This is a super satisfying tempeh Reuben sandwich recipe. The beautiful Reuben, one of my favorite sandwiches, contains sauerkraut. That alone would qualify this sandwich as healthy especially if you use the live version. Add the soy tempeh and top it with homemade mayonnaise instead of cheese.
You can even add a pinch of chipotle and some capers or chopped pickles to the mayo to mimic the effect of the traditional Thousand Island dressing.
Tempeh Reuben Sandwich
Podcast: Gut Bacteria May Cause and Fight Disease, Obesity.
NPR All Things Considered
Sauerkraut, you may know, can be a live food – one that influences the bacteria in your gut. This has become a hot topic recently including this podcast (above), Gut Bacteria May Cause and Fight Disease, Obesity.
Probiotics should be consumed to enhance the beneficial bacteria in your digestive system, which helps create a healthy environment in your gut. Thus, offering a boost in the way you absorb and assimilate the nutrients you consume.
Have a Look at these plant-based lunches:
- Tofu Eggless Salad Sandwich
- Tempeh Salad Sandwich
- Pita Falafel Sandwich with Tahini Sauce
- Roasted Tomato Pepper Bisque
- Hearty Lentil Soup
Truly raw, live, and organic sauerkraut that is low in sodium can be pretty pricey, selling at $10-15 a jar. For the same price, you can make several batches of your own, which can last you an entire season. You can also have fun with the variations, adding beets, carrots, seaweed, juniper berries, coriander seeds, etc.
If you don’t mind eating tempeh straight from the package for this plant-based Reuben sandwich, you can use it that way. Otherwise, if you find tempeh to be too bitter straight out of the package, steaming it can help.
Place tempeh in a saucepan with about an inch of water or vegetable broth. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove the tempeh and proceed with the recipe.
Serve your healthy Reuben Sandwich with a crunchy dill pickle, side salad, or smooth and refreshing Avocado, Papaya Soup for a delectable, hearty, and well-rounded plant-based lunch you can feel good about.
And, watch Dr. Greger’s video about mental health and gut bacteria here for even more news on how these little critters affect our well-being.
I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this vegan Tempeh Reuben Sandwich! If you have a photo, post it on my Facebook page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking
Tempeh Reuben Sandwich
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package tempeh cut into 8 slices
- 3 Tbl low-sodium tamari
- 4 slices whole-grain bread (whole grain rye bread is usually used)
- 2/3 cup sauerkraut
- 4 slices pickles (sweet or dill)
- 1 Tbl homemade mayonnaise
- 1 Tbl catsup
- 3 tsp prepared yellow mustard
Instructions
- Add tempeh slices, low-sodium tamari, and 1 cup water to a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. If tempeh isn't covered, add a little more water. Simmer 10 minutes then drain and let tempeh cool slightly before proceeding with the instructions.
- Toast bread and top with mustard, mayonnaise, and catsup. Or if you prefer just a thousand island taste, omit the mustard.
- Top with pickles, 4 slices tempeh for each serving, and sauerkraut.
Hi
I can’t have soy what would you suggest I use for the tempeh
Hi, you could use chickpeas mashed with a little tahini and/or avocado to help it stick together. Or, try seitan, vegan deli slices (not quite as healthy), sliced portobello mushroom or this new product I just discovered, soy-free hempeh, made with peanuts. I’ve never tried this one. I just thought, what about marinated sliced carrot, like the recipes you see for carrot dogs? They are surprisingly good.
Calorie count is not correct. Twi slices of bread would add at least 160 calories
Thanks for catching that. I’m not sure what happened, but I’ve updated the nutrition label.
Hello, what else can i use besides sauerkraut? I really don’t like the taste of it
Hi, Sauerkraut is pretty distinctive, but you could try shredded cabbage or cole slaw with a creamy cashew dressing (or use vegan mayonnaise in a traditional coleslaw dressing). If you want to try a different version of tempeh, here are a couple of sandwiches, Tempeh BLT
Tempeh Salad Sandwich or Sloppy Joes.
How do you cook the tempeh? Marinade it in anything?
For this recipe, I’ve kept it super simple and I don’t mind tempeh this way, straight from the package. You can warm it up by steaming a little and some think this takes away the bitterness. I would like to have more recipes with tempeh on the site. I think marinating is a great idea, too and would love to hear your take if you try it this way. Since this recipe needs a little more clarification, I’ll put some notes on it.