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Vegan tempeh reuben on a plate with vegan russian dressing and sauerkraut.
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Vegan Reuben (Tempeh Reuben)

Smokey, salty, creamy, delicious reuben sandwich. Easy to make and will satisfy any cravings you have for a big, meaty sandwich.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 sandwiches
Calories: 842kcal
Author: Maria

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce package of tempeh
  • Sauerkraut
  • 4 slices Rye bread
  • 2 slices Vegan Swiss cheese slices

Tempeh Marinade

  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke or smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or one teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce

Easy Russian Dressing

  • ½ cup vegan mayo
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon sweet relish
  • 1 teaspoon horseradish mustard optional
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Steam & Marinate tempeh

  • Cut the tempeh in half, then simmer it in a cup or two of vegetable broth or water, on the stove, for 15 minutes.
  • Mix the ingredients for tempeh marinade together and marinate the tempeh in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. Add the lid and shake it around a little bit to make sure each side gets the marinade. If you're short on time, marinate for 30 minutes.
    8 ounce package of tempeh, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce

Pan fry

  • Heat up a pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cut the marinated tempeh into slices. Sauté the tempeh until it's crispy and slightly golden brown on each side. When the tempeh has one minute left, add the vegan cheese slices on top of the tempeh to help them melt. Take out the tempeh when the cheese has started to melt.

Mix the dressing

  • Mix together the Russian dressing ingredients in a small bowl while the tempeh is pan frying.
    ½ cup vegan mayo, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon sweet relish, 1 teaspoon horseradish mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Put it together

  • Take the tempeh and melted cheese out of the frying pan but keep the heat on. Butter the rye bread slices, then add them to the frying pan until the bread turns crispy and golden brown. Flip and fry on the other side for one minute.
    4 slices Rye bread, 2 slices Vegan Swiss cheese slices
  • Slather french dressing on the toasted bread, then add the sauerkraut, tempeh and melted cheese.
    Sauerkraut

Video

Notes

If you don't have all the ingredients for the tempeh marinade, just use a ½ cup of soy sauce and 1 TBL of garlic powder. That will make a delicious and easy marinade.
Steam - Steam or simmer the tempeh before marinating to help get rid of its slightly bitter flavor. 
Marinate - Marinating over night will make the tempeh taste the best, but marinate for at least 30 minutes if you're short on time. 
Add on - Add dill pickles or caramelized onions if you want even more flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 842kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 2655mg | Potassium: 814mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 179IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 6mg