30-minute Philly Cheesesteak Skillet (it’s dairy-free!)

What’s Inside: This Philly Cheesesteak Skillet recipe packs in all the flavors of this classic American sandwich without any of the bread or cheese! It’s Paleo, Whole30, dairy-free, and delicious with my creamy dairy-free cheese sauce! I also have AIP options.

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Enjoy Philly Cheesesteak Without the Bread!

Who doesn’t love a Philly cheesesteak? Being an east coaster, I know I used to love these in my College days! The tender, juicy steak strips; the charred peppers and onions; and the cheese … YUM!

Unfortunately, some of the staple ingredients in a typical Philly cheesesteak sandwich don’t agree with me, namely the bread and the dairy-based cheese sauce. Luckily, I’ve created a way that we can all enjoy the classic flavors of this iconic American food without a food sensitivity flare-up.

Enter this Paleo Philly Cheesesteak Skillet recipe. It has everything you love about this prolific Pennsylvanian sandwich without any of the bread or cheese. Plus, it’s topped with a creamy, delicious dairy-free cheese sauce. It doesn’t get better than this!

Serve this dish family-style straight out of the cast-iron skillet, or place in lettuce leaves or sweet potatoes for a gluten-free twist on this sandwich for lunch or dinner. Or make it ahead of a busy week for some easy meal prep! Heck, you could even serve it with eggs for breakfast or brunch. There’s no wrong way to enjoy this Dairy-Free Philly Cheesesteak Skillet.

Key Ingredients

This Paleo Philly Cheesesteak Skillet recipe is twofold — the dairy-free vegan cheese sauce and the sauteed steak and veggies.

For the dairy-free cheese sauce, you’ll need white sweet potatoes, water (filtered, if possible), unsweetened coconut yogurt, nutritional yeast (give it a cheesy flavor), and garlic powder.

For the steak and veggies, you’ll need skirt steak (grass-fed and finished preferred), sea salt, black pepper, olive oil, an onion, green bell pepper, and a yellow bell pepper.

How To Make a Philly Cheesesteak Skillet

• First, make the dairy-free cheese sauce by adding chopped sweet potato and enough filtered water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender, then add the sweet potato to a high-speed blender with the coconut yogurt, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder. Blend until smooth, adding water as needed to loosen. Set aside.
• Next, saute the steak and veggies. Slice steak thinly into strips with a sharp knife and season generously with sea salt and pepper. Then, heat a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon olive oil, once shimmering add onion and peppers. Season generously with sea salt, and saute for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
• Then, remove the vegetables from the skillet, and add another tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet. Once shimmering again, add the sliced steak and stir with a wooden spoon to coat in the oil. Let cook until crispy, at least 2 minutes per side (the steak will release liquids, cook it beyond that as the liquids reabsorb).
• Add vegetables back into the skillet, and continue cooking together so the flavors can meld for 30 seconds more or until everything is cooked to your liking. Turn heat off and drizzle the cheese sauce over the Philly Cheesesteak Skillet, and serve hot.
• Store excess cheese sauce and any leftovers in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Variations

• Spice up your philly cheese steak skillet with some sliced jalapeno or serrano peppers, crushed red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper.
• Swap the steak for chicken, shrimp, or even portobello mushrooms!
• Add more veggies like squash, zucchini, or button mushrooms to make this dish even more filling.
• Try any of my dairy-free cheese sauces if you’re not a fan of sweet potato!
• Make it AIP-friendly without the nightshades and sub in sliced carrots and zucchini in place of the peppers.

More 30-Minute Recipes To Try

• Classic Chicken Cobb Salad
• Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa
• Instant Pot Greek Spaghetti
• Paleo Ground Chicken Taco Salad
• Egg Roll Skillet

This recipe was made in partnership with Grass Roots Coop. As always, I only recommend and partner with brands I trust and use myself.