Description
A delicious & protein packed vegan reuben with tofu shaved meat, a quick tofu based Russian dressing, sauerkraut, and my cashew cheese.
Ingredients
Tofu Shaved “Meat”
- 350 g firm tofu (best if frozen & defrosted)
- 2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce (or more tamari)
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/2 tbsp neutral oil (to prevent sticking in oven)
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth (homemade for extra savings)
Vegan Russian Dressing
- 150g soft tofu (or silken tofu)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp ketchup*
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp wasabi (or 1 tsp prepared horseradish)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pinch pepper
Additional Ingredients
- 8 slices rye bread*
- Sauerkraut*
- Cashew mozzarella or plant-based cheese slices of choice
*Ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
Tofu Shaved “Meat”:
- Follow my original recipe for more detail. The only thing I change for this recipe is that I slice the tofu lengthwise so that the slices are longer. Using previously frozen tofu provides a chewier and more “meat-like” texture.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Slice the tofu as thinly as you can.
- Mix 2 tbsp tamari, vegan worcestershire sauce, water, oil, liquid smoke, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl and gently coat the tofu slices. Reserve any leftover marinade.
- Lay the tofu slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes. At the 20 minute mark, turn the slices and baste the other side with any leftover marinade. Remove from the oven when the slices are crispy and browned around the edges.
- Before serving, rehydrate the slices just a bit to get them feeling “juicy”. Bring ½ cup vegetable broth and the remaining ½ tsp tamari to a low boil. Add the shaved tofu meat and cook until the tofu has just absorbed the liquid.
Vegan Russian Dressing:
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. (Alternatively, use ½ cup vegan mayonnaise in place of the tofu and reduce the lemon juice to 1 tsp or use 1 tsp vinegar).
Compile The Sandwiches:
- If using my cashew mozzarella, spread a generous amount on the bottom slice of rye bread. Otherwise, use your sliced “swiss cheese”.
- Add 4-6 strips of tofu shaved meat.
- Top with as much sauerkraut as you like.
- Spread a generous amount of Russian dressing on the top slice of rye.
- To heat the sandwich through and get the bread nice and crispy, add vegan butter to the top slice of rye. Lay the sandwich, buttered side down, on a warm pan and allow to brown for 1 minute or so. Using a lower heat will give the cashew mozzarella or cheese slices more time to melt. When ready, add vegan butter to the other slice of rye and flip the sandwich so the other side browns as well.
- Enjoy your toasted sandwich immediately with some pickles on the side!
Notes
Approximate Cost: $14.76 Canadian ($3.69 per sandwich). Each of the components break down as follows: $5.15 for the tofu shaved meat, $1.25 for the Russian dressing, $2.28 for my cashew mozzarella, and $6.08 for the bread and sauerkraut.
I did try adding beet juice to the marinade for the tofu shaved meat to try and add a reddish colour to the tofu. The difference in colour wasn’t obvious enough for me to include it as a step in this recipe. However, if you do want to try adding some beet juice into the marinade you can. Using sauerkraut made from red cabbage is another way to get some good colour into this sandwich.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Various
- Cuisine: American