Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

My love of yuba runs deep. If I ever found myself in a Sophie’s Choice situation, forced to say goodbye to either tofu skin or meat, you’d find me silently screaming after deciding to let my baby beef go. That said, dare I declare that this vegan yuba cheesesteak is even better than its carnivorous counterpart? Oh yes, I dare. Okay, I’ll admit that my opinion of this sandwich is severely skewed due to my undying affection for yuba, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still pretty darn delicious.

If it makes you feel more comfortable, just call it a yuba sandwich inspired by the iconic cheesesteak. The jury is still out on who makes the best cheesesteak, but what I’m looking for is tender and juicy thinly sliced steak, a fresh, crusty roll with a fluffy interior, and I’m always “wiz wit”—meaning I want my cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz and onions.

While the mushroom broth is simmering, I also caramelize onions and roast king oyster mushrooms, which will be added to the mix at the end. The trumpet mushrooms are joining the team for their ability to sop up sauce like a sponge, which prevents the yuba filling from getting wet and soggy. I shred the trumpet mushrooms lengthwise to create a coarse and rough texture, maximizing surface area and sauce-sucking potential. I then toss the mushroom shreds with oil, salt, and pepper before roasting until golden and crisp.

To finish up the bean curd “steak,” I sprinkle sugar across a wide sauté pan and allow it to caramelize to a dark brown. Once browned and nearly smoking, I drop in the bean curd strips and stir to toss in the caramel. Next, I season the yuba with paprika, garlic powder, and a few generous turns of black pepper. This is all topped with the mushroom broth and everything gets simmered down until the liquid reduces to a thick glaze. I finally stir in the caramelized onions and roasted trumpet mushrooms to finish off the filling.

You could stop here and finish the sandwich with a few slices of vegan cheese, but I need Cheez Whiz in order to call it a cheesesteak. Kenji’s vegan cheese sauce almost nails it, but it’s too spicy and Southwestern-inspired for an East Coast sandwich. To push his sauce closer to Philly, I omit the chipotles, jalapeños, and hot sauce. Instead, I add a teaspoon of tomato paste and a heap of nutritional yeast. I love the musky taste of nutritional yeast; it’s cheesy with a hint of wet basement—in the best possible way.

All that’s left is to assemble the sandwich. I prefer untoasted buns, and I generously smear them with the cheese sauce before loading them up with yuba “steak,” followed by more cheese, of course. For the most authentic experience, I like to wrap my sandwich up in foil, shove it in the bottom of my backpack, walk around town, and eat it hours later once the yuba, cheese sauce, and bread have all gotten to know one another. But eat yours immediately, if you must.