Vegan Teriyaki Reuben

This Vegan Teriyaki Reuben has a sweet teriyaki sauce, spicy raw sauerkraut, and a spicy thousand island dressing.

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"This was SO good! Thanks for the recipe! - Denise"

There are some recipes that I get more excited over than others. I think this recipe is one of my BEST recipes yet. Yes, I am pretty excited about this one!

This Vegan Teriyaki Reuben with Spicy Thousand Island Dressing was inspired by a sandwich that I ate about twenty years ago before I was vegan. I worked at a bar and grill that served Cajun food.

One of the items on the menu was a turkey Reuben. It had a sweet teriyaki sauce served with a spicy Thousand Island dressing.

Even back then my favorite combination was sweet and spicy, although I don't think I would have labeled it as such since I wasn't the foodie that I am today.

Obviously, the sandwich made an impression on me since I remember it from twenty years ago. I knew I had to veganize it and post it here to share with you all.

The original came with your average sauerkraut as I remember. I decided to elevate it a step further and include raw spicy sauerkraut (not kimchi, but spicy sauerkraut).

It not only adds more spice, but it adds health benefits as well. Raw sauerkraut retains beneficial organisms, unlike pasteurized.

If you don't like spicy food as much as I do, you could use my Vegan Thousand Island recipe, which is not as spicy as the one below. Although, I swear if you try this combination using the spicy Thousand Island, it is well worth it.

The sweet teriyaki sauce compliments the spicy flavors and mellows them out a bit. Another teriyaki recipe is my Crispy Teriyaki Tofu recipe.

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❤️ Why You'll Love It
🧾 Ingredients
📖 Variations / Additions
🔪 Instructions
👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
Other Vegan Sandwiches
📋 Recipe
💬 Comments

❤️ Why You'll Love It

It is sweet and spicy with a balance of flavors.
It is simple and easy to make.
It is a hearty fusion sandwich that can be made for lunch or dinner.

🧾 Ingredients

Spicy Thousand Island Dressing

Vegan mayonnaise: I like Vegenaise by Follow Your Heart because it is thick, rich, and creamy. Use your favorite vegan mayo.
Ketchup: Adds sweetness.
Pickled jalapeños: Add spice. You could leave them out.
Hot sauce: Adds more spice.
Sweet pickle relish: Adds sweetness. You could also use chopped sweet pickles.

Teriyaki Reubens

Tamari: I used low-sodium gluten-free tamari because I like to control the amount of sodium.
Mirin: Adds a sweet tangy flavor. You could use rice vinegar and more sugar as a substitute.
Sugar: Adds sweetness. You could also use brown sugar or maple syrup.
Tapioca flour: Thickens the sauce. You could also use corn starch, which I used when I originally published it. I found out I'm intolerant to corn so I can no longer use it. If you use cornstarch you'll need half as much.
Water
Firm tofu: I used firm tofu packaged in water found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. You can also use extra-firm tofu. When I originally published this recipe I used vegan chicken. That brand that no longer sells the vegan chicken that I used. You could use tofu or your favorite vegan chicken. If you use vegan chicken, you'll need to cook it for less time because vegan chicken is precooked.
Olive oil
Bread: I used gluten-free bread. Use your favorite.
Raw sauerkraut: When I originally published this recipe I used spicy raw sauerkraut. When I republished this recipe my local Sprout's didn't have spicy sauerkraut, so I used raw dill sauerkraut instead. Use you favorite. Both go well with the sweet flavors of the teriyaki sauce and the spicy thousand island dressing. Neither taste anything like the pasteurized sauerkraut that you find on the shelves. These you'll find in the refrigerated section. You could also use kimchi if you prefer.