.

No grill? Reach for cast iron. Toast the buns in batches in a cast iron skillet, set them aside, then cook the steak in the same pan. You lose the open flame but keep the crisp, buttery interior and the fast sear.

Two ways to melt the cheese. Place the assembled bottom halves on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for a couple of minutes.

Or make four piles of sliced steak, onions, and mushrooms in a heated cast iron skillet, cover each pile with cheese, put a lid on the pan until the cheese melts, and use a spatula to transfer each melty pile onto a sauced ciabatta roll base.

Other cuts that work. If thin cut ribeye is not available, a regular ribeye grilled to medium rare and sliced thin works well. Butcher’s steak, also known as hanger steak or skirt steak, is what the original restaurant sandwich used, and strip steak, sirloin steak, or the leftovers from a big ribeye the night before are all fair game.

Source nutrition, per sandwich. Values come from the original recipe card.

This is a big, rich sandwich, so plan accordingly and enjoy it.

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Grilled Ribeye Steak Sandwich

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Description

Grilled Ribeye Steak Sandwich Recipe with Caramelized Onions Some sandwiches earn a permanent spot in your rotation, and this grilled ribeye steak sandwich is one of them.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the caramelized onions and mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
8 oz. sliced mushrooms cremini or baby bella
2 yellow onions, medium
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, optional

For the roasted red pepper aioli
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole roasted red peppers
1 dash cayenne pepper, to taste

For the sandwich
4 ciabatta rolls
4 thin cut ribeye steaks, about 1.25–1.5 lbs total
Roasted red pepper aioli, make a double batch if using the linked recipe – ingredient quantities listed above are correct
Caramelized onions and mushrooms
Baby arugula

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Instructions

For the caramelized onions and mushrooms
1-Prepare onions: Prepare onions. Cut in half from root to end and peel off papery skin. Quarter and remove the core. Then slice in strips about 1/4″ wide from root to end.
2-Preheat a sauté pan or large skillet: Preheat a sauté pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter until the butter is melted.
3-Add mushrooms in a single layer and: Add mushrooms in a single layer and sprinkle with a little salt. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 2 minutes to get some brown on the edges of the mushrooms.
4-Lower the heat to medium low and: Lower the heat to medium low and add remaining butter and onions. Cook uncovered for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until onions are floppy, translucent, and caramel colored. Add a little butter if the mixture starts looking dry.
5-Deglaze with about 1/4 to 1/3 cup: Deglaze with about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water, scraping up any fond that has formed on the bottom of your pan. Add salt to taste and, if desired, a little sugar to bump up the sweetness a bit.

For the roasted red pepper aioli
6-While the onions are caramelizing, make the: While the onions are caramelizing, make the aioli. Finely mince garlic cloves or smash them through a garlic press. Place on a cutting board.
7-Add kosher salt and smash together with: Add kosher salt and smash together with the garlic with the flat of a chef’s knife, scoop it into a pile, and smash it again until it forms a relatively smooth paste.
8-Dice the roasted red pepper and place: Dice the roasted red pepper and place in a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Squeeze out any excess liquid (otherwise your aioli will be runny). You don’t have to be gentle with it, since you’ll be pureeing it anyway.
9-Add garlic paste, mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive: Add garlic paste, mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, roasted red peppers, and cayenne pepper to an immersion blender cup or the bowl of a mini food processor. Blend until smooth.

To cook the steak and rolls
10-When the onions have about 15 minutes: When the onions have about 15 minutes left to caramelize, preheat your grill over high heat for about 10 minutes.
11-Brush both sides of the steak with: Brush both sides of the steak with a little bit of olive oil (not too much or the grill will flare up), and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
12-Cut the ciabatta rolls in half and: Cut the ciabatta rolls in half and butter the insides.
13-When the grill is hot, add the: When the grill is hot, add the rolls butter side down on the grill warming rack (that little grate above the main grill). If you don’t have a warming rack, turn down one burner to medium heat and place the rolls on that side of the grill. Cook for about 3 minutes until lightly toasted and golden brown.
14-Place steaks on the grate over a: Place steaks on the grate over a hot burner. Cook for about 30-45 seconds, flip, and cook for another 30-45 seconds before removing to a plate. Turn the grill down to medium-low heat but don’t turn if off yet.
15-Let the steak rest for a couple: Let the steak rest for a couple minutes (it doesn’t need long because it’s so thin) before slicing across the grain with a sharp knife. Toss the steak slices in any remaining juices.

To assemble the sandwich
16-Spoon two tablespoons of aioli on each: Spoon two tablespoons of aioli on each side of the roll. On the bottom half of the roll, pile on 1/4 of the steak slices and 1/4 of the caramelized onions and mushrooms. Add two slices of provolone and then put the bottom halves of the sandwiches back on the grill for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. (You can turn off the grill now)
17-Add a handful of arugula on top: Add a handful of arugula on top of the melted cheese and place the other half of the bun (sauced) on top.
18-Cut sandwiches in half, if desired, and: Cut sandwiches in half, if desired, and enjoy the heck out of it!!

Notes

Preparation: 15 min. Cooking: 45 min. Allow time for every resting, cooling and chilling step in the instructions.

• Method: grill

Nutrition

• Calories: 1076kcal
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 1656mg
• Fat: 89g
• Saturated Fat: 24g
• Carbohydrates: 36g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 36g
• Cholesterol: 133mg

Keywords: Grilled Ribeye Steak Sandwich Recipe With Caramelized Onions