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    You are here: Home / Sandwiches / Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

    LAST UPDATED: February 2, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: February 2, 2022

    Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These vegan Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are easy to make and even better than the real deal! Made with crispy pan-fried seitan, Italian long hot peppers and onions, smothered in dairy-free cheese sauce, they're loaded with flavor and packed with protein!

    Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich and a dish of ketchup on a wooden surface.

    I'm from Philadelphia, so this was bound to happen eventually. I mean, it does make me an expert on Philly cheesesteaks, right? I modeled these delectable vegan cheesesteaks after my favorite greasy sandwich from my favorite south Philly steak shop.

    Psych!

    I'm totally kidding. I've never even entered a south Philly steak shop, and I've never had a real Philly cheesesteak. But having lived in Philly I've been around the city's famous steak sandwiches enough to have a pretty good idea of what they're all about and I'm confident that I've created the best vegan Philly cheesesteak sandwiches out there.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You'll Need
    • How to Make Vegan Philly Cheesesteaks Sandwiches
    • Leftovers & Storage
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Vegan Hot Sandwich Recipes
    • Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

    Ingredients You'll Need

    • Vegetable oil. Pretty much any high-heat oil will do. You can use regular old vegetable oil, canola oil, corn or avocado oil.
    • Onion. As they say in Philly, these are cheesesteaks "wit." That means "with" as in with onions. Hey, don't look at me, like I said, I've never had a cheesesteak, so I certainly didn't invent the ordering lingo.
    • Long hot Italian peppers. Our vegan cheesesteaks are also wit hot peppers. Although I'm not sure if the whole wit thing carries over to peppers? Let's just say it does! Leave the peppers off if you're not into heat.
    • Garlic.
    • Seitan. You can buy seitan or make your own using my homemade seitan recipe. If you use my recipe, make the beef flavor for a vegan version of a traditional cheesesteak, or the chicken flavor for a vegan chicken cheesesteak. (Chicken cheesesteaks are indeed a thing.)
    • Soy sauce. Tamari or liquid aminos could be substituted if needed.
    • Paprika.
    • Salt & pepper.
    • Torpedo rolls. Torpedo rolls are basically long rolls. They might also be called steak rolls, hoagie rolls or sub rolls. Most supermarkets carry them in the bakery section. You can absolutely substitute another type of roll if you'd like.
    • Vegan cheese sauce. You can buy vegan cheese sauce (Daiya makes one), or make your own. I happen to have a few recipes for various vegan cheese sauces on this site! Choose from my cashew queso, nacho sweet potato cheese, or cauliflower nacho cheese.
    • Ketchup. I'm going to be totally frank here: I don't know if this is a normal cheesesteak topping. I asked my husband and he said "not for people with any taste." Hmmm. My family always put it on their steaks growing up and I happen to really like it on my vegan Philly cheesesteaks. Apparently there's some controversy around this topic. Do what you will.

    How to Make Vegan Philly Cheesesteaks Sandwiches

    The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!

    • Do your prep work first. Slice your onions and pepper thinly. Mince your garlic. Slice your seitan suuuuuper thin. Get the pieces as thin as you can. A mandoline slicer is a great tool to use!
    • Heat up your oil in a skillet then add onions and long hot peppers. Fry the onions and peppers for a few minutes until they begin to brown, but keep a close eye on them, as they can burn pretty quickly.
    • Add minced garlic to the pan and sauté it briefly.
    Sliced onion and long hot peppers cooking in a skillet.
    • Add your thinly sliced seitan to the skillet, along with soy sauce and paprika. Fry everything for a few minutes, until the seitan pieces start to crisp up around the edges.
    Seitan, onions and peppers sizzling in a skillet.
    • Stuff your vegan cheesesteak filling into sliced rolls and top it with vegan cheeses sauce and optionally ketchup.
    Table set with skillet, water glass, two halves of a Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich and dish of ketchup.

    Leftovers & Storage

    If you have leftover vegan Philly cheesesteak filling, it will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can these sandwiches be made gluten-free?

    Seitan is primarily composed of wheat gluten, so you'll need to find a substitute for it. Butler Soy Curls (soaked in some very flavorful broth) could work, or you can borrow the technique used in my vegan French dip sandwich recipe and use portobello mushrooms. You'll also need to use gluten-free rolls and gluten-free tamari in place of soy sauce.

    Are these sandwiches spicy?

    Italian long hots are pretty mild as far as hot peppers go, so they only add a slight kick. Feel free to leave them out for milder sandwiches.

    Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich with skillet in the background.

    More Vegan Hot Sandwich Recipes

    • Vegan Sloppy Joes
    • Vegan Po' Boy Sandwiches
    • Grilled Avocado Sandwich
    • Jackfruit Pulled Pork Sandwiches
    • Crispy Vegan Fish Fillet Sandwiches with Tartar Sauce

    Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!

    Two halves of a Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich with dish of ketchup in the background.
    4.91 from 10 votes
    Print

    Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

    These vegan Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are easy to make and even better than the real deal! Made with crispy pan-fried seitan, Italian long hot peppers and onions, smothered in dairy-free cheese sauce, they're loaded with flavor and packed with protein!

    Course Sandwich
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 7 minutes
    Total Time 17 minutes
    Servings 2
    Calories 480 kcal
    Author Alissa

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • ½ medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into strips
    • 1 Italian long hot pepper, sliced into thin strips
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1 (8 ounce or 226 gram) package seitan, thinly sliced
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • Salt & pepper, to taste
    • 2 torpedo sandwich rolls, sliced open
    • Vegan cheese sauce, as needed (try my nacho sweet potato cheese, cauliflower cheese, or cashew queso)
    • Ketchup (optional)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with oil and place it over medium-high heat. Add the onion and hot pepper.

    2. Sauté everything until the onions and peppers are slightly softened and browned in spots, about 3 minutes.

    3. Add the garlic and cook it with the onions and peppers for about 1 minute, until very fragrant.

    4. Add the seitan, paprika, and soy sauce. Continue to sauté until the seitan begins to crisp in spots, about 3 more minutes. Stir the mixture frequently to prevent burning.

    5. Divide the seitan mixture between sandwich rolls. Top with vegan cheese sauce, and ketchup if desired.

    6. Serve.

    Recipe Notes

    Nutrition information does not include cheese sauce, because it will vary depending on what variety of cheese sauce and how much you use.

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches
    Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich (without cheese))
    Calories 480 Calories from Fat 163
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 18.1g28%
    Saturated Fat 3.7g19%
    Sodium 1194mg50%
    Potassium 165mg5%
    Carbohydrates 56.1g19%
    Fiber 4.6g18%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 34.7g69%
    Calcium 102mg10%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Rich & Comforting Vegan Potato Leek Soup
    Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing »

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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Meredith @ Unexpectedly Magnificent says

      January 12, 2015 at 1:15 pm

      Hell to the yes. Philly represent! *high fives* :) These look mindblowingly delicious.

      Reply
    2. Cherylyn says

      January 12, 2015 at 9:44 pm

      4 stars
      Seitan is expensive to buy and not that tasty..compared to homemade. Its easy easy to make.
      This sandwich looks wonderful and will be dinner this weekend.

      Reply
    3. lisa kusel says

      February 04, 2015 at 9:29 am

      5 stars
      This dish was so amazingly tasty. We substituted the hot pepper with reg. green pepper. I served with a side of creamy (non-vegan) coleslaw. The cheese sauce went into burritos the next day and the rest I just ate with a spoon because it was so darn delish. I signed up for your newsletter because of this recipe. You are a goddess. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 04, 2015 at 8:55 pm

        Awesome!!! Green pepper sounds like a nice sub for a milder version. I'm so glad you enjoyed them. Thanks Lisa!

        Reply
    4. mila furman says

      October 10, 2015 at 12:19 pm

      OMG this is really incredible!!! I need to try this!!! Philly cheese steaks are just my EVERYTHING and I have been panicked to create a vegan version...super glad that now I will be able to!!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 12, 2015 at 11:07 am

        Yay! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

        Reply
    5. Karen says

      June 22, 2017 at 3:10 pm

      Do you have a recipe for the vegan sweet potato nacho cheese?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        June 25, 2017 at 9:38 pm

        Yup! It's linked in the recipe but the text blends in. I need to fix that! https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/thats-nacho-sweet-potato-cheese/

        Reply
    6. Danni says

      December 29, 2017 at 6:16 am

      5 stars
      Soooooooooooo delicious! I mean this was so good I felt guilty lol. Thank you so much, I e already have abt 10 recipes I'll be trying out :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 29, 2017 at 9:56 pm

        Yay!! I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks Danni!!

        Reply
    7. Matthew Combs says

      January 19, 2018 at 6:10 pm

      Do you have a recipe for homemade seitan?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 19, 2018 at 9:29 pm

        Yes I do have a recipe for homemade seitan. Thanks for asking - enjoy!
        https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/how-to-make-seitan/

        Reply
    8. Marilyn says

      January 25, 2018 at 3:56 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious, I love all of your recipes, keep them coming.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 25, 2018 at 8:56 pm

        Thank you! I absolutely will!!

        Reply
    9. Jenna says

      January 25, 2018 at 5:13 pm

      Being a Philadelphia native, I had to check this recipe out! It reminds me a bit of Govinda's, a little place on South Street where I got some very excellent vegetarian cheesesteaks circa 10 years ago. I LOVED them. This looks like it will make me equally happy. But I will probably swap the ketchup for something a little more similar to that strange, kind-of-ketchupy, sweetish tomato sauce found on traditional cheesesteaks. (Whenever family comes home to visit, I am REQUIRED to take them out for cheesesteaks, so I have gotten to know this funny little sauce rather well.)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 25, 2018 at 8:55 pm

        Oh wow! I've never had that sauce - I think I always just assumed it was ketchup! I never got around to trying a Govinda's cheesesteak either, but I always heard they were awesome. Sabrina's is the place I used to go and theirs is what I modeled this one after. :)

        Reply
    10. Jenna says

      January 25, 2018 at 5:15 pm

      And thank you for doing things up properly with a seeded roll :)
      *respect*

      Reply
    11. The Travel Bunny says

      January 25, 2018 at 5:50 pm

      5 stars
      This looks amazing! I'll have to try this. Yummy! Thanks for sharing it.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 25, 2018 at 8:51 pm

        Thank you!! I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    12. Maureen Cram says

      January 26, 2018 at 1:06 am

      5 stars
      Never having eaten anything like this but my US husband has, should the seitan be more beef flavoured or does it not matter as long as the seitan is in strips and crispy? I usually make a chick'n flavored seitan with poultry seasoning and nooch. Thanks for all your recipes - I share many of them to my South African vegan FB group.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 28, 2018 at 3:36 pm

        I use store-bought (WestSoy) or my basic homemade seitan recipe, which works for pretty much anything (as opposed to a beef flavored version). I think a version with poultry seasoning should be fine. :) I'd love to hear how it works out if you try it!

        Reply
    13. Johanna Werbach says

      February 02, 2018 at 5:59 pm

      5 stars
      Going to be trying these on Sunday as Super Bowl fare. Go EAGLES!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 04, 2018 at 4:11 pm

        These are perfect superbowl food!! Enjoy and go Eagles!!

        Reply
    14. Katie says

      February 04, 2018 at 9:20 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious! We used Poblano peppers which were just the right amount of heat. Everyone loved the nacho cheese sauce and my son didn't even know there was sweet potato in it. We'll definitely make this again!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 08, 2018 at 4:43 pm

        Oh...I bet this was awesome with poblanos! Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    15. Amy Carter says

      April 23, 2019 at 8:55 pm

      Whoa, whoa, wooa wonderful! The vegan cheese is amazing. Made it for my vegan daughter and she called it amazing. Thank you for a fantastic recipe that will be made again.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 28, 2019 at 6:12 pm

        Yay! I'm glad your daughter enjoyed it!

        Reply
    16. Marcia says

      November 30, 2019 at 6:41 pm

      5 stars
      Trying this cheesesteak recipe tonight, 2.5 years of eating mostly vegan and I do miss them. I love your queso r6 with sweet potato, I've told so many grieves about it, love your recipes, thank you!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 01, 2019 at 2:25 pm

        Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipes!

        Reply
    17. Lea says

      February 02, 2022 at 7:43 pm

      Hi Alissa, I can't wait to try this recipe!! It looks delicious. I've never had an "official "Philly Cheesesteak" before. That is back when I ate meat. I've had them but not from Philly. I've never tried it with hot peppers but will give it a try mixing a little bit of hot peppers with regular bell peppers (that's how I used to make them.) I've learned never to knock someone's taste even if it sounds strange. I wouldn't go for the ketchup but if I didn't add hot peppers or wanted more heat after they were cooked, I wouldn't hesitate to add a little hot sauce to dip the sandwich in. Thank you for this recipe. I'm going to pin it.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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