Vegan Cheese Steaks
Ingredients
- 1 lb king oyster mushrooms, halved lengthwise then sliced into 1/4-inch planks
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
- 4 oz vegan mozzarella, shredded (Violife or Miyoko's preferred)
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 0.75 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper
- 4 hoagie rolls, 6-inch
- 2 tbsp vegan mayo mixed with 1 tsp roasted garlic (for rolls)
Instructions
- Pat king oyster mushroom planks dry with paper towels. Toss with 1.5 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear mushroom planks 4-5 minutes per side until golden-brown and caramelized. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into thin strips once cooled slightly—about 2 minutes.
- In the same skillet, add remaining 1.5 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and bell peppers. Sauté 6-7 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until peppers are tender-crisp and onions develop light char at edges. Add cremini mushrooms and balsamic vinegar. Cook 3-4 minutes more until creminis release moisture and concentrate. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Return seared king oyster mushroom strips to the skillet with the vegetable mixture. Toss to combine and heat through for 1 minute over medium heat.
- Preheat broiler to high. Split hoagie rolls lengthwise and brush cut sides lightly with olive oil. Broil rolls 2 minutes, watching carefully, until lightly toasted and edges crisp.
- Spread garlic-mayo mixture evenly on toasted insides of each roll. Divide mushroom-vegetable filling equally among the four rolls—approximately 1.5 cups per sandwich.
- Top each filled sandwich with 1 oz shredded vegan mozzarella. Return to broiler for 2-3 minutes until cheese melts and bubbles at edges. Remove immediately to prevent burning.
- Serve immediately while cheese is molten and rolls are still warm. Optional: drizzle with additional balsamic reduction for depth.
Inspired by Rachel Klein’s winning vegan cheese steaks. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.