How to make a vegetarian philly cheesesteak

Here’s how to make a vegan Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, inspired by the legendary American sandwich! It’s just as delicious as the authentic recipe, but healthier!

Philadelphia cheesesteak sandwich (Philly cheesesteak) is a legendary part of the American cuisine. It is not only available, as the name may suggest, in Philadelphia, but its popularity made it spread widely with numerous variations specific to different regions.

This amazing and 100% American sandwich goes under many names – Philly cheese steak, cheesesteak sandwich, steak and cheese, or simply cheesesteak. Regardless of what you may call it, the general recipe stays the same: thinly sliced pieces of beef steak, onions and melted cheese, all wrapped in a long sandwich bread called a “hoagie roll”. Nowadays you can get a good Philly cheesesteak from almost any fast food chains or street vendors across the States.

Unlike some other American dishes, the origin of the cheesesteak is quite clear: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! Pat and Harry Olivieri, who owned of a hot dog stand, one day made a new sandwich putting chopped beef in a roll. A cab driver stopped by and asked for one. After tasting the new, amazing sandwich, he suggested they stop selling hot dogs and focus on the new invention from now on. After the first bite, the sandwich’s popularity skyrocketed – from selling it at the hot dog stand, Pat opened up his own restaurant which is still functional nowadays, named “Pat’s King of Steaks”. The cheese was only later added to the mix, transforming the Philly Cheesesteak into a real delicacy and a staple of the American cuisine.

While cheesesteak lovers might argue over its content – the way the meat is cooked or which cheese to add – everybody seems to agree that the sandwich has to be served in a local Amoroso roll, a regional favorite.

The cheese could be replaced with Provolone which melts beautifully, but the original recipe from Pat Olivieri was made with a processed cheese spread called “Cheez Whiz”, highly appreciated for its comforting taste. The New York Times newspaper even called Cheez Whiz “the sine qua non of cheesesteak connoisseurs” in 1986, so you can understand that the authentic recipe for the perfect Philly cheesesteak is no joke.

Some popular variations of this sandwich include pizza cheesesteaks, meaning cheesesteaks with mozzarella and tomato sauce added, sometimes toasted to add the fail-proof pizza flavor, and a chicken cheesesteak (or chicken Philly) where the beef is replaced with chicken. A cheesesteak hoagie is just about the healthiest option out there with added lettuce and tomato.

Of course, there are many other variations of the Philly cheesesteak, including a vegan one, but any true American would turn their nose at something that is so far from the frankly unhealthy, shameless original recipe. Americans say that the whole point of the Philadelphia cheesesteak is to be as unhealthy as possible – they claim that while you could replace the fat, stringy beef preferred for the sandwich with some finest quality beef, and the heavily processed Cheez Wiz cheese sauce or the packaged rolls with fresh bakery baguettes, the resulting dish would simply no longer be a Philly cheese steak. If you’re not making it as the original, authentic recipe says, all essence is lost.

However, you do not have to give up your beliefs if you really want to try it. Even though the majority of Americans will disagree with me, I am taking my chances and I’m showing you today how to make the vegan version of the amazing Philly cheesesteak. For my all-healthy, guilt-free sandwich I used my favorite meat replacement in the entire world: Oyster mushrooms, of course!

Home » Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

This vegan Philly cheesesteak sandwich recipe uses 10 simple ingredients to get the “Philly cheese steak” taste and is served on a roll of your choice with extra cheese!

I’m so excited to finally share with you how to make the best vegan & vegetarian Philly Cheesesteak using mushrooms! Mushrooms are such an incredible and healthy meat substitute.

On my recipe website, I’ve shown you many vegan versions of classic comfort foods. Today’s recipe is no different. Savoury, meaty, seared mushrooms, gooey melted cheese, sauteed peppers and mushrooms, all stuffed into a soft and fluffy bread roll.

I know the word “cheesesteak” sounds like it couldn’t be more anti-vegan but I’m here to make a vegan version (which is more healthier and easy to make at home) of the famous Philly cheesesteak with my own personal spin. This recipe is a Vegan Philly cheesesteak based on the classic American sandwich that is filling, gooey and delicious, but without meat for vegans and vegetarians.

Mushrooms substituted for meat?? That’s right! I’ll be showing you a simple method to draw moisture out of the mushrooms to sear them and show you how to get a meaty texture and flavour.

Mushroom Philly Cheesesteak

VEGAN | DAIRY-FREE | NUT-FREE

Today I’m sharing an easy vegan mushroom cheesesteak sandwich recipe with you. This recipe uses simple ingredients that create a savoury, full of flavour Philly sandwich. It is a simple way to veganize a classic comfort food.

When you’re craving a Philly Cheesesteak and you’re a vegan, don’t despair, we’ve got you covered. Our vegan version of this sandwich is so meaty and full of melty cheese and flavor, once again proving, you don’t need meat to eat your old favorites, you just have to be creative.

When we started Veganosity, five years ago, all we wanted to do was recreate our old favorites.

This oldie but goodie, was really an OLD favorite, because I hadn’t eaten cow in over three decades. And Alex never has, so she had nothing to compare this vegan Philly cheesesteak to.

But you know what? Even though I hadn’t had one of these steak and cheese sandwiches in decades, I still recalled the flavors and textures of this delicious sandwich.

WHAT IS A PHILLY CHEESESTEAK?

In case you’re like Alex, and have never had one, let me walk you through it.

An authentic Philly Cheesesteak is thinly sliced beef with thinly sliced sauteed onions, peppers, and mushrooms, topped with melted cheese, all stuffed into a long hoagie roll.

The sandwich originated (so they say) in Philadelphia, PA, hence the name.

HOW DO YOU MAKE A VEGAN PHILLY CHEESESTEAK?

It took us a while to narrow down the meat substitute for this sandwich. We wanted something that would soak up the flavor of the no-beef broth and have the chewy texture of steak.

What did we finally declare the winner of this great sandwich? Soy Curls !!

If you’ve never eaten or cooked with soy curls, let us introduce you to this genius product.

Soy curls are made from whole soy beans that are dehydrated. We buy Butler Soy Curls because they’re non-GMO. Click HERE to buy.

When you soak them in a marinade or broth, they drink up the flavor and re-hydrate to a chewy and firm texture. This is why we chose to use them for this recipe redo.

To make this delicious vegan steak & cheese sandwich, here’s what you’ll need to do.

STEP ONE

1. Marinate the soy curls in vegan Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, no beef bouillon broth, water, and soy sauce until they’re rehydrated, approximately 30 minutes.

STEP TWO

2. While the soy curls are soaking up the broth, make the cheese sauce . and start sauteing the onions, peppers, and mushrooms.

STEP THREE

3. Drain the excess liquid from the soy curls and cook them in a hot pan for approximately 10 minutes, or until they begin to get slightly crispy on the edges.

STEP FOUR

4. Start building the sandwiches. Start by toasting the bread then add the soy curls. Next add the onion and pepper mixture and the mushrooms.

STEP FIVE

Now smother the whole thing with as much cheese sauce as you want.

We go one step further when we make our sandwiches and grill or toast the rolls with a little bit of olive oil. This adds so much flavor and extra crunch.

THE PERFECT GAME DAY SANDWICH

If you’re looking for something to serve for game day, this is it. Place the onions and peppers, mushrooms, soy curls, and cheese sauce in individual bowls and let your guests build their own.

WHERE TO BUY SOY CURLS

We like Butler Soy Curls and we order them from Amazon. Click the link to order. Butler Soy Curls, 8 oz. Bags (Pack of 3)

Make this and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.

Let’s connect! Hop on over to our Facebook page and give it a like, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter , and follow us and share this and other Veganosity recipes on Pinterest . We’d be so grateful if you did. If you like this recipe and can’t wait to see what we’re going to share next, subscribe to Veganosity . Just fill in the subscription box above our picture in the top right corner of the page. And, Alex and I love hearing from you, please leave a comment and let us know what you think of our recipes.

Meaty portobello mushrooms star alongside sauteed onions and peppers topped with provolone cheese then stuffed into toasted garlic bread rolls in this tasty veggie version of a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich.

Veggie Philly cheesesteak sandwiches: a vegetarian sandwich for mushroom lovers.

Portobello Mushrooms make an excellent swap for meat in this vegetarian sandwich, and it could easily be made vegan by substituting the provolone cheese and butter for your favourite vegan alternative.

Pan seared portobello mushrooms, slow cooked caramelized onions, crisp and sweet peppers, and a healthy dose of Provolone cheese give this sandwich a wonderful depth of flavour.

For more cheesy vegetarian sandwich inspo check out our halloumi sandwich and roasted vegetable sandwich!

How to make a veggie Philly cheesesteak

First, you are going to want to start by carmelizing the onions.

Heat a large skillet to medium low heat and add some butter to it before adding in the sliced onions. Pro tip here: the thinner you slice the onions the quicker it is to get that sweet caramelized flavour out of the onions. Sprinkling a pinch of fine sea salt on the onions will not only season them but help them to release their moisture which in turn cooks them faster.

It should take about 20 minutes, but you will know that the onions are ready when they reach a nice deep golden colour.

Once your onions are ready, remove them from the pan and add the cooking oil and the sliced portobellos along with a pinch of fine sea salt. Again the sea salt here is to season, but also reduce the moisture. You want a nice meaty texture to the portobellos along with a bit of golden caramelization for flavour and the removal of moisture is key to both of those.

When the mushrooms have browned and reduced, add the sliced peppers and the caramelized onions to the skillet along with the tamari and cook until the peppers have heated through but still have a bit of a crunch to them – about 2-3 minutes.

To toast the bread and put together the sandwiches, heat your oven to 400℉.

Mix together the 1.5 tbsp of butter with the 2 cloves of garlic and spread on both sides of the interior of the roll. Toast the bread for 3-5 minutes, or until the butter melts and the bread begins to crisp before removing it from the oven.

Spread out the mushroom and veggie mixture on the bottom half of the bread and top with the provolone cheese slices.

Put the sandwich back into the oven until the cheese melts. Remove from the oven and serve.

Tips and Tricks

• thinly slice the onions so that they will caramelize faster
• the gills of the mushrooms can give everything a brown colour. Remove before cooking (like I did) If you don’t want that
• the larger the skillet, the more surface area there is for cooking the mushrooms and giving them their best flavour. Use the biggest one you can find!

DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS

This recipe for easy bean salad is suitable for the following diets:

• vegetarian
• vegan (swap out the butter and cheese for vegan alternatives)
• drop the bread and try the mushroom filling on a lettuce wrap for a low carb and keto friendly meal

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More comforting vegetarian favourites you will love:

If you like this veggie Philly cheesesteak recipe, you might want to check out some of our other vegetarian recipes:

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This vegetarian Philly Cheesesteak transforms oyster mushrooms into the perfect substitute for beef! With sautéed peppers and onions and loads of melted cheese, this is the best meatless cheesesteak.

Next up in our quest to prove that oyster mushrooms will save the world, one meatless main course at a time…Oyster Mushroom Philly Cheesesteaks!

Oyster mushrooms are wondrous little beasts and have a solid place as my favorite mushroom (is it normal to have a favorite mushroom? hello, adulthood). They can be transformed into Buttermilk Fried “Chicken” and BBQ Pulled “Pork” and now into vegetarian cheesesteak!

Ingredients for vegetarian Philly Cheesesteak

• Peppers and Onion: We’ll saute sliced green peppers and onion until soft and fragrant. No cheesesteak is complete without them!
• King Oyster Mushrooms: By shredding king oyster mushrooms roughly with a fork, you get thin, meaty pieces of mushroom perfect for replacing beefsteak. You can substitute regular oyster mushrooms if you’re having trouble finding king oysters.
• Cheesesteak Seasonings: Cook the mushrooms in smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and vegan Worcestershire sauce to recreate that savory delicious taste.
• Cheese: It’s not a cheesesteak without a few slices of provolone or American cheese!

First up, the peppers and onions! Saute sliced green bell pepper and white onion until they’re soft and fragrant, then remove them from the pan so we can work on the main component, the mushrooms!

To make this vegetarian cheesesteak, you’ll need to get yourself some king oyster mushrooms. (Find them in most health food or Asian grocery stores.) Then simply shred them into large chunks using forks to tear the thick white stalks.

Combine the shredded mushrooms with your cheesesteak seasonings. As we’re not using any real beefsteak here, we’ll need to flavor the mushrooms quite a bit to bring that distinct cheesesteak flavor.

Mix the peppers and onion back in with the mushrooms, divide into 2 or 3 mounds, and top with cheese. Cover and let the cheese melt, then transfer your mushroom cheesesteaks to buns!

Make this cheesesteak vegan

You can make this mushroom cheesesteak vegan but substituting the cheese for a cashew-based vegan cheese. I make mine (usually for nachos) by blending up soaked cashews, carrot, nutritional yeast, garlic, and spices. Recipe for vegan cheese here (omit the jalapeno if you’re making it for this cheesesteak).

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Join the #SundaySupper tastemakers today as we get ready to celebrate Father’s Day with Dad’s Favorite Recipes! Thanks to Sarah of The Chef Next Door for hosting!

This is not a Philly Cheesesteak. This is not a sandwich made with a good Philadelphia or Atlantic City Italian roll and filled with perfectly chopped beef, crispy grilled onions, and ooey gooey cheese melting all over the place. This is my version, inspired by Dad’s favorite thing in the entire world. Yep, you guessed it — the Philly Cheesesteak. You could take my dad, who was born and raised in South Philadelphia, to any restaurant, anywhere, and if there’s a cheesesteak on the menu, he has to have it. I’ll never forget when we went on a family vacation to Key West, where seafood is the obvious choice when out to eat, and he ordered a cheesesteak. Yes, it was on the menu, but come on — live a little!

It’s okay, Dad, I’ll forgive you. Although I’m not sure you’ll forgive me for totally butchering your Philly Cheesesteak and turning it into a healthier, vegetarian sandwich.

Let’s start with the bread I used. Unfortunately, I don’t live in the Atlantic City area anymore, so finding a good Italian roll is not the easiest feat. I know there are certain go-to brands for Philly Cheesesteaks, such as Amoroso’s, so if you really want to make your own Philly Cheesesteak (or even take my vegetarian version but use the correct bread), make sure you’re using an authentic Italian roll from Philly or Atlantic City. I, on the other hand, used a whole grain baguette from Trader Joe’s, sliced in half. Because I’m a rebel and I’m not following the Philly Cheesesteak rules! Take that! (Ugh, sorry, Dad.)

Obviously we’re not going to be cooking up any steak for this Vegetarian Philly Cheesesteak. Sliced Portobello mushrooms to the rescue! I caramelized my onions instead of grilling them, because well, caramelized onions hold a very special place in my heart, just like my Dad does. He likes swiss cheese on his Philly Cheesesteaks, but said provolone or mozzarella are also good choices. I’m a mozzarella girl, so I used that. Dad also puts lettuce and tomato on his, so I sliced up a tomato and then I used…kale. Yes, I just keep ruining everything, don’t I?!

Philly Cheesesteak purists are ready to tear their hair out, but I bet any vegetarians are right there with me! Sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, mozzarella cheese, juicy tomatoes and Tuscan kale all piled high on a whole wheat baguette — sounds delicious to me!

Dad, I hope you still love me. (As a side note, his response to this post was a big fat “UGH!”)

• Total: 30 mins
• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 20 mins
• Yield: 1 sandwich (1 serving)

Trying to be healthy but craving a delicious healthy cheesesteak? Say no more! This health’d up version is made with a hollowed out french bread, pan-fried tempeh, sautéed peppers, onions, shallots, and mushrooms and slathered with reduced calorie cheese and umami-packed steak sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil (separated)
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp. shallots (sliced)
• 2 tbsp. chopped mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. Vidalia onion (roughly chopped)
• 2 tbsp. assorted bell peppers (roughly chopped)
• 6 1/4 inch slices of tempeh
• 1 tsp. steak seasoning
• 1 tbsp. reduced-fat shredded provolone
• 1/2 tbsp. Steak Sauce
• 1 5-inch french baguette (hallowed out)

Steps to Make It

Begin by adding 1 tbsp. of olive oil into a shallow fry pan. Turn the heat to medium and once the oil heats up add the red pepper flakes and stir.

Add in the shallots and cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften then add the mushrooms, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, and cook for a few minutes until browned. Remove from the pan, leaving the oil in the pan.

Add the onion, another pinch of salt, and cook for a few minutes more. Add the chopped bell peppers and cook until the entire mix has softened up. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside – leaving the excess oil in the pan.

Still over medium heat, add another tbsp. of olive oil and stir, scraping up the bits of peppers, onions, and shallots. Add the tempeh and season with the steak seasoning.

Pan fry for a few minutes on each side until the tempeh has crisped up and is golden.

Slice the french baguette in half and scrape out the interior bread if you’re trying to be more healthy. Evenly distribute the reduced-fat provolone onto each side of the baguette and place in the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese begins to melt. Add the tempeh, the cooked onions, peppers, mushrooms and shallots and top with a smear of steak sauce. Serve immediately.

Pile steak, onion, peppers, cheese, ketchup and mustard into rolls to make these American-style Philly cheesesteaks. Just the food for a movie night in

Nutrition and extra info

Nutrition: Per serving

• kcal 475
• fat 25g
• saturates 11g
• carbs 29g
• sugars 8g
• fibre 4g
• protein 31g
• salt 1.7g

Ingredients

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Steak

Steak is essentially a boneless thick or thin slice of red meat, cut across the grain of a large…

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is made from pressing sunflower seeds and extracting the oil. It’s usually…

Onion

Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…

Pepper

Also known as capsicums, bell peppers, sweet peppers or by their colours, for example red and…

Pepper

Also known as capsicums, bell peppers, sweet peppers or by their colours, for example red and…

Mustard

A condiment made by mixing the ground seeds of the mustard plant with a combination of…

Method

Trim away and discard the long piece of fat running down the side of the steaks. Cut each steak in half and put on a baking tray, then transfer to the freezer and freeze for 40 mins.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan or casserole dish set over a medium heat. Add the onion and peppers along with a good pinch of salt and fry for 20 mins, or until the onions are golden and sticky. Add the vinegar and cook for a further 5 mins. Season to taste.

Using a sharp knife, slice the steak as thinly as possible and pile the slices into four portions. Heat a skillet over a high heat until almost smoking. Put one portion of the steak slices in the pan in a pile that’s roughly the length of your rolls. Fry for 3 mins over a high heat until some of the steak is cooked through, with pink bits remaining. Pile a quarter of the onion mixture on top, as well as a quarter each of the cheese slices and the mozzarella. Continue to cook undisturbed over a medium heat for 5-10 mins until the meat is brown and crisp around the edge and the cheeses have melted. Split one of the rolls open and carefully scoop the meat and cheese mixture into it. Repeat with the remaining meat, onions, cheese and rolls.

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Join the #SundaySupper tastemakers today as we get ready to celebrate Father’s Day with Dad’s Favorite Recipes! Thanks to Sarah of The Chef Next Door for hosting!

This is not a Philly Cheesesteak. This is not a sandwich made with a good Philadelphia or Atlantic City Italian roll and filled with perfectly chopped beef, crispy grilled onions, and ooey gooey cheese melting all over the place. This is my version, inspired by Dad’s favorite thing in the entire world. Yep, you guessed it — the Philly Cheesesteak. You could take my dad, who was born and raised in South Philadelphia, to any restaurant, anywhere, and if there’s a cheesesteak on the menu, he has to have it. I’ll never forget when we went on a family vacation to Key West, where seafood is the obvious choice when out to eat, and he ordered a cheesesteak. Yes, it was on the menu, but come on — live a little!

It’s okay, Dad, I’ll forgive you. Although I’m not sure you’ll forgive me for totally butchering your Philly Cheesesteak and turning it into a healthier, vegetarian sandwich.

Let’s start with the bread I used. Unfortunately, I don’t live in the Atlantic City area anymore, so finding a good Italian roll is not the easiest feat. I know there are certain go-to brands for Philly Cheesesteaks, such as Amoroso’s, so if you really want to make your own Philly Cheesesteak (or even take my vegetarian version but use the correct bread), make sure you’re using an authentic Italian roll from Philly or Atlantic City. I, on the other hand, used a whole grain baguette from Trader Joe’s, sliced in half. Because I’m a rebel and I’m not following the Philly Cheesesteak rules! Take that! (Ugh, sorry, Dad.)

Obviously we’re not going to be cooking up any steak for this Vegetarian Philly Cheesesteak. Sliced Portobello mushrooms to the rescue! I caramelized my onions instead of grilling them, because well, caramelized onions hold a very special place in my heart, just like my Dad does. He likes swiss cheese on his Philly Cheesesteaks, but said provolone or mozzarella are also good choices. I’m a mozzarella girl, so I used that. Dad also puts lettuce and tomato on his, so I sliced up a tomato and then I used…kale. Yes, I just keep ruining everything, don’t I?!

Philly Cheesesteak purists are ready to tear their hair out, but I bet any vegetarians are right there with me! Sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, mozzarella cheese, juicy tomatoes and Tuscan kale all piled high on a whole wheat baguette — sounds delicious to me!

Dad, I hope you still love me. (As a side note, his response to this post was a big fat “UGH!”)

Jul 5, 2012 | Updated Jul 20, 2019 | 31

This best Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Recipe features layers of marinated tofu steaks topped with grilled veggies and melted vegan cheese all on a hoagie roll. Vegetarian Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches are loaded with flavor and melted veggie cheese!

My friend Julie of the Little Kitchen shared a recipe that inspired me create a vegan version of the Philly Cheesesteak. I don’t know if I would have thought to make a Vegan Philly Cheesesteak on my own, but that’s what friends are for. Right?

How to Make Vegan Cheesesteak

This recipe for vegetarian cheesesteak begins with tofu. but not just any tofu: Slow-Baked Tofu with all the right spices. That combined with an Avocado Aioli, sautéed veggies, and vegan cheese on a crusty hoagie loaf.

Step One: Marinate the Tofu

To make this vegetarian Philly cheesesteak recipe, first, press the extra firm tofu to remove excess liquid. Then cut the tofu into thin strips. Set aside.

Prepare the marinade by combining these ingredients in a food processor: green onion, tamari (or soy sauce), agave nectar, oil, garlic powder, and vinegar. Pulse until combined and the green onion is broken down into bits.

Pour a little bit of the marinade into the bottom of a long, flat baking dish. Add strips of tofu. Then top with more marinade and more tofu. Continue adding tofu and marinade until it’s all in the dish. Tilt the dish back and forth so the tofu is covered in marinade.

Be sure to use a spatula to get all the marinade out of the food processor bowl!

Place the baking dish in the oven heated at 200F and bake for 1 1/2 hours. I know, that’s a long time, but the slow baked process creates the best tofu steaks!

Step Two: Make Sautéed Veggies

The next step is to sauté the veggies. Place chopped veggies in a skillet with some oil over medium heat. Cook until the veggies are tender and caramelized on the edges. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towels. Set aside.

Step Three: Brown the Marinated Tofu

In the same skillet used for the veggies, add some more oil and begin cooking the marinated baked tofu strips. Cook the strips over medium heat until the edges become caramelized and browned. Continue cooking in batches and transfer finished tofu steaks to a plate lined with paper towels.

Step Four: Bake the Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Turn the heat up in the oven to 300F. Tear off four sheets of foil, large enough to hold your veggie cheesesteak sandwiches.

Get out the hoagie buns and spread some vegan mayo on each cut side of the buns. Fill each bun with slices of the Philadelphia vegan cheesesteak, sautéed veggies, and vegan cheese. Close the buns and wrap in foil. Bake the sandwiches for 10 – 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Finally, use tongs or oven mitts to remove the cheesesteak sandwiches from the oven. Allow them to sit for 10 minutes to cool before serving.

Granted, this vegan Philly cheese steak recipe is not your run-of-the-mill, every day kind of meal. Although you could if you wanted to. It takes a little time in preparing them, but they are well worth the effort.

You know, I’m a big believer in the notion that the best things in life require a little work. That’s why I wouldn’t make this sandwich every day, but it makes a great Friday night date night meal.

Expert Tips for Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

Use these tips and tricks to make these Vegan Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches perfect every time:

• You can find vegan hoagie buns pretty easy these days, just look on the ingredients to make sure they’re made without eggs or dairy
• Make the tofu steak strips ahead of time — just store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days
• Obviously, this is a tofu cheese steak recipe. However, for my Vegan French Dip Sandwich I used Gardein Beefless Tips and they could work for this recipe if you want to skip making the tofu steak strips. Simply marinade the beefless tips and cook them in a skillet in the marinade, and use a spatula to break it up into smaller pieces.
• You can use gluten-free hoagie buns to make this a vegan gluten-free cheesesteak sandwich recipe
• Change up the vegetables to suit your personal preferences.

Knowing this was all about to come down and that we would all soon be heading in different directions, I decided to make these Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches. A sort of coming together of the family before the craziness.

Love Vegan Sandwiches?

If you love vegan sandwiches, be sure to check these out:

• This Vegan Chopped Cheese Sandwich is so easy, it’s a favorite go-to recipe
• Can you believe this Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich is low carb and doesn’t have eggs in it?
• These Vegan Lentil Burgers are the best!
• Make a double batch of Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers for meal prepping recipes!

Also, this Vegan Potato Salad or this Vegan Broccoli Salad is perfect to serve on the side with your favorite sandwiches!

I hope you love this recipe as we do! Have you tried it? Be sure and leave a comment and a rating of this recipe below and then take a quick photo and share it with me using #namelymarly on Instagram. I love seeing your creations!

A vegetarian cheesesteak!? I know, it sounds funny. How can it be vegetarian if there is still ‘steak’ in its name? Linguistics aside, what this sandwich is all about is capturing the essence of a cheesesteak. Sounds like I’m about to bust out a cheesesteak-flavored foam right? Not quite.

This recipe for vegetarian cheesesteak sandwiches uses various spices, portobello mushrooms, green peppers, and provolone cheese to pack in all the flavors that go well with a cheesesteak without adding all that crazy fatty meat. But that’s not all: it’s also a damn good mushroom and pepper sandwich! Even though this recipe is meant to be a tasty reminder what a cheesesteak could be, for those of you that have never eaten a real cheesesteak before, you’re still going to enjoy this sandwich.

A Word About Non- Vegetarian Cheesesteaks

I grew up outside of Philadelphia. I have easily eaten at least twice my bodyweight in authentic Philly cheesesteaks. Outside of the area, these meaty sandwiches are often bastardized and misunderstood. In our travels throughout the 48 contiguous states of the United States, I have tried nearly every “cheesesteak” or “Philadelphia-style steak sandwich” that crossed my path.

The biggest problem is the meat. In Philly, you use shaved beef that has been fried on a greasy griddle. Period. It’s fatty, it’s greasy, it’s smothered in Cheez-Whiz. It’s amazing and I still haven’t found anything quite it. Everywhere else, you’ll get chopped steak, ground beef, thin strips of steak, or even thick (like 1/2-inch thick) slices of grisly, over-charred, tri-tip steak. The bread is wrong. The cheese is wrong. The toppings are wrong.

Seriously, don’t ever order a cheesesteak if you’re on the Central Coast of California. They just don’t get it.

Anyway, I got sad. I couldn’t find the meat. All the butchers I talked to didn’t care to help me get the meat and Steak-ums are way too fatty. So I stopped trying. This recipe was born because I became desperate. I wanted anything that was even close to those hot greasy cheesy sandwiches of my youth. Finally, I came up with a vegetarian cheesesteak that easily sates all of those cravings.

The Bread is Everything

Short of living near a really good bread bakery or in the surrounding vicinity of Philadelphia, the right bread can be a challenge. I have found that any sub roll can be used, but it requires an extra preparation step and it only gets you close to the real thing.

What you want is a roll that is soft on the inside but also crisp slightly crunchy on the outside. French bread has a crust that’s too thick and chewy. This will cause all your vegetables to slide out when you eat it. Hot dog buns or untoasted sub/grinder/hoagie rolls are generally too soft and the whole sandwich will taste like mush. A quick toast in the oven though, will give the exterior a lovely crunch without causing the interior to get too chewy.

You’re also looking for the right size. You want a roll that is between 6 inches and 18 inches in length and about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. If you have a bread that is too wide, you’ll lose all the flavors of your vegetables. If you have a bread that is too narrow, your vegetables will fall all over the plate.

So I recommend a standard sub roll that has been toasted a little bit before you slice it open. It’s not hard to find a decent sub roll in the grocery store pretty much anywhere in the country. With that, here’s how a vegetarian cheesesteak is made!

Here is a primer on the ingredients in a Philly cheesesteak, and how to make one. For more on the how the sandwich got started, here’s a brief history of the Philadelphia cheesesteak and here is how to order one.

The meat

The main ingredient is thinly sliced steaks from various cuts of beef, with rib-eye considered the top-of-the-shelf cut. It is often sold frozen in multi-sliced, shingle-shaped portions.

There are no available figures on how much steak sandwich meat is produced annually. The meat is available nationwide.

The bread

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Next to the meat — and perhaps on a par with it — the quality of the roll is key to a cheesesteak connoisseur’s appreciation of any given sandwich.

Torpedo rolls, known as submarine rolls in other parts of the country, are standard, though one highly rated purveyor — Donkey’s, across the Delaware River in Camden — puts its cheesesteaks on kaiser rolls. The crust should be firm but not teeth-crunching hard. The inside should be tender but not chewy.

There are perhaps more debates about the bread among connoisseurs than about any other aspect of a cheesesteak. A cheesesteak on any other type of bread is simply heresy.

Published: Sep 14, 2018 · This post may contain affiliate links ·

You’d be surprised how easy it is to recreate a classic Philly Cheesesteak with all-vegan ingredients. In this recipe, the homemade seitan and cheesy sauce harmonize so well you’d want to see them get married. So go and make this vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich now!

I have very fond memories of the first Philly Cheesesteak I’ve ever had. It was 2012. 6 years ago! It was one of the first [intentionally] vegan things I ate, in a Loving Hut in San Francisco. And it was super yummy! So this is my turn on a vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich.

The main components of the vegan Philly Cheesesteak:

• Homemade Seitan (it’s super easy to make with a food processor! You don’t have to knead it at all!)
• Cheesy Sauce (I’m using my go-to vegan cheese sauce)
• Sandwich Bun (I used a store-bought one for this one, but you can even make your own by using this basic white bread recipe)

How to make Seitan that isn’t spongy/rubbery/tough?

Recently, I experimented a lot with homemade seitan. My #1 super secret ingredient for seitan that has just the right balance of soft and firm is sparkling water! It’s just a simple substitution with a huge effect. Trick #2 is to use canned chickpeas instead of chickpea flour. This makes the seitan soft (even the next day or the day after!).

Bell peppers and onions are a classic add-in for Philly Cheesesteaks. I’ve added a mix of green and red bell peppers to add more colors.

More Seitan Recipes you will love

I hope you’ll enjoy this vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich as much as I do!

Let me know if you give this recipe a try! I’d love to hear how it turns out for you.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lauren Griffin

Close your eyes and picture a large, crusty roll of bread, covered in juicy beef, then drowned in a layer of melted cheese. Created in 1930 in Philadelphia by restaurateur Pat Olivieri, the Philly cheesesteak remains one of America’s favorite sandwiches. While controversy surrounds what type of cheese to use — processed cheese spread, American, or provolone — the beef steak plays a crucial role as well. With a few tips, it can be easy to buy meat for your Philly cheesesteak.

Step 1

At the grocery store, find rib eye steak for your cheesesteak sandwiches. Boneless rib eye is a tender, fatty cut of beef that is rich in flavor. Other styles of beef will make a fine sandwich, too, but an authentic Philly cheesesteak relies on rib eye.

Step 2

For the freshest meat, select a package of rib eye with bright-red beef that has little excess liquid in the package, and is firm to the touch. Check the sell-by date listed on the package to ensure a fresh purchase.

Step 3

Since Philly cheesesteaks feature chipped rib eye steak, the beef should generally be frozen, to make cutting it easier. Whether you freeze fresh beef or buy frozen beef, beef steaks can remain frozen for six to 12 months. After a year, the beef will no longer be fresh.

Before heading to the store, decide how many cheesesteaks you are going to make. The average Philly cheesesteak is topped with about 1/4 lb. of meat. Knowing how many sandwiches you need to make will allow you to buy the correct amount of beef.

In Philadelphia, cheesesteaks are practically a religion. That’s why chef Mike Solomonov, who owns a number of beloved restaurants in Philadelphia, including Zahav and Dizengoff, used it as a starting point for this vegetarian cheesesteak. His version is a gooey, indulgent sandwich made almost entirely of vegetables (no fake meat allowed!). You can find it at his homestyle luncheonette, Rooster Soup Co., and, now, you can make a just-slightly-tweaked version at home. Here, Solomonov tells us all about what inspired him to create a healthyish version of his city’s favorite comfort food.

I don’t remember how the broccolini cheesesteak came about, exactly, but we are a pretty vegetable-forward company (with the exception of Federal Donuts). And while vegetables are important to us, we are also aware that we need to satisfy people. At Rooster Soup Co., we wanted to come up with a sandwich that wouldn’t be so high-brow as to alienate our customers, but still embodied that vegetable mentality. In Philadelphia, cheesesteaks are always at the top of the sandwich echelon. We would never try to make a Philly cheesesteak—trying to compete with that sandwich is not a smart thing to do. Also—and I’m going to get kicked out of Philly for saying this—I don’t like most of the cheesesteaks I’ve tried here! So the broccolini cheesesteak is our way of paying homage in the form of a delicious, healthier sandwich.

For the broccolini, the main component, we want it to really feel indulgent. So we don’t just blanch or griddle it, we braise it with onions, garlic, spices, wine, and tomato paste so it gets this super meaty texture and flavor to it. For people making this at home, I still recommend braising the veggies, but roasting is an option, too. Then there’s the sharp provolone. We use it because the sandwich needs that little bit of sharpness, and provolone is nostalgic and delicious and not too refined. Also, melting sharp provolone on top of anything is always the right move. I love the romesco that goes into it because it’s a little peppery, a little spicy and a little creamy. Plus, I’m terrified of mayonnaise, so I think the romesco is a way better condiment. We serve the sandwich on a small hoagie roll from Ba Le Bakery. Their rolls are light, which you need them to be to adhere to the filling. I think using any fancier bread is a step in the wrong direction.

The sandwich has the gooeyness and greasiness that you would expect in a cheesesteak. It’s green, but not so green as to be like health food. When you eat it, you get the same sort of joy that you get when you eat a good cheesesteak. You get that wet, French dip effect on the roll, then the heady onions. Every bite is stimulating and nostalgic.

It’s an everyday sandwich, something you can eat more than once a week and not feel like a piece of shit afterward, in the style of something that people from Philly know and love. It’s been on the menu for nine months, and I’m still eating it a few times a week.

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Super quick and easy Philly cheesesteak recipe with indulgent provolone cheese sauce! Let me show you how to make practically fail-proof cheese sauce, so you too can make weeknight dinner a little more special.

Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are our favorite go-to dinner on a typical weeknight. It literally takes less than 30 minutes to make it.

But honestly, it gets a little boring sometimes.

Well, that’s not a bad problem to have, because there’s a quick fix for that…

Smother them sandwiches with indulgent Provolone cheese sauce. It’s creamy smooth and SO flavorful! I mean, who would say no to a cheese sauce, right?

HOW TO MAKE PROVOLONE CHEESE SAUCE

As mentioned earlier, it’s quite easy to make a good cheese sauce!

• Step 1. We’ll start with making a roux by roasting all-purpose flour in bacon fat (or butter). Cook the mixture until it’s light brown color and smells toasted. Be careful not burn it! (I wrote a complete guide on how to make roux earlier. Check it out for more detailed information.)
• Step 2. Stir in cold milk, whisking constantly. Once the mixture comes to a boil, take it off heat.
• Step 3. And then add grated Provolone cheese and stir until smooth.

Voila! Now that cheese sauce is ready, let’s cook the sandwiches.

HOW TO MAKE PHILLY CHEESESTEAK RECIPE

By no means I claim this as an authentic Philly cheese steak recipe. In fact, I’ve never been to Philly and never tried an authentic version.

That being said, this’s how we make it and keep it simple with quality ingredients for maximum flavor!

• Step 1. Toast the buns. Buttery crispy toasted buns are everything! You can use either butter or mayo. I often use mayo, if I don’t have softened butter.
• Step 2. Sauté the vegetables, if you’re using. Honestly, we often skip this part, because Garrat doesn’t process onions and peppers well. But if I have some on hand, I add it. I always serve it separately though.
• Step 3. Make sure to thinly slice the steaks and cook them on high heat for quick 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Here’s a genius trick to thinly slice the meat at home!
• Step 4. Divide the meat into 4 equal piles, place cheese slices on top to melt. Then put a bun over the meat and flip over.

Serve with the cheese sauce and sautéed veggies.

Yeah, once you try this Philly cheesesteak recipe, with or without the cheese sauce, you’ll understand why it’s such a staple in our family! And quite honestly, it’s a great casual dinner for a company too.

If you’re not up for making the cheese sauce, you can simply omit that. Also, feel free to use American cheese in place of Provolone cheese. Again, flexibility is the best part of this recipe!

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for details.

This easy Vegan Philly Cheesesteak recipe is ridiculously delicious and makes a fun lunch or dinner to share — or not! Packed with melty, gooey vegan cheese, a realistic but healthy homemade meat substitute, and some yummy veggies, this is a truly satisfying seitan sandwich recipe.

Hey Internet, you know how I posted a seitan recipe last week? Well, it wasn’t just a one-off–I used it in this awesomely delicious vegan Philly cheesesteak!

I am not from Philadelphia. I’ve only been there once for a journalism conference during graduate school.

My point with that statement is to say that this is probably not a super authentic Philly cheesesteak recipe. It is, however, super delicious, super easy, and definitely super vegan.

This recipe features my easy Instant Pot Seitan, though I do provide instructions in that recipe for how to make it on the stove top if you don’t have an Instant Pot (that said, I totally recommend them).

I also used my melty 6-minute vegan mozzarella but made a simple change to the spices and presto! It tastes like provolone!

I can’t wait to share this recipe with you all… so why wait? Here we go! (I did not just imitate Mario, I swear)

What You’ll Need

I kinda just gave it away, but you’ll need approximately one batch of my vegan instant pot seitan.

However, if you don’t have it or don’t want to make it, I’d recommend at least 2 pounds of store prepared seitan. You could also try soy curls, tofu, or even just chickpeas, but please don’t tell the Philadelphians.

Keep in mind though, those store bought dudes won’t have the same flavoring, so add some low sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and chili flakes (if desired).

You’ll need some veg. From what I gather, onions and green bell peppers seem to be the most popular choices.

Mushrooms are usually also good in this (I’ve read competing accounts of whether they’re authentic or not). Since they’re also meaty and super flavorful, I highly recommend you add them but feel free to omit if you’re not a mushroom fan.

I’d also highly recommend you slather this bad boy in vegan cheese–provolone, preferably. I mean, what would a vegan Philly cheesesteak recipe be without the cheese?!

What Vegan Cheese Should I Use?

When testing this I lamented over the fact that I didn’t yet have a provolone recipe for the blog.

I’m actually working on a super secret new cheese for the blog, however if I told you, well…. I just won’t tell you. Yet.

Anywho… I was just playing around so I decided to make my standard melty, stretchy, gooey vegan mozzarella but I was out of onion powder. On a whim I just added more garlic powder instead and LO AND BEHOLD… it tasted like provolone!

You can also use any prepared vegan cheese you like–Field Roast Chao might be pretty dang good in this, but I’m OBSESSED with my provolone concoction. Not that I’m biased, no, that would be wrong.

Finally, I serve up these delectable and savory treats in whole wheat sub rolls from my local bakery, but you could use any bread you like.

If you’re not friends with carbs, try stuffing everything inside a pepper, or rolling it up in some lettuce. Still tasty!

Alright now that we know what we need, I think you know what comes next…

How to Make Vegan Philly Cheesesteaks

So these sandwiches come together pretty dang quickly after you’re finished making the instant pot seitan. If you are making my recipe, I like to start the veggies and cheese while the pressure is releasing naturally from the pressure cooker (or if steaming on the stove top, during the last 10 minutes of the cooking process).

Start onions sauteing in a pan. You know the drill with me, I cook without oil so I just add a splash of water when things start to stick, just to deglaze the pan. If you use oil, you can start with a splash of that.

After the onions have become fairly translucent, I add the peppers and mushrooms. Let those cook down a bit.

I add a splash of reduced sodium soy sauce (or Bragg’s liquid aminos* if avoiding soy) during the cooking process. There shouldn’t be any need to add anymore liquid as the mushrooms release some of their own.

Whenever the seitan is done, it needs to be rested for 10 minutes. Just tastes better and juicier that way! Continue to cook the veggies over medium heat. If you like them crunchier, turn off the heat for a bit.

Toast your bread if you want to.

After the seitan has rested enough, slice it into quarter inch thick slices and cut those pieces in half lengthwise. Throw all this delicious stuff in the pan with the veggies over medium heat and toss in a little extra reduced sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos.

Alright, time to assemble this deliciousness.

Add a couple scoops of seitan and veg to your sub roll, then add a healthy dollop of my vegan cheese or a couple slices of store bought if that’s how you roll.

Then add some more seitan and veggies. Finally, make your best attempt to close it up, grab a napkin, and enjoy!

What to Serve with Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

Most traditionally, french fries are served with Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches. I give a good tutorial on two ways to make french fries without oil (so not technically fried, but still yummy) in my Nacho Fries recipe.

You could also just serve it with a side salad, some soup, or just the sandwich–or two–because they’re that dang good.

Other High Protein Recipes

While I easily and consistently get more than my recommended daily protein so I never think about it much, I’ve got a lot of other high protein vegan recipes if you’re interested:

Anything Else?

As always, I hope you love this recipe–I know I do, and Mr. Zardyplants does too. I gauge how good recipes are during the testing process based on his reaction.

If, during the first test, his eyelids close and he eats slowly–and then quickly–it means I’ve got a dang good recipe and that’s exactly what he did with this seitan sandwich recipe. I won’t even mention the sound he made because I don’t want to embarrass him 😉

These vegan Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are:

• Savory
• “Meaty” (hold the cruelty)
• Chewy yet tender
• Satisfying
• and great for anyone in your life that either isn’t vegan or vegetarian yet and needs to be convinced or is already and just kinda misses the taste and mouthfeel of meat.

I highly recommend these sandwiches, and they make for a 20 minute dinner if you’ve already got the seitan made.

The best thing about my seitan recipe is that you can make it ahead of time so you have minimal work to do when it actually comes time to make dinner.

Let me know in the comments below if you make this recipe or tag me @Zardyplants on Instagram so I can see your beautiful recreations! If you tag me on IG, I will share your post in my stories 🙂

Also, one quick request: if you love how this recipe looks or tastes, please leave me a 5-star rating and a nice comment–ratings help more people find my recipes which helps me keep providing them! Thank you!

A classic Philly Cheesesteak sandwich comes from the combination of thinly sliced beef, lots of melted cheese, and a big roll to put it on. A classic for a reason, this sandwich gets a big reputation as being a satisfier of hearty appetites. Meaty, gooey, and delightfully messy, our lightened version of the Philly Cheesesteak is the type of sandwich you’ll crave all year.

Ingredients

• 1 (12-ounce) flank steak, trimmed
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (5-inch) portobello mushroom caps
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon lower-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 1 ounce provolone cheese, torn into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 4 (3-ounce) hoagie rolls, toasted

Nutritional Information

• Calories 397
• Fat 12.4g
• Satfat 4.9g
• Monofat 4.7g
• Polyfat 1.6g
• Protein 30.8g
• Carbohydrate 44.1g
• Fiber 3.7g
• Cholesterol 37mg
• Iron 4.6mg
• Sodium 637mg
• Calcium 213mg

How to Make It

Place beef in freezer for 15 minutes. Cut beef across the grain into thin slices. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Remove brown gills from the undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon; discard gills. Remove stems; discard. Thinly slice mushroom caps; cut slices in half crosswise.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add beef to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until beef loses its pink color, stirring constantly. Remove beef from pan. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 6 minutes. Return beef to pan; sauté 1 minute or until thoroughly heated and vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in Worcestershire and soy sauce; keep warm.

Place flour in a small saucepan; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Add cheeses and mustard, stirring until smooth. Keep warm (mixture will thicken as it cools).

Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use. Divide the beef mixture evenly among bottom halves of hoagies. Drizzle sauce evenly over beef mixture; replace top halves.

The mark of a great vegetarian dish is one that will be eagerly devoured by a diehard carnivore. This one fits the bill in spades: meaty slices of portobello sautéed with a thicket of peppers and onions, then tucked into a toasted roll and topped with a cap of melted provolone. Unlike so many vegetarian dishes out there masquerading as healthier than the meaty creations they replace (yes, we’re looking at you, 1,490-calorie mushroom burger from The Cheesecake Factory), you could eat this cheesesteak seven days a week and end up skinnier than when you started. And trust us, you won’t even have to be a vegetarian to enjoy it!

Nutrition: 340 calories, 14 g fat (6 g saturated), 740 mg sodium

Serves 4

You’ll Need

1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
2 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 slices provolone
4 soft whole-wheat hoagie rolls, split and toasted

How to Make It

1. Heat 1⁄2 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the portobello slices and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until nicely caramelized.
3. Transfer to a plate. Heat the remaining 1⁄2 tablespoon oil in the same pan.
4. Add the onion and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown.
5. Return the mushrooms to the pan and stir in the soy sauce and Worcestershire.
6. Cook for another 2 minutes, until the vegetables have absorbed most of the liquid.
7. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
8. Divide the vegetables into four piles in the pan and top each with a slice of cheese (the residual heat will help to melt it).
9. Once the cheese has begun to melt, tuck the vegetable piles into the rolls.

Eat This Tip

A portobello mushroom is a kind of white button mushroom that grow to be the same size as your average hamburger, but you probably knew that already. What you might not have known is that portobellos are packed antioxidants, B vitamins, potassium, and yes, they even have protein (plant based) and are much better for your body than red meat.

RELATED: Healthier comfort food recipes you can make at home.

Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas are filled with beef and melted cheese in a soft tortilla that is toasted on a skillet until crisp. This quesadilla recipe is great for a hearty lunch or easy dinner in under 30 minutes.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

We love the classic Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, and putting those flavors into a quesadilla is brilliant and even easier. Quesadillas freeze well and leftovers can also be reheated, so it is a great make-ahead recipe and perfect for your meal prep. We love serving quesadillas with Taco Soup and of course topped with Pico de Gallo.

Hey, hey! Valentina with Valentina’s Corner sharing our homemade Quesadilla Recipe.

What is a Quesadilla?

A quesadilla is a Mexican dish. It is a tortilla is filled with cheese, spices of choice, meats, beans, and vegetables and cooked on a skillet. A simpler way to describe quesadillas would be a flat loaded taco!

For this recipe, we used Philly Cheesesteak inspired ingredients consisting of cubed beef, peppers, mushrooms, onions and loaded with cheese; then cooked until tortilla is crispy and filling is hot.

Ingredients for Quesadillas-

Quesadillas are so versatile and can be filled with just about anything or a combination of ingredients. Today we share our beef quesadilla recipe.

• Flour Tortilla- Medium burrito size tortillas are typical. Smaller tortillas may be used which will result in more quesadillas. Buy quesadillas that fit the base of your skillet.
• Meat- Use good quality beef. Ribeye is the best choice for a Philly Quesadilla. You can also use top sirloin or steak of choice if you’re looking for a less expensive option. TIP: The meat may be cut into cubes or thinly sliced.
• Cheese- A mild provolone works best (avoid aged provolone). American cheese can also be used as a substitute. TIP: Shredded or sliced cheese will work in quesadillas though shredded cheese will melt faster.
• Vegetables- A mixture of red and green peppers, onion and mushrooms. You can omit the bell peppers for a classic Philly combination.
• Seasoning- Salt, pepper, and freshly minced garlic are all you need.

How to Make Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas:

1. Cook meat. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add finely cubed meat and season with salt and pepper. Cook just until meat is fully cooked, stirring as needed. Remove meat from skillet and cover to keep warm.
2. Saute vegetables. While the meat is cooking, cube the peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Add to the same skillet with an additional teaspoon of oil and cook until vegetables are tender, cook over medium/high heat. Add the meat and minced garlic to the vegetables and cook until meat is reheated.
3. Assemble the quesadilla. Spread a thin layer of mayo on 1 side of tortillas. TIP: You can skip the mayo for a lighter taste. Add half of the mixture to one side of the quesadilla and top with cheese. Close the tortilla.
4. Cook. Add both tortillas to a clean non-stick skillet and cook until tortillas are golden brown. Flip and cook until cheese completely melts. TIP: You can grease the pan with butter and/or oil for a crispier tortilla.

TIPS for the Best Quesadillas:

Though quesadillas are pretty easy to prepare, here are some tips to ensure success!

• To Make Them Spicy- If you love spicy food, add some hot sauce or sriracha to the mayo when spreading over the tortillas.
• Tortilla Sizes- You can use any tortilla sizes and fill with as much filling as desired. A smaller tortilla requires less filling added and will give you more quesadillas.
• Griddle- A griddle may also be used instead of a skillet to cook the quesadillas.
• Heat- Be sure to keep the heat at a medium. If you turn the heat up too high, the tortilla will burn and cheese won’t melt.
• Cutting tortillas- It’s easiest to cut the quesadillas with a pizza cutter, though a sharp knife will also work.
• Freezing- Quesadillas may be frozen once assembled. Fully thaw then sauté until filling is hot.
• To reheat quesadillas – cook over low heat until reheated, flipping once.

I hope this hearty loaded homemade quesadilla recipe will become a hit with the family. We love sharing new ways of enjoying the timeless flavors of Philly Cheesesteak.

Try this twist on an American classic – the cheesesteak filling is normally packed in a sub-style roll, but here it’s topped with homemade, crumbly pastry instead

Nutrition and extra info

Nutrition: Per serving

• kcal 1052
• fat 58g
• saturates 27g
• carbs 92g
• sugars 8g
• fibre 7g
• protein 34g
• salt 1.5g

Ingredients

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is made from pressing sunflower seeds and extracting the oil. It’s usually…

Onion

Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…

The classic choice of meat for a British Sunday roast. Beef is full of flavour, as…

Pepper

Also known as capsicums, bell peppers, sweet peppers or by their colours, for example red and…

Cheddar

Once cheddar was ‘Cheddar’, a large, hard-pressed barrel of cheese made by a particular…

Method

Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat half of the oil in a flameproof casserole dish, add the onions and cook for 30 mins until soft and golden. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Put the rest of the oil in the pan, set over a high heat and brown the beef very well all over (you’ll need to do this in batches). Transfer to a plate and wipe the pan clean. Return the beef and onions to the pan with the ale and 200ml water. Bring to a simmer, then crumble in the stock cube and season. Bring to the boil, cover and transfer to the oven for 2 hrs, or until the beef is tender.

Remove from the oven and use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a plate. Put the dish on the hob and simmer the onions and stock until reduced, then return the beef to the pan and shred it through the sauce. Stir through the peppers, jalapeños and mustard, season, then leave to cool. Stir in the cheddar, then assemble the pies with the pastry as directed in Tom’s pie pastry recipe. Leave to rest for 10 mins before eating.

Social Sharing

We’d like to introduce you to our new #MeatlessMonday staple

We know what you’re thinking, and YES this cheesy, decadent dish you’re staring at is 100% vegan — and just as delicious as the OG version. It comes to us from former TV host Lauren Toyota, whose new cookbook, Hot For Food Vegan Comfort Classics, is full of plant-based takes on the most flavourful foods around.

For Toyota, going vegan never meant sacrificing taste, but it took a while to find the perfect alternatives for recreating her all time faves, like this one. “In the early days, it was just trying things that other people were doing and going, ‘this is missing the mark,’” she told us, “and then [it was] me just kind of winging it in the kitchen… going ‘okay but now what? What do I add to this to layer it, to get the flavour deeper?’”

So how’d she finally get those beloved classics juuuust right? “I learned by watching television, which is how I learn to do everything,” Toyota laughs, specifying that Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is her true poison of choice. “The more I listened and tasted what I liked and ignored whatever the rules were, that’s how I found things that were good enough to publish.” Read on to learn more about this #MeatlessMonday essential, and get the deets on how to make it at home.

Philly Cheesesteak

By Lauren Toyota

In west Philadelphia, born and raised, on the playground was where I spent most of my days. nope not true. But you knew that. Am I the only one whose reference for Philly cheesesteaks comes from watching the Fresh Prince drool and reminisce over them in that greasy paper bag? You can find this montage on YouTube, FYI. It always made my mouth water, but I’ve never eaten one with real steak. Though, I have had my fair share of vegan Philly cheesesteaks and I’ve really gotta give it up for my own creation. I’m sure you’ll agree after just one big bite!

Ingredients

• 2 cups thinly sliced onions (about 2 onions)
• 2 cups thinly sliced green bell peppers (about 2 peppers)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ Saved by Seitan loaf (see recipe below), thinly sliced or shaved
• 2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire
• 2 tbsp water
• Sea salt and ground pepper
• 6 hoagie-style buns
• 6 tbsp vegan butter
• The Nacho Cheese (see recipe below), warmed

Saved by Seitan loaf (for 1 large loaf):

• 3 cups vital wheat gluten
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 2 vegan beef-flavored bouillon cubes dissolved in 3 cups hot water, or 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste

The Nacho Cheese (for 1 ½ cups worth):

• 1 cup peeled, cubed white potato (about 1 small potato)
• ½ cup peeled, diced carrot (about 1 carrot)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup nondairy milk or water
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 ½ tsp arrowroot flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 6 pickled jalapeño slices or to taste, plus 3 tablespoons brine
• 1 tbsp tomato paste

Preparation

For Saved by Seitan loaf:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine the wheat gluten with the nutritional yeast, spices, and herbs. In another bowl, mix together the stock, vegetable oil, tamari, vinegar, and tomato paste until well combined. Pour the stock mixture into the wheat gluten mixture and stir to combine.

The mixture should be very moist, but still able to be handled as one large piece. It should not be sticking to your hands, but should be quite slippery. You will feel the elasticity of the gluten binding it together into a blob. Place the dough on a clean work surface and knead, pulling and stretching it and folding it over itself a few times. Finally, press it together to form large log shape approximately 10 inches long and 4 inches in diameter.

Wrap the log tightly in a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. You may need to use 2 sheets to make it completely secure. There should be no exposed gaps. Tighten and twist the ends of the foil.

Place the log on a baking sheet and bake for 90 minutes. It should feel very firm when you take it out of the oven. Allow the log to cool at room temperature. Store in the fridge overnight before using it for sandwiches.

The seitan is best sliced very thin with a sharp knife or shaved using a mandolin.

For The Nacho Cheese:

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the potato and carrot until fork- tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the vegetables and immediately place in a high-powered blender. If you cook the potatoes too long, they will become starchy and your sauce will not be smooth.

Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and combine on high until smooth. Your sauce may be hot enough to serve immediately from the blender. If not, heat it in a saucepan for a few minutes until just bubbling and warm or reheat in a microwave.

When you reheat the sauce, a small amount of nondairy milk or water may be required to get a smooth consistency again.

For Philly Cheesesteak:

In a large cast-iron skillet or frying pan over medium heat, sauté the onions and bell peppers with the vegetable oil for 10 to 12 minutes until soft and cooked through. Add the sliced seitan and brown for 3 to 4 minutes.

Combine the Worcestershire and water together in a small bowl. Pour over the vegetables and seitan and toss to coat everything in the sauce. Continue cooking for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cut the hoagie buns in half. Toast and butter the buns. Spread the warm cheese on the inside of both halves of each bun. Top with a generous portion of the seitan mixture. Drizzle with more cheese and serve immediately.

Excerpted from Hot for Food Vegan Comfort Classics. Copyright © 2018 by Lauren Toyota. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

• Servings Per Recipe: 1
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 274.7

• Total Fat: 13.6 g
• Cholesterol: 23.3 mg
• Sodium: 1,421.0 mg
• Total Carbs: 77.6 g
• Dietary Fiber: 12.5 g
• Protein: 27.5 g

Introduction

Ingredients

1 green pepper
4 tsp minced garlic
ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium yellow onion
2 tbsp light whipped salad dressing
1 slice low-fat cheddar cheese
1 slice low-fat American cheese
2 whole wheat hamburger buns
1/4 cup sliced button mushrooms

Directions

Cut the green pepper and onion into thick chunks, discarding the seeds, peel, and undesirable flesh.
Spray a pan with cooking spray and heat on medium-low.
Add the green pepper, onion, and minced garlic. Sprinkle generously with ground black pepper, stir vegetables, and cover.
Alternate between stirring, leaving covered, and spraying vegetables with cooking spray, when needed.
When the green peppers and onions are almost done cooking, add the button mushrooms and stir.
Continue cooking for a few minutes.
Cut both the American cheese and the cheddar cheese into quarters and spread out on top of vegetables and lower heat.
While cheese is melting, spread the salad dressing on the whole wheat hamburger buns.
After cheese is completely melted, top the buns and serve.

Number of Servings: 1

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user ELPHABATHROPP.

Rate This Recipe

Member Ratings For This Recipe

Portebello mushrooms are a better choice because they are meatier in texture and flavor. – 3/8/10

I would use EVOO instead of spray. I like the portabello mushroom instead of bun suggestion. Also, I’d add extra veggies like yellow and red bell pepper and celery. You’re not really adding calorie, but you’re adding crunch and flavor, not to mention health with the good stuff in veggies. – 11/28/08

I agree with the last post. Sharing recipes is a community-minded gift. If you have a problem with a recipe, health-related or otherwise, just modify it or don’t make it at all. Why attack someone who’s sharing an idea? – 8/7/08

I’m confused. This is just a regular sandwich with no meat. I would try it using seitan for the steak. That way it would have protein & substance. I would also use skim mozzarella for the cheese that’s what’s on this type of sandwich. It sounds like a big mac with no patty, which what’s the point? – 8/7/08

Gooey, meaty and melty, a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich is delicious in its simplicity. This sandwich has transcended the borders of Philadelphia to become a universal comfort food and a regular at my dinner table.

All About the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

While this authentic sandwich has proved itself to be a street food favorite, it is also an excellent dish to make at home. When you prepare it yourself, you can experiment with different cheeses, veggies, bread and cuts of beef until you create your dream Philly Cheesesteak. The possibilities are endless and delicious!

What is a Philly Cheesesteak?

This classic sandwich was born when Pat Olivieri, a hot dog stand owner in Philadelphia, decided he was sick of having hot dogs for his lunch. He grabbed some beef from a local butcher, threw it on his grill and popped it in a hot dog bun. A cab driver drove by and caught a whiff of the sub and asked for one himself. And just like that, a local obsession came to be!

How To Make Philly Cheesesteak

Nutrition

A 7-inch Philly Cheesesteak clocks in at around 500 to 700 calories and packs a ton of protein. In my recipe, I like to add in sauteed vegetables to up the nutritional value. Because the beef is ultra-flavorful, my kids barely realize that they are getting a hefty serving of veggies!

If you would like a lower-calorie and carb-free version, check out my Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Peppers.

Choosing the Right Ingredients for the Philly Cheesesteak

Besides the sauteed vegetables, the ingredients are right in the name. The key to making a great Philly Cheesesteak is picking the right beef and cheese.

Philly Cheesesteak Cheese Options

The debate on what cheese to use for an authentic Philly Cheesesteak may never end! I, however, love to use sliced provolone cheese. Provolone compliments the beef very well and doesn’t overshadow it. A runner-up for me would be Sliced White American. The key here is to not pick a cheese that is too sharp or intense.

Philly Cheesesteak Meat Options

Thinly sliced ribeye is the go-to meat choice for a classic Philly Cheesesteak. The high-fat content of ribeye is ideal because it will create a tender, easy-to-bite sandwich. Other cuts would work as well as long as you slice the beef very thinly.

Try my recipe for Perfect Cast Iron Ribeye and use the leftovers to make this yummy sandwich for dinner the next night!

Philly Cheesesteak Sauce

Mayo is a great option for a Philly cheesesteak sauce. If you are wanting a bit more adventure, add horseradish to the mix.

Other Cheesesteak Toppings

Some cheesesteak shops only add sauteed onions. Some like bell peppers or mushrooms. I love adding in all three! Figure out which veggies you like best and have it your way.

Philly Cheesesteak Hacks

Best Way to Cook the Sandwich

Whatever you do, don’t overcook the meat! The best part about this sandwich is that it melts-in-your-mouth. The meat should be so thinly sliced that you can quickly saute it. Consider investing in a mandolin slicer to shave the meat.

Making Philly Cheesesteak in the Crockpot

Don’t want to spend the big bucks on ribeye? Want cheesesteaks ready when you get home? Pop a chuck roast into the crockpot with a cup of beef broth, a touch of worcestershire and some salt and pepper. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours. 45 minutes before serving, add in the veggies of your choice into the crockpot. Spoon the mixture onto your roll and add the cheese of your choice.

Making a Chicken Philly Cheesesteak

If beef is out of the question, substitute it with chicken. A lot of cheesesteak shops offer this option in Philly because it is delicious in its own way. Make sure you slice the chicken thinly and against the grain to get a similar texture.

Get the latest from TODAY

Geno Vento of Philadelphia’s famous Geno’s Steaks is stopping by TODAY to share a few of his favorite cheesesteak sandwich recipes.

How to make a classic Philly cheesesteak with ‘Whiz’

He shows us how to make a classic Philly cheesesteak with cheese sauce and onions, an Italian-inspired cheesesteak with oregano and provolone cheese and a cheesesteak and hoagie hybrid with fresh lettuce and tomato.

Whiz Wit Philly Cheesesteak

This is the Philly cheesesteak! Geno’s Steaks has been cooking up the city’s signature dish since 1966. Now you can enjoy a taste of Philadelphia without leaving home.

Italian-Style Philly Cheesesteak

There are many variations on the classic cheesesteak, but this one might just be my favorite. The caramelized onions, seared tomatoes, melty provolone cheese and flavorful oregano give this sandwich a distinctively Italian twist.

Philly Cheesesteak Hoagie

I love this recipe because it combines the best parts of an authentic Philly cheesesteak and a classic hoagie. Perfect for those who have trouble deciding between the two!

If you like those sensational sandwich recipes, you should also try these:

Bacon Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes are made with ground beef, tender bell pepper, onions, and gooey melted cheese! A perfect weekend dinner that is packed with flavors in every single bite!

I love making Sloppy Joes because they are the ultimate comfort food that is pretty much loved by everyone. You can also check our Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes and Cheesy Taco Sloppy Joes.

Ultimate Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

If I had to choose only one dish to eat for the rest of my life, it would probably be these Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes. This is the kind of meal that has always please me, my friends, and my family. Everyone is in love with them, and I guaranteed that you will love every single bite of them as well!

First, it is quite easy to make, and you only need a few ingredients. Also, it is so flavorful that it beat pretty much any other sandwiches, cheeseburgers, out there. The combination of beef with peppers and melted cheese is something out of this world. This is the recipe we make quite often and is quite amazing.

This is also the type of recipe that is great for any occasion. If you are looking for a quick and flavorful dinner, I highly recommend giving it a try. Also, if you are hosting a game-day or Superbowl party, then make sure to make some extra, as they go super fast!

What are Philly Cheesesteaks?

Traditionally, this dish is made with thinly sliced ribeye and topped with tender peppers, onions, and cheese.

As the name suggests, its roots go back to Philadelphia. This recipe is also customizable based on regions. However, the common toppings include fried onions, hot or sweet peppers, sauteed mushrooms, and ketchup.

What do you need to make Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes?

For exact ingredient measures, please see the recipe card below. You will need the following ingredients:

• Ground beef
• Vegetable oil or butter
• Onion
• Hamburger buns
• Bell peppers
• Mushrooms
• Beef broth
• Ketchup
• Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper
• Provolone cheese
• Cornstarch (this is optional)
• Garlic (also optional)

How to make Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes?

• Brown the beef: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add some vegetable oil. Then add chopped onion and bell peppers and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Next, add the minced garlic, and then add the beef. Cook the beef until no longer pink. The key to developing maximum flavor for these Sloppy Joes is forming a deep brown crust when cooking the beef. So take a little extra time to stir and brown the meat. It will absorb all the flavors from the veggies as well. Drain fat.
• Add the sauce: Stir in beef broth, ketchup, and Worcestershire and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, and gently stir.
• Add cheese: Lastly, add the provolone cheese to it, and cover skillet with a lid to melt the cheese, for about 1-2 minutes.
• Serve: Once the cheese is melted, remove the skillet from heat, and serve the cheesy ground beef mixture on hamburger buns. Enjoy!

What type of cheese to use in Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes?

As a general rule, you want to go with Provolone or Cheddar cheese. Both types work great here, and when combining with bell peppers, and ground meat, it truly elevates the flavors.

You can get them at any local store or supermarkets. However, you can also use other types as well, based on your likings. Other favorites are White American, Cheese Whiz, or blue cheese.

How to make Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes in the Slow Cooker?

Making this recipe in the crockpot is very easy.

Simply, add all the ingredients to the crockpot (except the cheese and buns). Cover the lid, and set the cook on LOW for 4 hours. Also, use only half the amount of beef broth.

About 30 minutes prior to serving to check the thickness of the sauce. If it is not too thick, feel free to add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water. Then, cook for an additional 30 minutes on LOW.

How to store them?

You can make them in advance or store leftovers for the next days. Simply, store the beef mixture without the buns in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, just reheat the meat, and then serve it on buns.

If you’ve lived in Philly or just passed through, both Pat’s and Jim’s are the place to be when it comes to getting the most authentic Philly Cheesesteak experience. If you live anywhere else, you’re not going to easily get that experience. Until now. Farmway Foods of Ontario generously provided some of their Philly Beef Steak Sandwich Slices and they’re absolutely perfect for an authentic Philly Cheesesteak. Try this recipe on your barbecue for the best, most authentic Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich you have ever tasted.

There are a few elements that go into making an authentic Philly Cheesesteak. You need the right bun, something with a sturdy but soft outside and a fluffy and chewy inside. Italian long rolls generally fit the bill, however, a half-baguette with a softer outside crust can be just as good. There isn’t actually much that goes into making the filling for an authentic Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich whether you make it on the BBQ or on a griddle. Seasoning is simple, salt and pepper, but you need to add liquid beef fat for that real huge hit of beefy goodness. Rendered suet will work beautifully here. You can always use something else, a high-quality oil with a high temperature tolerance, like peanut or avocado will do too. Surprisingly, you can use one of three cheeses for an authentic experience. Provolone is most prevalent; however American and cheese wiz are also used. And finally, the onions. Just onions. No garlic, no peppers. These elements combine in a delightful dance that will make your mouth water and your tongue tickle.

The real deal right in your own kitchen, this is the Best Philly Cheesesteak sandwich recipe on the internet. Thinly sliced beef, melted Deli American, sautéed onions stuffed into a crusty roll…one bite and you’ll think you’re hanging out in old South Philadelphia.

This post is created in partnership with Land O Lakes and The Feed Feed. All opinions and statements are my own, as always.

Having lived in the Philadelphia area MY WHOLE LIFE…I’ve been fortunate to have tried just about EVERY cheesesteak in every neighborhood you can think of. From the original Philly cheesesteak meccas to the flashy guys across the street, there is a rival cheesesteak just about everywhere you look.

Most Philadelphians will tell you it’s not a cheesesteak if it isn’t ordered “Wiz Wit” (that’s processed cheese spread with onions for those of you not in the cheesesteak know) but I’m here to tell you I disagree. You see, to me the BEST Philly Cheesesteak is made with American cheese.

Head out further from the city center and most cheesesteak joints toss their sliced meat with a mixture of onions and melted American cheese. The result is creamy, beefy bliss that sort of melts onto your tastebuds like a cozy blanket on a cold winter day. You can’t get that with “wiz”. You just can’t.

So, making an authentic Philly Cheesesteak sandwich at home is pretty simple with just a handful of readily available ingredients like sliced ribeye, Deli American and chopped onions. That’s it. And a roll, of course, how non-intimidating is that.

First, let’s back up a bit….

What is a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich?

The Philadelphia Cheesesteak (as it’s formally known), is a steak sandwich served in a long, crusty sub or hoagie roll and is popular in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The steak is usually made of ribeye beef and is topped or tossed with cheese and onions.

Most Philly Cheesesteaks are served with a processed cheese spread and onions are totally optional but the BEST Philly Cheesesteaks are tossed generously with melted American cheese.

How to make the BEST Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich?

To make your Cheesesteak recipe the best it can be you must start with the highest quality ingredients. I like to have my butcher thinly slice a ribeye steak so the meat fries up quickly. They’re usually pretty happy to do it…depending on the day.

Otherwise, a lot of well stocked grocery stores sell thinly sliced beef that’s perfect for your sandwich. It’s made from the ends of larger cuts so you won’t need to worry about the grade of beef because it’s, most likely, a combination of all the good stuff.

And I like to use Land O Lakes® Deli American from my deli counter in just about any sandwich creation….hellllooooo Epic Grilled Cheese Sandwich! It’s creamy with a very mild flavor and the meltability can’t be beat. I’ve been using Land O Lakes® Deli American since, like, birth. It’s the only way to go with this sandwich or any other sandwich for that matter!

I love the versatility of Land O Lakes® Deli American and the fact that I can get it sliced fresh at my grocer’s deli counter

To make your Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich:

1. Add a bit of oil to a pan and cook the onions over medium heat until they start to turn golden brown, approximately 4-5 minutes.
2. Transfer the onions to a bowl.
3. Add the steak to the pan and cook until no longer pink, approximately 4-5 minutes. Drain off most of the fat.
4. Add the onions back to the pan and stir to combine.
5. Place the Deli American slices in a single layer on top of the steak mixture and allow to melt.
6. Toss the steak with the slices to combine.
7. Divide the steak evenly among 2 rolls.
8. Serve immediately.

What cut of beef is used for Philly Cheesesteaks?

MOST, if not all, Philly Cheesesteaks are made with thinly sliced ribeye.

I have stumbled upon a few cheesesteak imposters that used ground beef (no…just no), something that resembled beef but I still think it was not, and once…a whole steak was placed on a roll with a slice of cheese melted on top.

Stick with ribeye. And if you can’t find that, thinly sliced sirloin will do the trick in a pinch as long as it’s sliced across the grain(as all sliced meat should be.)

What can I serve my Philly Cheesesteak with?

Most all of the Cheesesteak places have a variety of condiments to serve with your cheesesteak sandwich. Our favorite topping is a hot red pepper sauce that I believe to be just pureed pickled cherry peppers.

Also, I like to serve something crunchy with my cheesesteak, like Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips. They’re amazing.

If you’re looking for MORE Philly classic recipes to make at home, you have GOT to try this Slow Cooker Roast Pork Sandwich….inspired by the same one found at the Reading Terminal Market….but mine is better. 🙂 (Also, fantastic topped with Land O Lakes® Deli American!)

Or this Slow Cooker Chicken Cheesesteak which isn’t really a cheesesteak because it’s not beef….and it’s made in the slow cooker…..but it’s still flipping amazing!!

So, if you can’t make it to Philadelphia anytime soon (but please try to come, the city is simply spectacular, I really love it here) you can get a taste of it in your very own home. And in about 10 minutes…because I love you.

Want to see what else we have going on in the kitchen and beyond? Follow along on Instagram!

These Philly Cheese Steak Baked Tacos are going to become a family favorite in your house! Easy to make and so delicious, a winning dinner.

A few years ago I posted this Philly Cheese Steak Casserole and in one swoop angered the entire population of Philadelphia. You guys, the video for it went viral and the comments on it were pearl clutchers.

People take their food seriously. I get it.

The Philly Cheese Steak Casserole raised such an uproar because:

1. It did not resemble a Philly Cheesesteak.
2. It was made with ground beef and not steak.

I’m sorry. And also . . . not sorry because it provided an easy delicious dinner to lots people, and that’s kind of my joy around these parts.

So I’m about to do it again.

HOW TO MAKE PHILLY CHEESE STEAK BAKED TACOS

For this recipe, we are going to appease the people of Philly on one front – we are making this with sirloin steak instead of ground beef. That should help a little.

Start by dicing your peppers and onions, slicing your mushrooms, and slicing the steak very thin.

Heat a skillet with oil, and add the vegetables, cooking until they are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.

Add the steak the hot pan (no need to clean it first) and cook until it browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Return the vegetables to the pan, add in some cream cheese. Now scoop the filling into the hard taco shells and place them in a baking dish. Top with provolone cheese and bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

USING GROUND BEEF

As you know, I used ground beef in the infamous Philly Cheese Steak Casserole. This cuts out the step of slicing the meat, and it’s more affordable.

If you would like to use ground beef in this recipe too, great! Follow the recipe as written, adding the ground beef when it calls to add the steak. Cook until browned. Make sure to drain the fat well before adding the vegetables back in.

MAKING AHEAD

This is not a dish that I would recommend making ahead. The tacos will likely get too soggy if they hang out before baking.

Additionally, if you try to make just the filling ahead of time, it won’t be as good as if you make it before and assemble your tacos.

OTHER BAKED TACOS

If you are looking for more great baked taco recipes, make sure you check out these ones:

If you make this recipe or any of my other yummy dinners, please come back and leave me a comment letting me know what you think!

The cheesesteak-in-pizza special was created 15 years ago on South Street.

I was scrolling through my Twitter timeline one night when I saw something unprecedented. At least, I thought it was unprecedented.

A slice of pizza had been wrapped around a cheesesteak, and someone was calling it a “Philly Taco.”

“Absolutely NOT,” I wrote as I dropped the link in our newsroom Slack. That set off a minor storm.

“Wait, you’re from here and never heard of a Philly Taco?” Billy Penn editor Danya Henninger asked, as if she was disappointed in me.

“You really don’t know what that is?” chimed in reporter Mónica Zorrilla, a Miamian who moved here for college. “How do I know, and you don’t?”

I am the only Philadelphia native in the office right now, so after this encounter I had a lot of questions. My mind was filled with thoughts like “What’s wrong with me?” and “Am I really from Philly?”

So I asked my friends about it, but they had no clue either. I asked my dad — a 50-year Philly native — and he also didn’t know. I decided to do some research on this “Philly Taco,” to find out if it was a real thing.

I was saddened to find out that it is legit. Then it was my turn to be disappointed — not in myself, but in my city for creating something so gross.

A pizza and a cheesesteak; how do people actually willingly do that? And is this really a thing Philadelphians do, or just something people from other cities think is a Philly thing?

Turns out the “dish” was created by Philadelphians — but it’s a relatively recent introduction.

In 2003, Jeff Barg and Adam Gordon came up with the idea and dubbed it “The Lorenzo’s-Jim’s Challenge.”

As Barg related in a 2017 Vice MUNCHIES story called “I Invented the Philly Taco,” they were college students when they thought it up. “We were both huge cheesesteak aficionados and wanted to create a challenge,” he wrote. (Funniest part about this whole thing is that Barg has since become a vegetarian.)

“I was working for an alt-weekly here in Philly and I wrote about this challenge,” he explained, “not as a thing I made up, but as if it were already a thing that people did—and, sure enough, it became a thing that people do.”

How people actually do it varies, however. When you Google how to eat the thing, images and videos show two methods: you can either place the cheesesteak on the tip of the pizza and roll in toward the crust, or you can fold the slice around the steak the long way.

A 2010 NPR story on the unwieldy meal had staffers try both variations. The Inquirer also examined both methods, in a 2014 piece where reporter Michael Klein came up with the perfect description of the taco: “A turducken for drunks and stoners.”

According to Barg, lengthwise is the original methodology.

“Lengthwise is definitely better,” he wrote in Vice. “With each bite, you get more pizza than the previous bite. As a result, it actually gets more challenging as you go.”

Ken Silver, president of Jim’s Steaks on South Street, said he’s seen all different kinds of people come in and get one, from folks who look like they’re from here to tourists. He’s even tried the taco himself — and liked it.

“Yes,” he insisted, “they’re really good!”

There was only one thing left to do: go try one for myself.

First, we stopped at Jim’s for the cheesesteaks. Did you know they also sell hoagies there? Approximately two dozen orders come through every day, according to an employee.

But we were there for the steaks. (I go for provolone, with onions.)

Next, a quick walk one block down to Lorenzo’s, home of the biggest slices in Philly. (And a questionable sign…)

After ordering, the guy behind the counter looked down at my Jim’s cheesesteak bag and look back up at me with a smirk. H knew what I was going to do.

I found a place nearby to to sit down and eat, said a quick prayer and began to build this taco. I rolled the cheesesteak in the pizza from the tip of the slice— unlike they way Barg prefers, which I didn’t discover until after the fact — and dug in.

As I took my first bite I could feel my insides screaming for help. It felt like a million pounds of grease moving through my body.

I chewed for what seemed like forever. But as I swallowed my first piece, I was pleasantly surprised.

“It’s better than I thought! I’m surprised I didn’t throw up,” I said, while trying not to think about how unhealthy this was.

Overall though, the Philly Taco was solid, I didn’t throw up or die — which I was worried about — so I was pretty happy. I do think, however, that it’s probably more of a tourist thing, considering that most people in my life didn’t know what it was. Also because of its origin story — its iconic status was basically faked from the start.

Final verdict: Not horrible, but I will never eat it again. And to others who feel compelled to try it? I recommend never doing it more than once.

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Philly Cheesesteak made with juicy, tender Rib eye steak, bell peppers, melted Smoky Pepper Jack cheese, caramelized onion, and Portobello mushrooms, served on a toasted garlic butter sandwich bun. Perfect Homemade Authentic Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich every time!

Whenever I try something and I love it, immediately I try to re-create it at home like Arabic Shawarma and Burger ! Philly cheese steak sandwich is easier to make than you think and can be cooked in one skillet. Crave it? Make it today !

What is a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich?

Philly Cheesesteak is actually not a steak sandwich, it is a sandwich made with frozen and really thinly sliced rib eye steak, caramelized onion, green bell pepper, Portabello mushrooms and American cheese. The place of origin is Philadelphia.

I should say, it is one of our very favorite dinners. If you are a cheesesteak lover like us and you wish to make it in the comfort of your own home, you are in the right place!

Which Cut of Beef is the best for Philly Cheesesteak?

In a classic Philly cheese steak, rib eye steak is used. It is super tender and juicy. However, it is a bit pricey. We tried flank steak and skirt steaks, they worked really well. The secret is to cut your steak super thinly. I know it seems near impossible to do it! But I have my pro-chef tips for you.

Ribeye is the juiciest, most marbled steak.

HOW TO CUT STEAK SUPER THINLY?

• Cover the steak and freeze it for 30-40 minutes. It will help to firm it up and slicing will be really easy.
• A sharp knife is one of the most important tools you can have in your kitchen, use it to slice beef steak thinly against the grain with less brute force. It takes about 10 minutes.

WHAT IS THE BEST CHEESE FOR A PHILLY CHEESE STEAK SANDWICH?

Cheese is the next most important ingredient! American cheese, provolone are commonly used in a Philly cheesesteak. However, I love to use smoky pepper jack cheese over the meat. It brings this sandwich to the next level. Other options include cheese whiz, mozzarella and Swiss cheese.

How to Make Philly Cheesesteak

An easy restaurant quality sandwich at a comfort of your home in less than 30 minutes! You can cook steak in a cast iron skillet or flat cooktop .

• Toast buns and butter them.
• Saute onion, green bell pepper and mushrooms.
• Cook beef slices until cook through.
• Divide into 4 portions, place cheese over the meat and allow to melt.
• Assemble the sandwich using a spatula .