How to Make a Vegan Cheesesteak From the Chef Who Created It

An entirely vegan cheesesteak may seem like an oxymoron, but the owner of Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, Derrick Hayes, is bringing the unimaginable to the grill with the help of Slutty Vegan founder Pinky Cole. The duo's new Atlanta-based restaurant concept, 'Dinkies.' is the brainchild of Hayes and Cole, who are Atlanta legends in the worlds of cheesesteaks (Hayes) and vegan indulgences (Cole), so it makes sense that this is one epic sandwich.

Cole's Bar Vegan restaurant is situated in Ponce City Market, and Dinkies started to sell a vegan version of the Big Dave's cheesesteaks, and it took off. “Teaming up with Derrick of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks was a no-brainer,” Cole said in a statement. “At Dinkies customers get to experience authentic vegan Philly’s that taste great. We are excited to bring this fresh concept to the Atlanta market, with future plans to expand.”

Here, Hayes shares how to make the cheesesteak, so that anyone who can't visit Atlanta and go to Bar Vegan to sample the delectable vegan eats can make it at home. You can create it in your kitchen using Impossible meat or mushrooms if you want to keep it more plant-based.

Jermaine Dupri, music producer, a long-time vegan, and The Beet's own Creative Advisor, interviewed Hayes to learn exactly how to make the best vegan cheesesteak. Watch the video for extra tips. And if you're in the area, swing by Dinkies inside Bar Vegan at 675 Ponce De Leon Avenue to grab delicious meatless fare and refreshing drinks. For other great vegan or plant-based food in Atlanta, check out Dupri's guide to where to eat vegan here.

Here's how to make a vegan cheesesteak inspired by Dinkies' plant-based offerings.

Serves 1

Fast-food restaurants have finally got the memo that their customer base isn’t just coming through for a burger, fried chicken, or a beef taco. Many now have plant-based foods and are coming up with creative, delicious ways to get more greens on the menu. Here are the 6 best fast-food chains with plant-based options on the menu.

Turns out there’s a lot more to rely on than a salad if you’re eating plant-based. Burger King has the Impossible Whopper featuring a meatless patty as well as a few secretly vegan options such as the French Toast Sticks and Hashbrowns.

Known for its mini square-shaped sliders, this hamburger chain jumped on the plant-based bandwagon at some participating locations. You can find an Impossible Slider on some White Castle menus.

This was the first national Mexican fast-food chain to offer Beyond Meat at the company’s 580 restaurants across the country. Del Taco has the Beyond Avocado Taco on the menu along with the Epic Beyond Original Mex Burrito and Avocado Veggie Bowl.

Another brand synonymous with beef burgers, Carl’s Jr. offers several plant-based options for veggie and plant lover such as Beyond Famous Star Burger and Guacamole Thickburger.

This fast-food restaurant may have been one of the first you frequented while transitioning to plant-based eating. That’s because Taco Bell has eight million vegetarian combinations and sells 350 million vegetarian items a year through menu substitutions or ordering off their vegetarian menu. In fact, they were the first quick-service restaurant to offer American Vegetarian Association (AVA) certified food options.

From the time it started offering breakfast sandwiches in 2006, the coffee conglomerate became a competitor in the fast-food space. You can get your favorite hot and cold beverages made with almond, coconut or oat milk but there are also plant-based food options available such as the Baja Black Bean Veggie Wrap, bagel with vegan cream cheese and Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.