Portobello & Seitan Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Here’s a hearty vegan Philly cheesesteak sandwich recipe that’s made with portobello mushrooms, seitan, and vegan cheese. It’s a contemporary classic that’s kinder than the original and is full of flavor and umami!

Some variations of vegan cheesesteak sandwiches use seitan, while others use portobello mushrooms. Combining the two is a perfect way to make this vegan version of a hefty classic sandwich even better — a great blend of meatiness and umami.

Store-bought or homemade seitan

Prepared seitan is easy to find in natural foods stores and some supermarkets; if you have the DIY spirit, you can try making your own with this Easy Homemade Seitan Recipe. Also, see our Guide to Seitan featuring lots more hearty seitan recipes.

These vegan Philly cheesesteak sandwiches make a quick dinner served with a simple salad. Try these variations:

• Use plant-based steak-style strips in place of seitan
• Use firm vegan burgers, cut into strips, in place of seitan
• Use cremini (aka baby bella) mushrooms in place of portobellos
• Swap vegan pepperjack shreds in for mozzarella for a bit more kick.
• Make these into wraps instead of heroes for a less bread-y effect

Recipe from Vegan on a Budget by Nava Atlas. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

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• 10 Hearty “Meaty” Sandwiches
• Vegan Hero Sandwiches with Fresh Herb Mayonnaise
• Vegan Reuben Sandwich
• Triple BBQ Jackfruit & Pulled Protein Sandwiches

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Yield: 3 to 4

Portobello & Seitan Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

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Hearty vegan Philly cheesesteak — the classic sandwich — made with portobello mushrooms, seitan, and vegan cheese, definitely rivals the original recipe.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 medium bell pepper, any color, cut into strips
• 8 ounces seitan (packaged or homemade), cut into strips
• 2 portobello mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and cut into strips
• 1 1/2 cups vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
• 4 hero rolls (preferably whole grain)
• Sriracha or other hot sauce, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until golden.
2. Add the bell pepper, seitan, and mushrooms. Turn the heat up to medium-high and sauté until everything is sizzling hot and touched with light brown spots here and there, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Stir in the mozzarella and cook just until it starts to melt.
4. Divide the filling among the hero rolls (you can hollow them out a bit if you’d like, so that more of the filling can go in). This will fill 3 or 4 hero rolls, depending on size. Cut each sandwich in half and serve at once, passing around your favorite hot seasoning.

Notes

Try these variations:

• Use plant-based steak-style strips in place of seitan
• Use cremini (aka baby bella) mushrooms in place of portobellos
• Swap vegan pepperjack shreds in for mozzarella for a bit more kick.
• Make these into wraps instead of heroes for a less bread-y effect

Here are more vegan sandwiches & wraps and more ways to veganize classic recipes.