Beefless Philly Cheesesteak Tacos Wit Cheese
The cool thing about teaching high school debate is that you can travel the country. The lame thing is that you are traveling with teenagers and spend most of your time in high school media centers. My very last year teaching debate, the Catholic National Finals were held in Philadelphia. After 7 hours of traveling (again, with other people’s kids), their parents, and my colleagues, we landed in a gray and chilly Philly. Needless to say, I was so not in the mood for food tourism. My boss insisted that the 30 of us rolled our suitcases through the drizzly streets to Pat’s King of Steaks.
I should have expected the Philly Cheesesteak to have the same addictive, gut-busting charm that a proper Miami Cuban or Chicago Deep Dish Pizza has. It hits your brain in all the right spots. The thin slices of beef blend perfectly with the onions. The suggestion of freshness comes through with the green peppers, only to laugh in your face with the dollop of cheez whiz. And of course, none of this matters unless it is cradled in the perfect pillowy soft bread. I was so cozy and full, I fell asleep on the bus. I’m pretty sure my kids took pictures of me…
Beefless Bulgogi Another Trader Joe’s find. What I love about this is that it comes frozen in a single block. The secret to that very thinly shaved beef like they have in Philly is they slice it frozen. Any steak replacement will do but this is totally the best way to do it. Trust me on the beefless bulgogi.
Jalapeños Since we are making tacos, feel free to throw a little spice in there. Even though it might be sacrilegious to those purists. Go for the pickled option, which gives it that distinct deli flavor.
Wit Mushrooms While mushrooms are not a requirement in a philly cheese, but we’re doing it vegetarian here. Mushrooms, peppers, and onions are a holy trinity. Mushrooms add a meaty umami quality to this and really rounds out the meal.
Wit Cheez Whiz Okay, so hear me out. Ever since the leaning tower of cheeza was introduced in The Goofy Movie, cheez whiz has had a dear place in my heart. If you are not an elder millennial, you may be totally grossed out by this. Having a can of cheez whiz around the house is super helpful for any midwestern American-style cooking. It’s a great thickening agent for broccoli cheddar soup, casseroles, chilis, and of course macaroni and cheese. Even the late great Emeril Lagasse says that having processed cheese-food product is a pantry staple. It is a key ingredient in a Philly Cheesesteak. You can order it wit or wit-out
Beefless Philly Cheesesteak Tacos Wit Cheez
Ingredients
- 12 soft taco shells 3 per person
- 4 cups of beef replacement
- 6 slices of provolone
- 1 medium white onion
- 1 small green bell pepper
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 1 cups cremini mushrooms
- A drizzleable amount of olive oil
- ¾ cup of cheez whiz plus more to taste
- Salt pepper, and jalapeños to taste
Instructions
- Heat your oil in a cast iron skillet. Finely slice your “beef” as thinly as you can. Once your oil is shimmering, toss your “beef” into your pan, adding salt and pepper to taste. Slice Split your mushrooms in half. For the first group, slice them equally as thin as you can and add them to your “beef.” Stir in the pan until all is browned. Remove from pan and add more oil for the next step.
- Slice the second group of mushrooms into ¼ inch pieces and add to your pan. Don’t crowd your mushrooms, or they will steam instead of browning. Slice your peppers and onions into strips. Add them to your skillet, stirring occasionally. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Once they begin to brown, add your “beef” back to the pan.
- To build your tacos, lay the tortillas flat and place ½ a slice of provolone onto each taco. Spread some cheez whiz on top of your provolone. Top each with about ½ cup of the goods in your skillet and cover with even more cheez whiz. Add your desired amount of jalapeños and you’re good to go.
