Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipe Philly “Cheesesteak”

Recipe courtesy of Aaya's Table, PPMNY Collaborator

The Philly Cheesesteak is a beloved American classic. It’s also not what we think of when we think of whole, plant-based foods. There are a number of wonderful vegan interpretations of the sandwich throughout Philadelphia these days, but they tend to favor seitan or other meat substitutes and of course, a heavy dose of oil and salt. With a little tweaking and experimenting, we’ve put together a fully WFPB version that feels too indulgent to be allowed. But it is. So grab some napkins and enjoy!

Ingredients

  • Whole wheat rolls

  • 2 onions
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 russet potato
  • 8-10 oz baby bella mushrooms
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • Vegan worcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp miso paste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2½ cup water

Instructions

For the filling

1. Water sauté one of the onions and the green pepper together, sliced. Remove from heat when tender — 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Add 8-10 ounces of mushrooms (baby Bella) to pan on a medium heat.
3. Add the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes.
4. Add the onions and peppers back to the pan along with soy sauce and vegan Worcestershire sauce.
5. Cook another 5 minutes until excess moisture has cooked off. Set aside for assembly.

For the not-cheese wiz sauce

1. Soak the raw cashews in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain afterwards.
2. Meanwhile, add the russet potato, the other yellow onion, and carrot to a pot, all cut into small pieces. Also add the minced garlic, 2 cups of water, and turmeric.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for twenty minutes, covered.
4. Transfer everything from the pot to a blender. Add the cashews plus ½ cup water, nutritional yeast, miso paste, Dijon mustard, and salt. Blend until smooth. Add more water for desired consistency.

Assembling

1. Fill the whole wheat roll with mushroom mix.
2. Top with wiz sauce.