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.
Sherlock says
Hi! I made these a while ago and wanted to give you feedback. I thought they were a decent alternative to the real deal. Granted it didn't taste much like a cheese steak but I ate it all anyway. I had a whole bunch of mushrooms I needed to use up and this looked to be a good fit. Thanks for sharing.
Kiersten says
Thanks for the comment--I'm glad they turned out well!
Sas says
If you want it to taste more like cheese steak than add some A-1 and a little kitchen while frying up the vegetables.
Katrina says
Just made this tonight and everyone loved it!!!! Thank you for the great recipe...
Kiersten says
I'm glad to hear it was a hit! 🙂
Amanda says
I made these tonight- pretty yummy! Thanks for the recipe! I'm not much of a cook, only good at following recipes- I was wondering if maybe a few dashes of balsamic vinegar would give it an extra boost? Also, do you have any advice to offer on how to begin blogging full time?
Kiersten says
Sure, if you wanted to add balsamic vinegar, that would work. 🙂 As for your question about blogging full-time, it's hard to distill that into one short response. If you're looking to start a food blog, I recommend Kelly Senyei's Food Blogging for Dummies. And for blogging in general, ProBlogger is a good resource. There are several different ways to monetize a blog and it's just a matter of finding one that you're comfortable with and that's a fit for your audience & subject matter.
Amanda says
Thank you! 🙂
Julianne Louise says
I made these weeks ago without the red wine, as there was just no way I was going to manage to get my hands on any, and these sammiches were really good; myself and my family really enjoyed them. I made them tonight with some leftover Malbec and HOT DAMN, GIRL These are insane. That wine makes all the difference. I ate like half of it straight out of the pan.
Also I just wanted to note for anyone else that I feel like the method could be a little more streamlined. I got my peppers and onions in the pan then sliced up and cooked the mushrooms. They end up cooking simultaneously (esp if you're like me and want your onions caramelized). Saves a lot of time. JUST ME. Not trying to be critical <3
Kiersten says
THE WINE DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE! I tell people that all the time about cooking mushrooms--add red wine! It's like magic.
The first time I made these, I tried making all the veggies together and they ended up steaming because the skillet was just too crowded. Using two pans instead of one is definitely a good solution too--thanks for the suggestion! 🙂
shasta says
Yum! I made this tonight and it was a big hit! My husband was super impressed. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you!
Kiersten says
I'm so glad it was a hit--thanks for letting me know! 🙂
cathy says
Thanks for the great recipe (my family LOVES mushrooms!) and being an inspiration. Today is my first day being laid-off from work. This is an annual "event" for those of us who teach, but this summer may be an extended lay-off due to our company losing their contract with National Head Start. I've been talking about making lunches and selling them to businesses in the area (Paula Deen style). Thanks for the pep talk--or letter. I think I'll go for it!
Kiersten says
I'm so sorry to hear about your job, but if being laid off allows you the time you need to pursue your passion, then it's definitely for the best. (And incidentally, I just got back from Savannah and we stayed a few blocks away from Paula Deen's restaurant--I always think about how she started out too!) Good luck with your business!
Debbie says
Just made this and it is so good. Thanks
Kiersten says
I'm glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Amber says
Hi! My partner and I run a small cafe in Malaysia, and we've got a client requesting we carry only vegetarian dishes if possible. We're not too veggie-savvy, but this looks great, and we would love to add this to our menu if you're alright with it! Would we be able to cook the mushrooms and veggies in advance (we're not cooking on the premises), chill it to keep, and then do the last step of baking to reheat just before we serve?
Kiersten says
I've never made this with reheated veggies, so I can't answer for certain. I can't see why it wouldn't work out, although like anything, it would probably be better eaten right away.
Joanna says
Help! Fahrenheit or centigrade? 🙂
Kiersten says
It's fahrenheit.
Julia says
Would Balsamic vinegar be a nice substitute for the red wine
Kiersten says
I haven't made this with balsamic vinegar, so I can't say how it tastes, although I think someone else mentioned using it in the comments.
Gina says
This was phenomenal!! The only modification I made was adding a bit of soy sauce to the mushrooms. And, of course, I added a little salt, pepper and Italian seasoning for taste. But, it tasted incredible, and was so easy to make. I'll be making this again soon. Thanks so much for sharing such a winner! (I found your french toast recipe on here a couple months ago, and it was the best breakfast thing I ever tasted. You have the best food blog!)
Kiersten says
Thank you for the comment--I'm so glad both recipes were hits! 🙂
Leia says
If we never doubted ourselves, we wouldn't be successful. Self-doubt helps you dream bigger. Clearly you are not bogging yourself down in self-doubt! Your blog is amazing! Trying the cheesesteaks this week. ; )
Kiersten says
Thank you! 🙂 I do think a little bit of self-doubt can be healthy--when people think they're invincible, that's not exactly a good thing. I hope you like the cheesesteaks!
Sissy says
My husband and I made these last night while it was beginning to snow in Greensboro and they are sensational! Thank you for sharing the recipe. They brought back memories of a long ago summer in Philadelphia. We are looking forward to the leftovers tonight.
Kiersten Frase says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! We had soup while watching the snow fall here in Raleigh, which seemed very appropriate. I was a wee bit sad to watch it all melt away this afternoon.
Justin says
We tried these last night and they were much better than we had hoped. In fact, we loved them so much, we're actually going to make them again here in few days. I love simple/delicious. And that is definitely what you have here. Thanks for the recipe!
Kiersten Frase says
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe--thanks for your comment!
Leilani says
This sandwich was amazing. I am a lover of portabella mushrooms and cheesesteak sanwiches. What I'm thinking now about using steak in the original version is not even necessary. The meatiness of the mushrooms is all you need. Also, cooking in the wine is a great idea and adds so much flavor. Thanks for sharing.
Kiersten Frase says
Thank you for your comment--I'm glad you enjoyed the sandwiches!
Monica says
I made these last night and they were insane! So easy and so good. I made substitutions based on what I had on band....jarred roasted red peppers, smoked gouda...I also added crushed garlic and sliced pepperoncini to the onion sautê and balsamic vinegar to the mushrooms. While I don't think the vinegar made much of a difference, the pepperoncini added a nice texture and brightness.
Thank you for such an easy and impressive sandwich. Delicious!
Kiersten Frase says
I love the idea of adding smoked gouda - I have such a weakness for smoked cheese! 😀
Martyna says
Digesting these sandwiches at the moment and feeling the good after delicious dinner pleasure 🙂
I didn't use red wine or vinegar, and red pepper instead of green, but they still were very good - too bad there was no one today to share this food with.
Only one thing went wrong - I burned myself when I touched the corner of the oven when takung the sandwiches out, but IT WAS WORTH IT 😀
Kiersten Frase says
I am the QUEEN of burning myself on the oven, the stove, hot pans - pretty much anything! But I'm glad to hear the sandwiches were worth the pain. 🙂
Vanetta says
This is one of my favorite meatless meals to make! I pre-toast the bread with olive oil and garlic and add marinara sauce. Soooo delicious! Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Kiersten Frase says
I love the idea of adding marinara! 🙂
Terry says
I made these last night for dinner and the were wonderful!!! Thank you for the recipe.........love your website. We're trying to start eating less meat and I know I'll be back to your website often.
Kiersten Frase says
They're one of our favorites too - I'm glad you enjoyed them!
Taylor @ What Vegetarians Eat says
These look SO good! I'm going to try making them with vegan cheese. I haven't had sandwiches like these since before I went vegan and I'm long overdue!
Sabrina says
These were so good my cats were trying to steal them off of our plates...that hasn't happened since I stopped cooking meat almost a year ago. Thank you for such a great site, I've yet to try a recipe I don't like. You make being an aspiring vegetarian very easy and delicious!
Kiersten Frase says
Thank you! 🙂 I'm so glad you enjoyed them - they're one of my favorites too!
Regan says
I love these sandwiches! I love wrapping them in foil and baking them, it comes out so perfect! Thank you for sharing. Oh and I tried without wine, just don't do that! 😉
Jennifer says
These look really good and I'd like to try them. I'm not much of a wine drinker though, could you suggest what type of red wine to get for these?
Meagan says
Well we found out that hubby hates Portobello mushrooms lol, but I thought it was delicious!
Fatma Alici says
I realize this is an old post, but do you know of a fast, not messy way to remove gills?
Also, I prefer balsamic to red wine. But, I'm obsessed with it, so I'm sure I'm not objective.
Kiersten says
I just hold the mushrooms over the garbage can and use a spoon to scrape the gills right into the trash.