The best steak sandwich, that's a statement. But this sandwich really makes it! You grill the steak and cut it into thin slices, which gives it even more flavor. Topped with caramelized onions, arugula, and melted Parmesan cheese. Delicious with homemade fries as a quick meal or a delightful lunch. And you can put it on the table in just 20 minutes.

The Best Steak Sandwich
How do you recognize a good restaurant? On a well-fried steak. A piece of meat that, when correctly prepared, is irresistibly tasty. That tasty piece of steak doesn't need much. A good steak as a base.
If you can get tenderloin, that has to be the best cut of meat. And make sure you sear it quickly, so it retains all the juices and doesn't burn through. You want it raw medium or even done, but not dry. And if you're looking for a quick, tasty meal, this recipe is highly recommended.
Jump to:
Easy Dinner
Delicious with homemade fries, or for lunch: grilled steak with caramelized onion on a crispy bun. Ready quickly, a kind of fast-food recipe. Ideal for a busy day and still lovely and light. At the table in just 20 minutes.
And if you're looking for even more quick meals? Try this Spaghetti with broccoli, ground beef, and bacon, a stuffed omelet with chicken and vegetables, and Pilav with ground beef and peaches.
What do you need for a Steak Sandwich with Caramelized Onions?
To prepare this Steak Sandwich, you need the following ingredients. You can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog:

- Butter - To fry the onions so that they become soft and creamy.
- Balsamic vinegar - delicious balsamic vinegar that has been reduced to a syrup (or cream as the name says), making it velvety soft and fuller in taste.
- Steak - Preferably Tenderloin, it is beef's most delicate and beautiful part. Round steak is slightly less tender, and regular steak has the most structure and texture. The price is also increasing. The regular steak is the cheapest, and you will pay the most for the tenderloin. You can also use round steak or regular steak for this recipe.
- Arugula - Deliciously peppery, and it provides a bite. Arugula is a type of lettuce, and the disadvantage is that it withers quickly. That's why you only add the vegetables at the last minute. This keeps it wonderfully crunchy.
- Parmesan cheese - A delicious salty cheese from the Italian kitchen melts wonderfully with the heat of a hamburger. You can also use old cheese.
- Red onion - has a deep red, almost purple skin, slightly thinner than the skin of a regular onion. It is somewhat less sharp in taste and, therefore, delicious to eat raw in a salad.
- Salt and Pepper - For seasoning the steak. You don't need anything else.
- Sandwich buns - A crispy bun, like an Italian roll, hamburger bun or Ciabatta.
- Cherry tomatoes - buy the tastiest Cherry tomatoes you can get your hands on. They have a lot of taste.
How to prepare Steak Buns
You can find a printable recipe with a step-by-step description at the bottom of this blog.

- Melt the butter over low heat and add the onions. Next, add the vinegar and mix everything well. Let the onions caramelize for about 5 minutes.
- Season the steak with salt and pepper and grill for about 3 minutes on each side, so it is medium done. If you want different doneness, check out the substitutions and tips. Next, wrap the steak in aluminum foil and let it rest for 3 minutes. Then cut the steak into thin strips.
- Slice the bun in half. And top the bottom half with strips of steak and arugula.
- Add the caramelized onions, cherry tomatoes, and grated Parmesan. Serve right away.
This is delicious with homemade fries, a chicory salad with apples, or a strawberry salad with balsamic vinegar.
Tips and Variations
- Make sure you take the steak out of the fridge half an hour in advance. This way, it is at the right temperature, and the steak will be equally hot and cooked.
- Let the grill (pan) get very hot before you add the meat so that the steak does not stick to the pan.
- Steak doneness - Check the doneness of the steak using the following method:
- Raw - Open your palm and press the index finger of your other hand between the thumb and wrist area. This is how the meat should feel in the pan: soft, but not forming back completely.
- Medium Rare - Hold the tip of your thumb against your middle finger and feel the spot between the thumb and the wrist with your other hand (for medium, keep your thumb against your ring finger). It feels firmer and springs back. The steak in the pan should do this too.
- Well done - Hold the tip of your pinky finger against your thumb and feel between the thumb and wrist with your other hand. The meat is firm and hardly forms back.
- After grilling, let the meat rest in aluminum foil for 3 to 5 minutes. This redistributes the juices in the flesh and makes it more tender.
- Also tasty - Top with some truffle mayonnaise or sesame oil.
- Add some slices of grilled bell pepper. Sprinkle with finely chopped spring onions for even more flavor.

Did you make this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram. I enjoy seeing what your creation looks like. Video recipes can be found on my YouTube channel. And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest so you can easily find them next time!
Recipe
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Equipment
- frying pan
- Bbq or grill
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 red onion, sliced in rings
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 pieces Beef tenderloin steak
- 4 Sandwich buns
- 30 grams arugula
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can slect which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Melt the butter over low heat and add the onions. Pour in the vinegar and mix well.1 tablespoon butter, 1 red onion, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Let the onion rings caramelize for about 5 minutes.
- Preheat the grill pan so that it is hot.
- Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper to taste and grill the meat on both sides for about 3 minutes so that the beef is medium done.¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, 4 pieces Beef tenderloin steak
- Fold the steak in aluminum foil and let it rest for 3-4 minutes, so the juices are spread well within the meat.
- Meanwhile, cut the buns open.4 Sandwich buns
- Slice the steak into strips and divide it over the sandwiches.
- Put a handful of arugula on top.30 grams arugula
- Add the cherry tomatoes and caramelized onions.8 cherry tomatoes
- Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure you take the steak out of the fridge half an hour in advance. This way, it is at the right temperature, and the steak will be equally hot and cooked throughout.
- Let the grill (pan) get very hot before you add the meat so that the flesh does not stick to the pan.
- Steak doneness - Check the doneness of the steak using the following method:
- Raw - Open your palm and press the index finger of your other hand between the thumb and wrist area. This is how the meat should feel in the pan: soft, but not springing back completely.
- Medium Rare - Hold the tip of your thumb against your middle finger and feel the spot between the thumb and the wrist with your other hand (for medium, keep your thumb against your ring finger). It feels firmer and springs back. The steak in the pan should do this too.
- Well done - Hold the tip of your pinky finger against your thumb and feel between the thumb and wrist with your other hand. The meat is firm and hardly forms back
- After grilling, let the meat rest in aluminum foil for 3 to 5 minutes. This redistributes the juices in the flesh and makes it more tender.
- Top with some truffle mayonnaise or sesame oil.
- Add some slices of grilled bell pepper. Sprinkle with finely chopped spring onions for even more flavor.
You cannot store the steak sandwich. Make as many sandwiches as you can eat. 6. The nutritional value is per steak sandwich, including topping.
Leave a Reply