Saint Augustine advised, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” So, when quarantining outside of Philadelphia, the cheesesteak capital of the U.S., I started making cheesesteak sandwiches but with a little twist. Instead of thinly sliced beef, I used the “meat of the vegetable world,” mushrooms. The result was a lighter, less fatty but no less delicious mushroom cheesesteak.

History of an iconic sandwich

Legend claims that, in 1930, tired of dining on hot dogs, brothers and South Philadelphia hot dog stand owners Pat and Harry Olivieri asked a local butcher for beef scraps. The two fried this beef alongside some onions from their condiment tray and stuffed the mixture into rolls. When a passing cab driver asked to buy their hot, juicy dinners, a culinary classic was born. By the 1960s, cheese topped the beef, giving the sandwich its name, “cheesesteak.”

Roughly 90 years after its inception, a debate rages over what makes a great cheesesteak. Some swear by cheese, while others demand Cheez Whiz, the topping used at Pat’s King of Steaks, home of the first cheesesteak. Others debate the merits of soft vs. crusty Italian rolls. Then there is the issue of whether to douse the meat with tomato sauce or leave it unadorned. Whether to make it without meat, as in my no steak mushroom cheesesteak, would undoubtedly be an affront to the cheesesteak afficionados.

Steak-free mushroom cheesesteak

I first tried at meatless mushroom cheesesteak at Mets versus Phillies game. While I can’t remember who won, I can recall that gateway sandwich. Hot, savory and oozing out of its wrapper onto my hands and t-shirt, the seitan-based sandwich was outrageously good. If this was what ballpark food was like, sign me up for season tickets! I want to eat here all summer!

As much as I enjoyed my first steak-free mushroom cheesesteak, I wished that it had included one thing, more mushrooms. Truthfully, I would have loved it to be all mushrooms. The love of mushrooms, memory of that delectable sandwich, and the fact that I had stocked up on mushrooms and rolls before sheltering-in-place, inspired me to make the following no steak mushroom cheesesteak.

No Steak Mushroom Cheesesteak

Makes 2 6-inch mushroom cheesesteak sandwiches

2 tablespoons olive oil

20-ounce mixture of cremini and white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 cup halved and thinly sliced white onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 pieces Provolone cheese

2 6-inch hoagie rolls

Ketchup, optional, for serving

In a large sauté or frying pan heat the olive oil on medium high until it starts to shimmer. Add the mushrooms and salt. Stirring frequently, cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid and begun to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the black pepper, parsley, onion and garlic to the mushrooms and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the onions and garlic are soft but not browning, 3 to 5 minutes.

Line each hoagie roll with 2 slices of Provolone cheese. Spoon equal amounts of mushrooms into each roll. Top each mushroom cheesesteak with optional ketchup and serve with plenty of napkins.