I’m from New York and grew up near the tri-state area. Although Philadelphia was about three hours from where I lived, that didn’t interfere with my ability to identify a good Philly cheesesteak. Before my plant-based journey, I wasn’t a red meat eater, so I always got a chicken Philly cheesesteak. Yummy!

Although I loved Philly cheesesteaks, I never made them myself, but that wouldn’t stop me from at least trying. One day, I was craving a Philly cheesesteak, and after looking over several recipes, I realized they’re quite simple to make. It wasn’t long before I started trying to master the art of the perfect Philly cheesesteak sandwich.

Of course, when I first started making this recipe, I used meat alternatives for convenience. Back then, I used Lightlife, which was soy-free with decent ingredients, especially compared to Beyond and Impossible, for a meat alternative. Lightlife isn’t available in my area, so I make it with Plant Boss’ Meatless Crumbles (nut and soy-free) or my Homemade Walnut Meat instead.

So, without further ado, I present my simply delicious plant-based and vegan-friendly Philly “cheesesteak” sandwiches. They can be made free from coconut, dairy, gluten, grain, nuts, and soy. This recipe takes 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook, leaving you with four hefty sandwiches and a desire for seconds!

Please note: If you need a soy and coconut-free recipe, I do not think there is an option, but I use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce in this recipe. If you have found a soy and coconut-free substitute for soy sauce, please let us know in the comments!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp. plant-based butter
• 4 – 6 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)
• 1/2 green or red pepper (thinly sliced)
• 1 tbsp. parsley flakes
• 1 tsp. adobo (I use Loisa’s Organic Adobo)
• 1/2 tsp. pink salt (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 package of Plant Boss’ Meatless Crumbles (or 4 servings of Walnut Meat Substitute)
• 6 tbsp. steak sauce
• 4 tbsp. liquid smoke (I use Wright’s Hickory Liquid Smoke)
• 1 tsp. grilling steak seasoning (I use Watkins Organic Grilling Steak Seasoning)
• 4 – 6 slices of plant-based cheddar cheese (I make homemade cashew-based smoked cheddar cheese)
• 4 hoagies

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the butter to a frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. When the butter has melted and the pan is hot, add garlic, onion, pepper, and sauté until caramelized (this should take 5-10 minutes).
3. While that’s sautéeing, season it with parsley, adobo, salt, and pepper (don’t use the grilling steak seasoning yet).
4. In a second pan, cook the meat crumbles according to package instructions (or make four servings of walnut meat).
5. When the produce has caramelized, add it to the meat substitute and cook over medium heat for five more minutes.
6. Add the steak sauce, liquid smoke, and grilled steak seasoning. Cook for another five minutes, stirring often.
7. Add the plant-based cheese, cover, and cook for three to five minutes or until the cheese melts. If the cheese isn’t melting, add a little splash of water on the inner edge of the pan and cover to create steam to help it melt.
8. When ready to serve, cut your hoagie and toast it if you wish. Load the hoagie with the Philly cheesesteak’s deliciousness. Serve with a side of fries or loaded potato skins.

NOTES

• When I made this gluten-free, I used BFree White Demi Baguettes, which I found at my local Walmart. However, they were a bit too dense for my liking, so I slightly carved out the inner bread, and it was perfect.

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Philly “Cheesesteak” Sandwiches

Simply delicious plant-based and vegan-friendly Philly “cheesesteak” sandwiches. They can be made free from coconut, dairy, gluten, grain, nuts, and soy. This recipe takes 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook, leaving you with four hefty sandwiches and a desire for seconds!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings 4

Recipe by: Sarena-Rae Santos (The Holistic Hipppie)

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 2 tbsp. plant-based butter
• 4 – 6 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)
• 1/2 green or red pepper (thinly sliced)
• 1 tbsp. parsley flakes
• 1 tsp. adobo (I use Loisa’s Organic Adobo)
• 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 package of Plant Boss' Meatless Crumbles (or 4 servings of Walnut Meat Substitute)
• 6 tbsp. steak sauce
• 4 tbsp. liquid smoke (I use Wright's Hickory Liquid Smoke)
• 1 tsp. grilling steak seasoning (I use Watkins Organic Grilling Steak Seasoning)
• 4 – 6 slices of plant-based cheddar cheese (I make homemade cashew-based smoked cheddar cheese)
• 4 hoagies

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Instructions

• Add the butter to a frying pan over medium-high heat.
• When the butter has melted and the pan is hot, add garlic, onion, pepper, and sauté until caramelized (this should take 5-10 minutes).
• While that’s sautéeing, season it with parsley, adobo, salt, and pepper (don’t use the grilling steak seasoning yet).
• In a second pan, cook the meat crumbles according to package instructions (or make four servings of walnut meat).
• When the produce has caramelized, add it to the meat substitute and cook over medium heat for five more minutes.
• Add the steak sauce, liquid smoke, and grilled steak seasoning. Cook for another five minutes, stirring often.
• Add the plant-based cheese, cover, and cook for three to five minutes or until the cheese melts. If the cheese isn’t melting, add a little splash of water on the inner edge of the pan and cover to create steam to help it melt.
• When ready to serve, cut your hoagie and toast it if you wish. Load the hoagie with the Philly cheesesteak’s deliciousness. Serve with a side of fries or loaded potato skins.

Notes

• When I made this gluten-free, I used BFree White Demi Baguettes. However, they were a bit too dense for my liking, so I slightly carved out the inner bread, and it was perfect.

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