Both meat-eaters and vegetarians will love these Portobello Mushroom Cheesesteaks! They're juicy, flavorful, and easy to whip together for lunch or dinner with guests.
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Mushrooms (especially portobellos!) are often used as a substitute for meat, not just for their texture, but for their umami flavor. Umami is one of the five basic tastes—it's a savory flavor, one that can be found in cured meats, cheeses, and soy sauce.
The best way to really bring out the umami in mushrooms is to cook them in a little red wine. It adds a depth of flavor that you just can't get with butter or oil alone. So if you make this recipe, don't skip the wine!
This Portobello Mushroom Cheesesteaks recipe is...
- Easy to make
- Absolutely delicious
- Great for meat-eaters and vegetarians
- Full of umami flavor
- A great meat substitute
- Perfect for lunch or dinner
While you're here, be sure to grab our FREE 5-Day Meatless Meal Plan. It's packed with tasty recipes to make vegetarian cooking easy and delicious!
How to Make Portobello Mushroom Cheesesteaks
- Cook mushrooms in oiled skillet until softened.
- Add wine and continue to cook until liquid has evaporated.
- Preheat oven to 250°F.
- Cook green pepper and onions in skillet.
- Reduce heat and add mushrooms. Season and top with cheese.
- Cook until cheese has melted, then remove from stove.
- Stuff sub rolls with veggie mixture.
- Wrap each sandwich in foil and bake for 15 minutes.
Full directions for how to make Portobello Mushroom Cheesesteaks are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Tips & Tricks for Portobello Mushroom Cheesesteaks
Remove Gills
When you're slicing your mushrooms, you can also remove the gills. This isn't a necessary step, but some people prefer not to eat mushroom gills. They do sometimes tend to discolor the bread and onions, but they are perfectly fine to eat. It simply depends on your preference!
Wipe Skillet
Make sure to wipe your skillet between cooking the mushrooms and the other veggies. You don't need to worry about getting your skillet sparkling clean, but it will help your veggies cook better if they start in a fairly clean skillet.
Variations to Portobello Mushroom Cheesesteaks
Vegan
You can easily make these mushroom cheesesteaks vegan! Simply swap out the cheese for a vegan option like Daiya.
Wine-Free
If you're not big into alcohol or you don't have any on hand, don't worry—you can still make these mushroom cheesesteaks. Simply use the same amount of red grape juice in place of the wine. You'll also want to add in a splash of vinegar to keep your mushrooms from getting too sweet!
Swap Mushrooms
Don't have any portobellos around? Or maybe you're just not a bit portobello fan? Either way, you can easily swap the portobello mushrooms in this recipe for any other kind of mushroom.
Shiitakes, Baby Bellas, and Crimni are all viable options. Just keep in mind that the type of mushrooms you use will affect the texture of your cheesesteaks a bit. This guide to mushrooms can help you choose the best mushroom substitute!
Stir-Fry
If you don't want to serve your mushroom and veggie mixture in sub sandwiches, that's totally fine! The mixture makes for a great stir-fry on its own, in fact. Serve it with some rice instead for a nice Asian-inspired twist.
Portobello Mushroom Cheesesteak FAQs
What is a cheesesteak?
With roots in Philadelphia—aka "Philly"—Pennsylvania, cheesesteaks are sub sandwiches make with slices of beef and onions covered in melted cheese. This version substitutes juicy mushrooms for the beef, and tastes just as good!
How should I store my cheesesteak subs?
These cheesesteak subs are pretty messy. They're best served immediately—in all their drippy, melty deliciousness! If you really must, you can store these subs in the fridge for up to 5 days.
However, if you have to store these subs for any length of time, separate the filling from the bread and store them separately for best results. Otherwise, you'll have cold, soggy bread.
How can I meal prep these mushroom sandwiches?
The best way to meal prep your portobello sandwiches would be to make the filling, but skip the baking. Don't put the filling into the subs, either—they'll just get soggy!
Simply prep your sandwiches, but store them separately from the filling. The veggie filling mixture will store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days before baking.
When you're ready to have a sandwich, simply add the filling to the roll, wrap in foil, and bake as directed. And voila—your mushroom sub is ready to eat!
More Mushroom Recipes
- Pizza Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
- Baked Gnocchi with Tomatoes, Mushrooms, and Kale
- Kale Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
If you're on your way to a more plant based lifestyle, be sure to check out our Veggie Kickstart Kit. It's packed with easy and tasty vegetarian dinners, effortless packable lunches, and easy grab-and-go breakfasts. And they’re so good - you’ll never miss the meat again!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 extra-large portobello mushrooms thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp red wine
- 1 small green pepper thinly sliced
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 slices provolone cheese or mozzarella
- 4 sub rolls sliced lengthwise—don't completely cut the top from the bottom, though!
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook 3–4 minutes, or until softened and browned.
- Add wine and increase heat to high. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 2–3 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
- Preheat oven to 250°F.
- Carefully wipe skillet clean. Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add green pepper and onions; cook until softened, about 5–8 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Return mushrooms to skillet and stir to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Top vegetable mixture with cheese slices. Once cheese has melted, remove from heat.
- Divide veggie mixture into sub rolls. Wrap each cheesesteak tightly with foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and unwrap carefully.
Cheri says
Add A1 and horseradish!
Mary says
This was amazing
My boys wanted chicken so I added
Thinly sliced chicken breasts
First I thinly sliced all the veggies
Then I thinly sliced the chicken breast
And let it soak in red wine vinegar-amazing!
Sara says
A1 is great, but I use Worchestershire when I cook the mushrooms right at the end, after the sherry!
Adrianna says
These were fantastic! I did remove the gills. And I added some white button to the mix. Also used seasoned salt. I would make these again and again. Thanks for the recipe!
Cindy says
5 stars- delish! Satisfied craving for the real thing- my whole family gave this a thumbs up!
Victoria says
Great sandwich recipe