Hearty vegan Philly cheesesteak — the classic sandwich — made with portobello mushrooms, seitan, and vegan cheese, definitely rivals the original recipe.
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.
Storebought 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.
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.
Photos originally ran on VegKitchen.com
Portobello & Seitan Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Hearty vegan Philly cheesesteak — the classic sandwich — made with portobello mushrooms, seitan, and vegan cheese, definitely rivals the original recipe.
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
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until golden.
- 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.
- Stir in the mozzarella and cook just until it starts to melt.
- 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
If you like this hearty veganized sandwich, you might also enjoy …
Triple BBQ Jackfruit & Pulled Protein Sandwiches
Here are more vegan sandwiches & wraps, and more ways to veganize classic recipes.
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