Reuben Sandwich Recipe | A Vegan Twist on a Classic Reuben Sandwich

    By
    Ann Gentry
    -
    vegan reuben sandwich
    Shutterstock.com

    A Reuben sandwich is a classic American hot sandwich made with corned beef, Russian dressing, sauerkraut, and cheese. In this vegan Reuben sandwich recipe, we use vegan-friendly ingredients that make this classic just as comforting and tasty as the original.

    While tempeh will never have the same texture or flavor as corned beef, it’s a hearty enough filling to make for a proper substitute that’s also vegan-friendly. Russian dressing, which is essentially a mixture of mayonnaise and ketchup, is also easily swapped out in favor of vegan thousand island dressing.

    We keep this sandwich warm and comforting by grilling the sandwich just like a classic Reuben sandwich but use a vegan provolone instead of the typical Swiss cheese. The provolone is not only vegan-friendly but also adds the gooey quality of melted cheese in a Reuben sandwich.

    To make this Reuben sandwich as authentic as possible, it’s important to use good sauerkraut. You’ll also want to make sure the sauerkraut is drained well so that the bread does not become soggy in this sandwich. This Reuben sandwich recipe is best enjoyed when it’s consumed immediately after preparing.

    Summary
    Cook time: 10 minutes
    Prep time: 10 minutes
    Idle time:
    Level
    Servings:
    Unit:

    Ingredients

    Instructions

    1. Spread 2 tablespoons of the thousand island dressing on one side of 6 slices of bread.
    2. Place 1 slice of broiled tempeh atop each. Top tempeh with sauerkraut, dividing equally. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the sauerkraut.
    3. Place provolone cheese slice over one side of the remaining 6 slices of bread. Place 1 slice of bread, cheese side down, atop each sandwich.
    4. Lightly brush the oil over both sides of each sandwich. Heat a large, heavy griddle over medium-high heat.
    5. Grill the sandwiches for 3 minutes on each side, or until they are heated through and golden brown. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.

    Additional information

    Updated by Beeta Hashempour on 5/31/2018

    Ann Gentry
    Ann Gentry, host of Naturally Delicious, has spent the past 20 years raising the standard of vegetarian cooking. As a chef, restaurateur, food educator and visionary, she has succeeded in combining macrobiotic food preparation with the richness of her southern upbringing to create a gourmet vegetarian cuisine even meat lovers covet.As the executive chef of Vegetarian Times magazine, Ann creates original vegetarian recipes and contributes articles on healthy eating and living. Ann also writes her own bimonthly column about food and children for the British magazine Junior: The World’s Finest Parenting Magazine.Ann is the creator, founder and operating owner of Real Food Daily, the only restaurant in the Los Angeles area that serves a 100 percent vegetarian menu using foods grown exclusively with organic farming methods. Bon Appetit magazine wrote that “Ann Gentry, the creator of Real Food Daily, has taken two different California trends — vegetarian foods, and the organic seasonal cooking popularized by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse — and come up with a cuisine that is as interesting and delicious as it is healthful.” With two California locations, in Santa Monica and West Hollywood, Real Food Daily has “developed a loyal following.” Its patrons range from the someday to the everyday vegetarian, to celebrities, to trendsetting young eaters with sophisticated palates or the mature diner seeking gourmet, health-supportive cuisine. Ann’s first cookbook, “The Real Food Daily Cookbook,” published by Ten Speed Press, is available for purchase on her website www.realfood.com and at bookstores. As the spokesperson for SOYJOY, an all-natural nutrition bar made with whole soy, Ann has appeared on many radio and television shows as well as various food lifestyle shows promoting a healthy lifestyle. She has also been a guest chef at Canyon Ranch, Pritikin Longevity Center, Robert Mondavi Wine Center, L.A. Times Festival of Books, the Environmental Media Awards, North American Vegetarian Society and Central Market. In the spring of 2008, Ann will be a featured guest chef on a Caribbean cruise ship, in the program “A Taste of Health” on Holistic Holiday at Sea. Ann lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Robert Jacobs, and their two vegetarian children, Halle and Walker.