Vegetarian and Vegan CheeseSteaks
An Easy Recipe which Reinvents a Philly Favorite
Cheesesteaks are a popular, though not very healthy favorite of many. Create this vegetarian/vegan version that is sure to become a favorite.
This recipe is a quick and easy way to recreate a Philly CheeseSteak in a vegetarian form. The recipe provided gives the guidelines, but is widely open to interpretation, just like the original product. Once the basics are mastered, it is easy to add a personal flair.
The CheeseSteak can be prepared as vegan or vegetarian, depending on the items used, but the basics are vegan.
Servings: 2 very generous sandwiches or 3 smaller sandwiches
Core ingredients:
- 8 ounces of seitan (see end of article for details about seitan)
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- slice green peppers or other veggies (optional)
- olive oil or cooking spray sufficient to sautee
- cheese (vegan or dairy)
- roll (a crusty French/Italian bread or sub/hoagie roll)
Preparation:
- Slice the seitan into strips, or chop finer, depending on your preference.
- Season the seitan if it is an unseasoned variety (suggested seasonings include soy sauce, green Tabasco sauce, pepper, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning.)
Cooking:
- Heat a medium-sized skillet under medium to medium-high heat
- Sautee diced onion until translucent
- Add seitan
- Cook until seitan and onions are browned. Since seitan is not meat-based, there is no need to worry about undercooking
- Just before removing from heat, lay several slices of cheese (vegan or dairy) across the filling and cover. Remove from heat while cheese melts.
Presentation:
- Scoop a generous amount of the filling into a roll.
- Traditional condiments include a hearty serving of ketchup and even mayonnaise.
Making a larger quantity of sandwiches:
This recipe is suited for making smaller quantities of sandwiches for a family dinner, or having friends over. However, it is easy to scale the recipe up and prepare larger quantities by following a few tips.
The entire filling can be cooked in the oven. Fill a baking dish with the onions, seitan and olive oil and place into an preheated 375 degree oven. Depending on the quantity, cooking time will take approximately 15-20 minutes.
Once the filling is browned, prepare the sandwiches and add cheese individually to each sandwich. Wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil. These wrapped CheeseSteak sandwiches can be kept warm in an oven on low heat for thirty minutes without drying out.
Preparing CheeseSteaks ahead of time for a party:
The CheeseSteaks can easily be made earlier in the day for a dinner party. Follow the steps above for making larger quantities and then store the inividually wrapped CheeseSteaks in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to a low temperature (225 degrees) and warm the CheeeSteaks for about twenty minutes before serving.
What is Seitan?
These CheeseSteaks are made using seitan. Seitan is a product made from wheat gluten, the protein that holds bread together. While the product comes from wheat, it is not loaded with carbohydrates like bread.
A serving of seitan has:
- 90 calories
- 1 gram of fat
- 0 grams saturated or tans fat
- 0 grams cholesterol
- 3 grams of carbs
- 1 gram of fiber
- 18 grams of protein
Seitan can be made a home, but an easier alternative is to purchase a pre-made product such as the White Wave Traditional or Stir Fry Seitan from your local store.
