Portabello Mushroom Sandwich with Tempeh Bacon

The best vegan club sandwich! A portabello mushroom sandwich layered with avocado, tempeh bacon and juicy ripe tomatoes.

this Recipe

I love a good vegetarian sandwich– but I want an option that is hearty and packed with plant-based protein. No sad roasted vegetable sandwiches here!

If you love my smoky tofu sandwich, then you’ll like this portobello mushroom sandwich made with homemade tempeh bacon, juicy tomatoes, avocado, and crisp butter lettuce. It’s like my tempeh bacon BLT but with added juicy grilled portobello mushrooms and avocado.

See below for more details, or scroll down to the full recipe!

Ingredient Notes

• Tempeh Bacon: I love the addition of tempeh bacon in this portobello mushroom sandwich for additional protein and fiber. I make my own tempeh bacon, but you can also use store-bought tempeh bacon. Lightlife makes a good one!
• Portobello Mushrooms: When cooked correctly, portobello mushrooms are not watery but incredibly meaty—no soggy mushrooms here! The trick is to remove as much moisture as possible; I use a smash burger press to smash down the mushroom as it cooks. Other mushrooms really won’t work the same in this recipe, but you could do button or baby portobello mushrooms in a pinch. They are smaller, so you can cook them the same way and then just layer them on the sandwich.
• Bread: Since it’s 3 slices of bread per sandwich, I like to slice the bread in half horizontally so it’s thinner. You can use a thin sandwich bread or whatever bread you’d like.
• Mayo: You can use any kind of mayo that you’d like in this recipe. For a vegan version, I’d recommend using an egg-free mayo. Just Mayo and Veganaise are my favorites, but any brand will work.
• Avocado: I love the addition of creamy avocado in this portobello mushroom sandwich. It pairs well with the texture of the juicy tomato and crisp lettuce. I don’t recommend skipping it!

How to Make This Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Marinate the Tempeh

If making the tempeh bacon, marinate the tempeh in the marinade then pan fry until crispy and golden brown on both sides.

Make the Mushrooms

Remove the gills and stems from the portobello mushrooms and season both sides with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms to a seasoned skillet and let them sear on both sides. Then, press down the mushrooms with a heavy object so that they release their water and become very meaty and tender. 

Assemble the Sandwich

Toast the bread, then add the mayo and avocado

Add the tomatoes

Add the mushrooms

Add another toasted slice of bread with mayo on the tomatoes, then the cooked mushroom

Add the bacon

Add the bacon on top of the mushrooms. Finish with the lettuce and another slice of toasted bread with mayo.

Tips for Success

As this portobello mushroom sandwich recipe is so simple, it really relies on a a few of the ingredients– meaty portobello mushrooms and the crispy tempeh bacon.

If you’ve had soggy mushrooms before, then you know how off-putting they can be. That’s why the key is going to season the mushrooms liberally and sear in a skillet on both sides. Then, add on a heavy object (I use this burger press) to release as much moisture as possible. If you don’t have a heavy object, a smaller, heavier skillet will also work.

More Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes

• Curry Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Avocado Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Vegetarian Beet Reuben Sandwich
• Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich

If you try this portobello mushroom sandwich recipe, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!