ramyaramesh3007This classic sandwich with ‘beef’, bell peppers and cheese originating in Philadelphia now has a delicious vegan version that you won’t be able to get enough of!
This delectable sandwich was said to be created by Pat and Henry Olivieri, who owned a hot dog stand in Philadelphia but one day, was sick of having hot dogs. He apparently then created the sandwich with beef and onions. The original version didn’t have cheese but was adapted by many other restaurant owners as time went by.
And…obviously the original version wasn’t vegan but in this day and age where we know we take a stand against animal abuse in factory farming – we can attempt to veganize our favourite foods to get that same taste and texture. I personally love mushrooms so we’ll substituting the ‘grilled beef’ with mushrooms instead!
What Do I Need?
My recipes are also inclusive towards those who cannot tolerate raw garlic, onion or alliums but feel free to add some chopped white onions if you’d like!
But other than that, here’s what you would need for this recipe:
- oyster mushrooms – my favourite kind of mushrooms. They are optimal for shredding!
- marinade for mushrooms – smoked paprika, soy sauces and regular condiments
- melty cheese sauce – plant milk, white beans, spices and potato starch (for that stretchiness)
- hoagie rolls – these are used for the traditional version but I couldn’t find them so I got a small regular crusted loaf.
- green bell peppers – can add onions too if you’d like!
- sauces – vegan mayo, hot sauce
Vegan Philly Cheesesteak
Ingredients
Vegan 'Steak' Filling
- 1.5 cups shredded oyster mushrooms
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- splash of water
Melty Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup oat milk (or any other plant milk)
- 2 tbsp potato starch
- 1/2 cup white beans
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
Sandwich
- 2 hoagie rolls (or italian crusted bread)
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2-3 tbsp vegan butter
- hot sauce
- vegan mayo
Instructions
- Shred your oyster mushrooms. Mix the marinade for the oyster mushrooms and whisk them until combined.
- Add your mushroom to a pan and fry them until they've released excess water and it's almost going to dry off. Add your sauce and give it a good mix.
- At this step, I like to taste and see if the oyster mushrooms need more salt. I like to add more dark soy sauce instead of salt for a smokier colour and look.
- In a blender, combine your ingredients for your vegan cheese sauce. You can substitute potato starch with tapioca starch or cornstarch*
- Blend until smooth. Add to pan and whisk until the sauce becomes thick / stretchy.
- Saute some green bell peppers and onions separately on the side.
- Slice your bread rolls into half (but not completely) and slather them with vegan butter. Place them face down on the pan and toast until crispy.
- Layer your bread with vegan mayo, hot sauce, oyster mushroom pieces, green bell peppers/onions and lastly a heaping spoon of cheese sauce.
- Serve as it is or you can also slice it into half! Enjoy!