Vegan Philly Cheesesteak (Mushroom)

❤️ Why you’ll love it

I absolutely love how the oyster mushrooms in this recipe take on a meaty texture, thanks to the marinating and pan-frying process. They are the perfect vegan alternative to the traditional beef used in Philly cheesesteaks.

Ingredients like Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar in the marinade infuse the mushrooms with a rich, savory flavor and help them develop a delicious, crispy exterior when fried.

Plus, the cooking method is so simple, making it an easy recipe to master. Sautéing the mushrooms after marinating them locks in all the flavors and helps achieve that perfect crispy texture that is essential for a good Philly cheesesteak. It’s a straightforward process that yields delicious results.

🧾 Key ingredients

This vegan Philly cheesesteak is a delicious, plant-based twist on the classic sandwich. The best part is that you can easily find all of these ingredients at your local grocery store.

Oyster mushrooms are the star of this dish and for a good reason. When sliced and cooked, they have a meaty texture that is similar to traditional beef steak. Make sure to use pearl oyster mushrooms for this recipe and not king oysters,

Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar infuse the mushrooms with a savory, umami flavor. They help to mimic the richness of traditional cheesesteak filling.

Vegan provolone cheese is the perfect finishing touch for this sandwich. It adds a creamy, gooey element that pairs perfectly with the hearty mushrooms and onions.

Onions are a must for any Philly cheesesteak, vegan or not. They add a sweet and savory flavor that complements the other ingredients beautifully.

🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

🥘 Equipment

To make the best vegan Philly cheesesteak, the most crucial piece of equipment you will need is a good quality non-stick frying pan or skillet. This will be used to sauté both the onions and the marinated oyster mushrooms.

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Preparing the ingredients

STEP 1
Begin by preparing the oyster mushrooms. Trim off the end of the stem and then tear both the caps and stem into shreds using your hands.

STEP 2
Next, prepare the marinade for the mushrooms. In a bowl, combine olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or tamari, balsamic vinegar, oregano, cumin, paprika powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix this marinade with the oyster mushrooms and set it aside for five to ten minutes.

STEP 3
While the mushrooms are marinating, peel and finely chop an onion.

Making the vegan Philly cheesesteak

STEP 1
Heat a non-stick frying pan or skillet to medium heat and olive oil. Sauté chopped onion for five to eight minutes, or until it becomes golden brown, soft, and tender. Once done, remove it from the pan and set it aside on a separate plate.

STEP 2
Using the same skillet, heat it to high heat. Add the marinated oyster mushrooms in one layer. It is essential to work in batches if you plan to make more servings. Stir the mushrooms with a spatula and fry them until they are crispy. This should take about ten to fifteen minutes. If the mushrooms feel too dry, add a dash of olive oil.

STEP 3
Once the oyster mushrooms are crispy, it is time to assemble. Divide the mushrooms and the sautéed onions by the number of servings. Add one serving to each side of the skillet.

STEP 4
Place two to four slices of vegan cheese on top of the mushrooms and onions. Cover the skillet with a lid and allow the cheese to melt.

STEP 5
While the cheese is melting, prepare the bread. Cut the bread loaf in half and toast it if desired.

STEP 6
Once the cheese has melted, use a slotted turner to transfer the mushrooms, onions, and melted cheese onto the bread. Your vegan Philly cheesesteak sandwich is now ready to enjoy!

💡 Expert tip

The key to achieving the perfect, meaty texture is to fry the marinated oyster mushrooms on high heat. This process will ensure mushrooms become crispy, resembling the traditional beefsteak used in a classic Philly cheesesteak. Low or medium heat will release their liquid, and they will end up soft instead of crispy.

🔄 Variations

Add a spicy twist with jalapenos or pepperoncini. These hot peppers will bring a fiery kick to your vegan Philly cheesesteak.

Incorporate a variety of textures with crispy fried onions or vegan bacon bits. This will give your sandwich a satisfying crunch and a smoky flavor that contrasts nicely with the tender oyster mushrooms and onions.

Turn it into a vegan cheesesteak BLT by adding tomato and lettuce. This will bring a fresh, crisp element to your sandwich and make it even more reminiscent of a classic BLT.

If you like your food with extra sauce, consider adding a drizzle of vegan nacho cheese sauce or any other vegan cheese sauce you like.

🥣 Serving ideas

These vegan Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are a delicious and satisfying meal on their own. They are a perfect choice for lunch or dinner.

I love serving them with some crispy French fries or onion rings on the side. The combination of the savory sandwich and the crunchy, salty fries is always a hit.

If you prefer a lighter option, you can serve them with a side of chips or nachos. They are perfect for dipping into some salsa or guacamole.

For a fresh and healthy option, consider serving them with a vegan coleslaw salad or a classic garden salad. The crisp vegetables and tangy dressing are a great contrast to the rich, savory flavors of the sandwich.

❄️ Storing tips

Storing and reheating this vegan Philly cheesesteak is easy.

You can store pan-fried oyster mushrooms in an airtight container in a fridge for 3-4 days without any problem. Mushrooms may lose their crispiness as time goes by or dry out. I recommend eating them sooner rather than later.

I do not recommend freezing this dish. The texture of the mushrooms and seitan can become spongy and less appetizing after thawing, so it is best to enjoy this dish fresh or store it in the refrigerator for a few days.

To reheat, you can reheat the components of the dish separately in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Then, you can assemble the sandwiches and toast them in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese and toast the bread.

🤔 FAQs

More oyster mushroom recipes

You can choose from more than 30 oyster mushroom recipes from all over the world so you can pick the perfect one to try first or check out one of the these below

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Perfect Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

Nandor Barta

This vegan Philly cheesesteak recipe features pan-fried shredded oyster mushrooms. They have a perfect beefy texture and a delicious meaty flavor that will make you forget you are not eating beef.

4 from 34 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 4 servings

Calories 267kcal

Equipment

• Non-stick frying pan (10.5 inch / 26 cm)
• Slotted turner

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Vegan sliced beefsteak

• ▢ 10 oz Oyster mushrooms not king oyster, but pearl oysters
• ▢ 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce vegan and GF
• ▢ 1 tsp Soy sauce or tamari
• ▢ ¼ tsp Balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 4 Tbsp Olive oil
• ▢ 1 tsp Onion powder
• ▢ 1 tsp Garlic powder
• ▢ ½ tsp Sweet smoked paprika powder
• ▢ 1 tsp Oregano
• ▢ ½ tsp Ground cumin seeds
• ▢ ½ tsp Salt
• ▢ ⅛ tsp Black pepper

Other ingredients

• ▢ 3-4 oz Vegan Provolone cheese we used Violife
• ▢ 1 Onion (medium)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp Olive oil

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Instructions

 

Marinate oyster mushrooms

• Take your pearl oyster mushrooms. Cut the end of the stem off. Tear both caps and stem with your hand into shreds.
• Take a bowl and make the marinade by mixing olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or tamari, balsamic vinegar, oregano, cumin, paprika powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix this marinade with the oyster mushrooms. Leave it for 5-10 minutes.

Sautee onion

• Peel and finely chop onion.
• Take a non-stick frying pan or skillet. Heat it to medium and add 1 Tbsp olive oil.
• Sautee onion on medium heat for 5-8 minutes until golden brown, soft and tender. Take it off the heat and place them on a separate plate.

Sautee oyster mushrooms

• Take the same skillet you used before for sauteeing the chopped onion and heat it to high heat. Add the marinated oyster mushrooms in one layer (work in batches if you plan to make more servings). The amount in the recipe card is for 4 bread loaves, so we made them in two batches.
• Stir with a spatula and fry the shredded oyster mushrooms until nice and crispy. It took us about 10-15 minutes tops. Add a dash of (1 tsp) olive oil if the oyster mushroom feels too dry.
• Alternatively, you can bake them as we did in our vegan gyros recipe. Place parchment paper in a sheet pan. Spread the shredded oyster mushrooms, preferably in one layer. Preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius) and bake them for 20-40 minutes or until crispy on the edges. Watch how it progresses, and occasionally flip to ensure all sides are nicely baked and crispy. Depending on the size of the shreds, they may already be ready after 20 minutes.

Assemble your vegan cheesesteak

• Divide the mushrooms and the onions by the number of servings. Add 1-1 serving to each side of the skillet.
• Place 2-4 slices of vegan cheese on top and cover it with a lid.
• When the cheese has melted, cut the bread loaf in half (toasted even) and use a slotted turner to flip it over. Your vegan Philly Cheesesteak sandwich is ready. Enjoy!

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Notes

Top tips to make Perfect Vegan Cheesesteak

• Use high heat – You need to fry the oyster mushroom shreds on high heat otherwise the liquid they release will not evaporate. In that case, the mushrooms will be cooked rather than fried. They will turn out soft, but not crispy. In our experience, oyster mushrooms release less moisture than button mushrooms, but still, high heat is what you need in this recipe.
• Adjust the amount of olive oil – It is enough to marinate the mushroom shreds for 5-10 minutes. If you want to or need to marinate longer (like overnight), and the mushroom feels too dry, it means that probably all juices have been soaked up. You need to add a dash of olive oil to the skillet before frying to make sure it will not only get crisp but cooked as well.
• Don’t fry together onions and mushrooms – Onion needs medium heat as they will burn on high heat, while mushrooms need high heat to get them crispy. You can use the same skillet though as they can soak up each other’s juices.
• Take into account the size of your loaf – When you decide on the size of the serving, take into account the size of your loaf. We form these mushroom-onion hills in the skillet based on how long our hoagie roll is.
• Melt more cheese on top – To make it even more decadent, add some shredded vegan cheese on top of your sandwich and place it under the broiler to melt it. So yummy! Like a double cheese cheesesteak. 🙂

Video

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Perfect Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

Amount Per Serving (1 serving without bread)

Calories 267 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Sodium 977mg42%

Potassium 377mg11%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 170IU3%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 39mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.