Makes 4 sandwiches
These vegan tempeh reubens come with a few warnings: you will end up covered in orange dressing, and some sauerkraut will fall on your cat’s head. If those things don’t happen, you’re eating it wrong.
This vegan tempeh reuben is the sandwich that converts people to the tempeh side. Tangy marinated tempeh and thin-sliced beets piled on caraway rye with sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and a homemade vegan Swiss cheese that tastes weirdly, improbably swissy. And it is so easy! I don’t know how I discovered this but truffle oil plus sauerkraut juice = a swissy flavor. If you can’t procure truffle oil, it won’t be as swissy but it would still be pretty good!
The beets are the move that makes this a vegan reuben and not just a tempeh sandwich. They bring a deep burgundy color and an earthy sweetness that, alongside the sauerkraut and the tangy marinade, gives the whole thing a corned-beefy Eastern European vibe. You’ll want to slice them as thin as you can…they marinate alongside the tempeh and soften in the pan.
The marinade is the key to the tempeh here. It’s acidic, salty, and fatty, which counteracts the bitterness that tempeh can have and brings out its meaty notes. Searing in cast iron seals the deal. If you’ve ever been on the fence about tempeh, this is the recipe that will change your mind.
If you don’t want to make the Swizz Cheese, sliced avocado works really well. That’s how we did it in the nineties and we loved it. Or just use your favorite store-bought vegan cheese.
This recipe is originally from I Can Cook Vegan. It’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, game day, or any time you want a deli sandwich that makes you feel accomplished.
Vegan Reuben FAQ
Can I make the tempeh ahead of time? You can marinate it the night before, but it really shouldn’t be marinated more than two hours or it will get too salty. So remove from the marinade and wrap it up if marinating ahead.
Can I make the Swizz Cheese ahead? Yes. It keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. It thickens as it chills — warm it gently or let it come to room temperature before using.
Do I need truffle oil for the cheese? It’s what gives it that Swiss-y flavor. Without it the cheese will still be creamy, tangy, savory, but it won’t taste quite as Swiss. Worth picking up a small bottle. However, lots of people make it without and report back that it’s still yummy!
What if I don’t like tempeh? You could use marinated and seared tofu or seitan slabs. You could also try it with the seitan steak, no marinade needed.
Can I use store-bought vegan cheese instead? Of course. Or sliced avocado. Both work great.
What kind of rye bread should I use? Caraway rye is traditional for a reuben. Look for a good bakery loaf if you can. The caraway seeds really make a difference. If you can find marble rye, all the better.
Can I use canned beets? Fresh is better here because they hold up in the pan and have better texture. Canned beets are softer and may fall apart during cooking. But people have reported back that canned works well enough, just different.
Is this vegan reuben good for St. Patrick’s Day? It’s basically the vegan answer to a corned beef reuben, so yes. Pair it with a stout.
Tempeh Beet Reubens
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut reserve liquid if making Swizz Cheese
For the Tempeh:
- 1 lb tempeh cut into four equal pieces, then cut through the middle so that you have eight thin squares
- 1 medium beet peeled, sliced as thin as you can get it
For the Marinade:
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- Several sprinkles of fresh pepper
For the Swizz Cheese:
- 1 1/2 cups unroasted cashews if you don’t have a VitaMix blender then soak the cashews in water overnight or boil for 20 minutes and drain
- 3/4 cup sauerkraut juice
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons mellow white miso
- 1 tablespoon black truffle oil
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil melted
For the Dressing:
- 1/3 cup vegan mayo
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup dill pickles finely chopped
To cook and serve:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 slices large caraway rye bread
- Dill pickle slices for garnish garnish with pickles on toothpicks
Instructions
Marinade the tempeh:
- Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a large mixing bowl. Add the tempeh and beets and marinate for at least an hour, turning occasionally.
If you’re making the cheese:
- Place all cheese ingredients in a high speed blender then blend away until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula to make sure you get everything. Chill until ready to use.
Make the dressing:
- Mix all the dressing ingredients in a mug. Set aside.
Now we are ready to rock!
- Preheat a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add oil to pan. Use a slotted spoon to transfer tempeh and beets out of marinade and into the pan, shaking off excess marinade. Place in a relatively single layer.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, using a thin metal spatula to turn often. When beets are softened and tempeh is browned, it’s ready!
- Toast bread and spread dressing on all slices. Top with tempeh and beets. If using, pour on a few tablespoons of Swizz Cheese. Add sauerkraut. Close sandwich. Spike with dill pickled toothpicks and serve.
I made this recipe last night and really enjoyed the entire process. I also drank a full bottle of wine whilst cooking and eating so let me just put this out there, I mean it when I say…DELICIOUS.
SO freakin’ good!
I have been ordering these out whenever I see them on a menu, so much better to make these at home. TY for the recipe!
The texture, the rye with the kraut and dressing, yes.
This is the best recipe! I love the dressing, skipped the swiss cheese, and wondering if next time I can bake the tempeh and that would get it crispier.
I’ve used this recipe numerous times and this is THE most delicious sandwich! I especially enjoyed the Swizz Cheese sauce! (In fact, I will sometimes make this cheese sauce for other purposes in different recipes.) I have even used this recipe with tofu instead of tempeh, or a combination of both-it’s pretty versatile. Always fantastic!
We love this recipe. The frying takes more time and attention than we usually have, so we bake the tempeh and beets on a sheet pan with pretty good results.
Maybe it’s just because I’ve been vegan for 17 years, but I grew up in Wisconsin and ate a ton of cheese, and this actually somehow tastes like real swiss?! At least my memories of it. Almost cried at the check-out because I ran out of olive oil and apple cider vinegar at the same time, and that $20 bottle of Truffle oil almost bankrupted me, but it was super worth it. Every ppk recipe I made, even in the early 2010s when I didn’t know how to cook, was good, so I trusted this one, too. The cheese does get sort of hard and crumbly in the fridge, kind of like an aged cheese spread. Also, I used unrefined coconut oil, and the taste *almost* disappears, and also had to use about 1/8 cup kimchi juice because my sauerkraut juice ran out, and that blended right in. I did try tomato paste (which i always have) instead of ketchup (which i never have) in the sauce, and i think just 1t would have been enough. I had closer to 2 teaspoons, which was too potent, and I had to add some mustard to make it taste not like pizza.