Vegan Philly CheeseSteak
Questa ricetta è disponibile anche in italiano
This amazing vegan Philly cheesesteak recipe will satisfy even the most profound of cravings – ideal for vegans new and old!
The Philly cheesesteak sandwich has been a huge part of the American pop culture exports that have been popular across the world for what feels like forever. For me, and many other people out there, I remember hearing about them for the first time in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – immediately I wanted one.
All these years later, I’ve come up with a great recipe for a vegan Philly cheesesteak, and, dare I say, the fresh prince would be proud.
I absolutely adore how the mushrooms in this recipe make an amazing stand-in for the steak part of the sandwich. The flavor is spot-on, especially after they’ve been marinated overnight. Plus, they’re the exact right size for the pieces of steak I always pictured!
If you’re a little less bothered about making a sandwich that looks correct, you could try another mushroom to get a fairly meaty texture – for example, chicken-of-the-woods, or king oyster mushrooms. These options might be a little more expensive, but the texture is worth it!
How To Make Vegan Philly Cheesesteak
This amazing recipe boasts some amazing ingredients, so let’s start by taking our time together all the bits and pieces that you’ll be needing – from ingredients to cloths and knives.
Then, start by cleaning the mushrooms with a damp cloth, and then cutting them into slices that are roughly a centimeter thick.
Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk them together briefly. Pour this mixture over the mushrooms, and then allow them to marinate for a minimum of thirty minutes, though overnight would be best.
Next, slice the bell peppers and the onions, and then stir fry them before wiping the pan out with some kitchen paper. In that same pan, fry the marinated mushrooms with all of the marinades until they’re brown and crispy – this should take five to ten minutes. Don’t rush this process, your patience will pay off with some beautifully crispy mushrooms.
Next, we need to make the sauce. Weigh out the dry ingredients in a pan or a pot. Carefully add in the miso paste, followed by the oil and soy milk. Stir the mixture well until it is properly combined and lump-free. Bring that mixture to a boil on medium-low heat, and then allow it to thicken for two to three minutes whilst stirring.
Then, cut the bread, and toast it gently on a hot pan or grill. The goal is to give the bread texture without creating a solid surface – allowing a small amount of the juices from your sandwich into the bread will be a taste sensation!
Finally, assemble the vegan Philly ‘cheesesteak’ – place the cooked mushrooms on the bottom of the sandwich, followed by some of the sautéed veggies. Finally, finish the sandwich with the vegan cheese sauce – we won’t tell anyone if you deliberately put a bit too much on…
If you’d like, you could coat the bread with a thin layer of vegan mayo, or vegan butter. Both of these would do a great job of moistening the bread, but the sandwich doesn’t need it, truthfully.
Once you’ve assembled and plated the sandwich, enjoy it with fries, pickled cabbage or onions, and a side salad. In true American deli fashion, it’s worth truly going for it with the sides. I recommend a good old classic Coleslaw (here you can find a lighter version).
Vegan Philly “Cheesesteak” Recipe
Ingredients:
…for the steak…
2 big Portobello Mushrooms
125 g Shiitake (fresh)
1 ½ tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
½ tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp Liquid Smoke
1 tsp Vegan Steak Seasoning*
…for the cheese sauce…
250 g Plant Milk (Soy)
30 g Tapioca Starch
½ tbsp Vegetable Oil
½ tsp Nutritional Yeast
½ tsp Miso Paste (white)
¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
1/8 tsp Chipotle Powder (or ½ tsp Chipotle Sauce)
…for the veggies…
1 Bell Pepper (1/2 red, ½ green, or green)
1 Onion
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt
Pepper
…extras…
Baguette or Panini
*for the vegan steak seasoning blend: 2 tbsp Garlic Granules/Powder, 2 tbsp Black Pepper, 2 tbsp Salt, 1 tbsp Paprika, ½ tbsp Onion Granules/Powder, 1 tsp dried sage, 1 tsp dried parsley, ½ tsp Sea Salt. Use 1 tsp of the mix and store the rest for other recipes.
Method:
1. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth and cut into slices.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl (vinegar, maple syrup, liquid smoke and spice mix), pour over the mushrooms and allow to marinate for a min of 30 minutes (best overnight).
3. Slice the bell peppers (I used both red and green for extra sweetness, but you can use only green if you like) and the onions, then stir fry or cook on medium high temperature until soft and slightly charred (5-6 minutes). Set aside and wipe the pan or wok with some kitchen paper.
4. In the same pan fry the marinated mushrooms with all their marinade liquid until brown and crispy (5-10 minutes).
5. For the sauce: weight the dry ingredients in a pan or pot. Carefully add the miso paste, followed by the oil, then the liquid (soy milk) and stir well until well combined and lump free.
6. Bring the sauce to a boil on medium low heat and allow it to thicken for 2-3 minutes whilst stirring.
7. Cut the bread and toast slightly on a hot pan or grill.
8. Assemble the vegan Philly “cheesesteak” by placing a layer of cooked mushrooms on the bottom, followed by the sautéed veggies and finally the vegan cheese sauce. You can also coat the bread with a thin layer of vegan mayo if you like.
9. Enjoy straight away with fries, pickled cabbage or onions, or a side salad.
Looking for inspiration to serve this dish with? You might find interesting the followings:
– Chickpea and Black Bean Salad
– Italian Style Potato Salad
– Light Coleslaw Salad
– Vegan Russian Salad
– Rich and Refreshing Quinoa Salad
– Borlotti and Sundried Tomato Salad
– One Pot Quinoa & Lentil Rainbow Bowl
4 comments
Honestly, the mushrooms are amazing. This is a quick delicious meal. BUT the cheese sauce is so lightly flavored that the mushrooms over power it and your can’t taste it at all. I would suggest just skipping the cheese sauce.
I’m so pleased about your feedback Cliff. Glad you enjoyed it ☺️
I made this recipe today. I thought it was very good! Thank you!
I’m happy to hear that Sharon. You’re more then welcome!