Sweet Potato Reuben Sandwich (Vegan)

This Sweet Potato Reuben Sandwich will blow your mind. Roasted sweet potatoes, sauerkraut, and homemade vegan Thousand Island on delicious rye bread. A plant-based masterpiece that’s healthy, easy, and oil-free!

Any time I’m in Asheville, N.C. I ALWAYS visit the Laughing Seed Cafe, it has one of the best vegan menus on the Easter Seaboard. One of the things I had to try on my last visit was the vegan Reuben made with what they called “sweet potato pastrami.” So, I ordered it and it completely caught me off guard.

Most vegan meats are made using seitan or tofu, but not this one. The “meat” part was actually roasted seasoned sweet potatoes that were thinly sliced. And, oh my, was it delicious!

I have been obsessed with trying to recreate this amazing sandwich ever since I got back home. And, this sweet potato pastrami Reuben sandwich recipe is the result.

Savory roasted sweet potatoes, tangy sauerkraut, and homemade vegan Thousand Island dressings rest between two pieces of delicious marble rye bread. It’s then pan-fried, without oil, to crunchy golden perfection. Oh, baby!

If you’ve been missing the flavors of your favorite sandwich just wait until you try this sweet potato Reuben sandwich. It’s healthy, vegan, oil-free,

Where did the Reuben Sandwich come from?

Contrary to popular belief the Reuben sandwich was developed in America and not in Germany or Russia. And, even those stories have conflicting accounts.

One story says that Reuben Kulakofsky, a grocery store owner in Omaha, Nebraska, asked for a sandwich made of corned beef and sauerkraut at his weekly poker game at the Blackstone Hotel in the 1920s. 

Another account holds that the Reuben’s creator was Arnold Reuben, the German-Jewish owner of Reuben’s Delicatessen in New York City.

And, the lesser-known version gives credit to Alfred Scheuing, a chef at Reuben’s Delicatessen, saying he created the sandwich for Reuben’s son, Arnold Jr., in the 1930s. (source)

What You’ll Need To Make This Sandwich

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this vegan sweet potato Reuben sandwich.

• Sweet Potato: 1 large sweet potato thinly sliced. I used regular orange sweet potatoes but you could also Japanese sweet potatoes or white sweet potatoes.
• Spices: a simple mixture of black pepper, ground mustard, ground coriander, dried thyme, crushed red pepper, cinnamon ground ginger, and ground cloves. You can use a spice grinder if you wish but I prefer to buy spices that are already dried and ground. It’s just easier.
• Bread: Marble rye is my go-to but you can use any oil-free whole grain bread you choose.
• Dressing: My homemade vegan Thousand Island dressing is perfect for this sandwich. All you need is some silken tofu, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish. It’s sweet and tangy and pairs perfectly with the savoriness of this recipe.

How To Make A Sweet Potato Reuben Sandwich

This mouth-watering sweet potato Reuben sandwich is loaded with flavor and is incredibly close to its non-vegan counterpart. Here’s how you make it!

Start by preheating your oven to 400˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats. Then, add all of the spices to a small bowl and mix them together.

Next, thinly slice the sweet potato lengthwise with a knife or mandoline slicer. I used a mandoline slicer on the thinnest setting.

Toss the sweet potato slices in a little low-sodium vegetable broth or water so the spices will stick to them. Lay the sweet potato out on the baking sheet and sprinkle the spice mixture over each slice then flip and repeat.

Place the sweet potatoes in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and tender.

Heat a nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and begin preparing the sandwiches.

Spread a generous heaping spoonful of Thousand Island dressing on each slice of bread, add ½ of the sweet potato slices to the bottom slice, top the sweet potatoes with sauerkraut and place the remaining slice of bread on top.

Place the sweet potato Reuben sandwich in the pan and cook until each side of the sandwich is golden brown and crunchy, flipping occasionally with a spatula to avoid burning.

Once the sandwich is finished cooking, transfer to a plate, slice in half, and enjoy!

That’s it!

Pro Tips For Making A Delicious Vegan Reuben Sandwich

Missing the Swiss cheese commonly found in a Reuben? No worries! Just whip up a batch of my vegan mozzarella and pile it on top. It melts and stretches just like real cheese and you’ll get that delicious taste and texture you love.

If you’re not a fan of Thousand Island dressing simply use my cashew mayo or tofu mayonnaise. AH-mazing!

Serving Suggestions

Serve this delicious sweet potato Reuben with my fat-free microwave potato chips, easy vegan coleslaw, and pickle spears. Here are a few other suggestions:

• The Best Vegan Potato Salad
• Vegan Macaroni Salad
• Healthy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

This recipe is great for lunch, dinner, or even a snack.

More Vegan Sandwich Recipes

• Cajun Blackened Tofu Sandwich with Sriracha Coleslaw
• Vegan BBQ Tempeh Sandwich
• Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Potato Chip Tomato Sandwich
• Best Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwich

If you tried this recipe please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and a review in the comments section down below the recipe card. Stay in touch with and connect with me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to my newsletter.

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