Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Twist (Printable)

Plant-based Philly with sautéed mushrooms, peppers, onions, and creamy vegan cheese sauce in toasted hoagie rolls.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
03 - 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 14 oz portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Seasonings

07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

→ Vegan Cheese Sauce

11 - 1 cup unsweetened soy or oat milk
12 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
13 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
14 - 1 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil
15 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
16 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
17 - 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
18 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Bread

19 - 4 soft hoagie rolls or sub rolls (check vegan status)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers. Sauté for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Remove from the pan and set aside.
02 - Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 5–7 minutes, until they release their moisture and become golden brown.
03 - Stir in minced garlic, smoked paprika, soy sauce, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 1 minute more. Return the sautéed onions and peppers to the pan. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes.
04 - In a small saucepan, whisk together soy or oat milk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, vegan butter, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, and salt. Place over medium heat, whisking continuously, until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy (about 3–5 minutes). Remove from heat.
05 - Slice the hoagie rolls lengthwise, without cutting all the way through. Toast lightly if desired.
06 - Fill each roll with the mushroom-pepper mixture. Generously spoon vegan cheese sauce over the filling.
07 - Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The mushrooms develop this incredible meaty texture that'll make even skeptics do a double take
  • That cheese sauce took me months to perfect, and now it's gold on everything from baked potatoes to broccoli
02 -
  • Don't rush the mushrooms, they need time to release their moisture and get those browned edges
  • The cheese sauce will continue thickening off the heat, so pull it slightly earlier than you think
03 -
  • Cook the vegetables in batches if your pan is crowded, otherwise they'll steam instead of getting those gorgeous caramelized edges
  • Make double the cheese sauce and store it in the fridge, it keeps for about a week and elevates everything from pasta to baked potatoes