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:
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.
Sweet Potato Reuben Sandwich (Vegan)
- Total Time35 minutes
- Yield2 sandwiches 1x
- DietVegan
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!
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 4 slices of any oil-free whole grain bread (I used rye bread)
- ½ cup saurekraut
- ½ cup vegan Thousand Island Dressing
Spice Mix For Sweet Potato Reuben
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme or oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
To Cook The Sweet Potatoes
- Add all of the spices to a small bowl and mix them together.
- Preheat your oven to 400˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Thinly slice the sweet potato lengthwise. I used a mandoline slicer on the thinnest setting.
- Toss the sweet potato slices in a little low-sodium vegetable broth or water and then lay them out on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the spice mixture over each slice of the sweet potatoes then flip and repeat. Place the sweet potatoes in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and tender. Cook on the longer side if you want a bit of a char.
To Make The Sandwich
- Heat a nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Generously spread some of the vegan Thousand Island dressing on each slice of bread, add ½ of the sweet potato slices on the bottom slice, and top with sauerkraut. Place the last piece of bread on top and set the sandwich in the pan.
- Cook the sandwich until each side is golden brown and crunchy, flipping occasionally to avoid burning.
- Once the sandwich is finished cooking, transfer to a plate, slice in half, and enjoy!
- Serve with fat-free microwave potato chips and pickle spears.
Notes
I used marble rye for this recipe but use your favorite oil-free whole grain bread.
The sodium tends to be a bit higher in this recipe because it’s such a large portion and the condiments. If you wish to lower the sodium you can cut the portions in half or use a lesser amount of the fixings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 325
- Sugar: 14.3 g
- Sodium: 890.4 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 63 g
- Fiber: 10.2 g
- Protein: 5.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Vegan Main Dishes
- Method: Oven and stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
I loved this but next time, I would use a little less cayenne in the seasoning (my preference). I also added a little of your vegan mozzarella. Really, really good!
Fabulous! I only gave it 4 stars because it’s SUPER spicy. And I love spice so trust me when I say it packs a spicy punch. I will definitely make it again with half the spice mix. Also I cooked it on my George Forman Grill and it came out perfect! Thanks Shane
WOW! I can hardly believe this is sweet potato. 😲. I left it in a little longer like you mentioned and the texture was so good. I made a different thousand island dressing because I don’t love tofu, and I added a little yellow mustard to my sammie ( just like I did when I had a traditional reubin in the past), added my sauerkraut and …..THIS IS AMAZING!!! Thank for yet another recipe that makes me feel like I’m not missing a thing. ,♥️
OUTSTANDING sandwich and that dressing will be used for many other things too.
Wow, this is spicy and delicious! I made it with the thousand island dressing and the flavors all worked so well together. I added 1/4 tsp of salt to the spice mixture as I like a little salt. I couldn’t find oil free bread but used a regular rye. Yum!
I haven’t made it yet, I intend to. Just here to share the news in case you missed it that The Laughing Seed is closing. So sad.
Thank you for sharing…that makes me sad:(
This was really good! Perfect for my Sunday St. Patty’s Day meal. The thousand island dressing was spot on. Glad I have some leftover dressing for salad this week. Thanks Shane for another winning recipie!!
This was exquisite. Will be making again for sure.
Awesome! Thank you so much.
I made this sandwich and it is AMAZING! I had trouble slicing the sweet potato thin enough because I have a cheap mandolin, but even so, totally wonderful! Back in my meat-eating days, a reuben was my favorite sandwich, so it was fantastic to find a good one with whole foods!
This is delicious! I had one large white sweet potato, and I followed recipe as written (for the sweet potato, I used an alternate homemade vegan thousand island dressing made with hemp seed/sunflower seeds/oats etc (I’m just a little un-tofu friendly in some things, lol)). If you don’t have a mandolin, this recipe is still very doable. I don’t and with a sharp knife I was able to cut very thin slices.) I think next time I will half the amount of spices in the recipe (I preferred the taste post-cooking when I “brushed” off excess spices.) However, the combo of the spiced sweet potato, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing is delicious! I’ll definitely make again!
My new favorite sandwich! I absolutely loved it!
Wow, thank you so much!
We really enjoyed this sandwich. The sweet potatoes were tasty and easy to make. Ended up making the recipe 2 nights in a row. We used the rye/pumpernickel swirl bread. We aren’t fans of sauerkraut, so I ended up making a vegan coleslaw instead. I also made your Thousand Island dressing and enjoyed it. We have been having it with our grain bowls as well. Great recipe. Thank you
Came to look for this recipe for St Patty’s day since I didn’t get it made last year. I better start shopping because I’m a couple days, you won’t be able to find rye bread in Omaha! And yes, we claim the Reuben as our own, originating as you stated at the Blackstone Hotel, now called the Cottonwood by Kimpton. And I remember your amazing 1000 Island from when you made it here in Omaha at the Healthy for a Lifetime conference! I send everyone to your recipes!
Thank you, my friend!
Wow! What an amazing recipe! My husband and I both loved it. Thanks so much, Shane, for a great replica of a reuben sandwich.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! 🙏🏻
Absolutely loved this recipe. Wasn’t sure at first how the sweet potato translated to pastrami, but wow! We had some potato left over for one more sandwich. Next day, I offered to make it again for my hubby and he sadly accepted 💔. I wanted one too but only had a portobello,so that’s what I subbed for the sweet potato. And it worked beautifully! However, if I ever use portobello again it will be in thin slices as the solid top of the cooked shroom is harder to bite thru. Also the sauce recipe was wonderful!
Sadly, Shane, I didn’t get to the point of making the sandwich (this time, anyway). The sweet potato slices with your incredible seasoning mix was so tasty, we pretty much inhaled the entire batch.
Thanks kindly for this, and for all your other oil-free recipes!
This was so delish! I had it at the restaurant first then saw it in your blog and had to try it ! You got it! Also they served it using tempe as an option. I don’t love tempe bu8t I loved theirs. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes! and advice!
If I could, I’d give a 10-star rating!!!
Initially, I wondered how a seasoned, roasted sweet potato could take the place of pastrami in a Reuben-like sandwich. I had my doubts and believed I was going to be like the original “Doubting Thomas.” Boy, was I wrong! This is a magical recipe and deserves to be printed and highlighted with the word “AWESOME” on it. Since I did not have a mandoline slicer, I used a sharp knife to cut the peeled sweet potato into thin rounds. I made one other adjustment by reducing the spice mix to half, which seemed sufficient for the one “medium-sized” sweet potato I had on hand. Everything else, including the exact ingredients for the thousand island dressing, was made exactly as stated in the recipe. SO delicious! My husband and I devoured one sandwich each and then, immediately, made one more to share. Silly me! Why, oh why would I ever doubt a recipe of Shane’s? They are my go-to recipes! Simple. Elegant. Perfect.
This sandwich is delicious! I’ve never had a Reuben sandwich of any kind, so this was my first one. I love sweet potatoes in just about everything, and the spice mix on the sweet potatoes was fantastic. This was such a hearty and filling sandwich!
Hi Shane, I wanted to update my comment.
We love this sandwich sooo much we eat it twice week!! We switched the spice mix to just garlic powder. We use Ezekiel bread& grill 1st.
I use spicy mustard on mine& hubby uses your cashew mayo on his. Thank u soo much for recipe! 😇
Sounds awesome and way to make it your own. That’s what it’s all about. Thank you for reaching out.
Delicious! I made everything over the weekend and then put our sammies together for dinner on a busy weeknight. I did not bother pan frying them. Thanks to you, my husband has found ONE sweet potato recipe he likes now! I am going to attempt “ham”….I bet it could be done!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Delightful! I didn’t have silken tofu on hand so I used another 1000 island recipe, and cheated with some cheese and olive oil. My potatoes must have been too thin because several burned, so next time I’ll check at 10 minutes. Also, since we are gluten free I can’t use rye, so I think I’ll sub caraway for the cinnamon for a rye flavor. We will definitely try them again!
It was so spicy I couldn’t finish it all; rechecked the spice amount and followed the recipe exactly. Loved the dressing!
Hi, Maryann! Try cutting back on the spices. It should still be flavorful:)
This was so yummy- the dressing !! Will have on my site soon! Thx for creating!
My husband and I love Reuben sandwiches and since being totally WFPB hadn’t found a good recipe! This sandwich rocks!! Easy and delicious! It will now be in my regular rotation. Thank you!
Oh my, I’ve been dying for a loso veggie Rubin sandwich for so many years! I’ll work out the sodium part but can’t wait to try it!! Thank you!! 😍
Hi Shane,we just made this & it was good,my husband liked it. Seasoning on sweet potatoes was different. Where do u get your no oil marble rye?? I searched in stores& couldn’t find any. We really love rye bread& wanted to use. This was my 1st time eating sourcrout & I liked it,lol. We grilled our bread 1st& used your cashew mayo as we don’t eat tofu. We will be making this again but maybe with different seasoning. Thank u for recipe.😇
OMG! Shane! I was so leery about using sweet potato to make pastrami. So much better than the vegan options available. Added some raw red onion and treated the sauerkraut. I was concerned about flipping sandwiches in a dry frying pan so I toasted the bread in my toaster oven before assembly. The Thousand Island dressing was perfect.
Thank you so much, Ali!!!
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!
Do you put the dressing on both sides of the bread before grilling?
In the recipe I suggest it, but it really depends on what you like.
OMG this sounds delicious. Would this work with the other sweet potatoes, Japanese or Jersey sweets/Hannah yams? or are they too sweet?
I see no reason why not:)
All I can say is wow! Didn’t change anything in the recipe and I’m glad. This sandwich is delicious and the thousand island dressing puts it over the top. I’ll be using the dressing on all my sandwiches. Thanks Shane!