Reuben Bowl

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One of my favorite sandwiches is a Vegan Tempeh Reuben; however, today, I decided to take my Reuben to the next level by making a Reuben bowl. I love bowl meals, and the wonderful thing about sandwich bowls is adding a variety of my favorite sandwich ingredients into one bowl without any bread. So, how do you make a sandwich bowl, you may wonder? First, take your favorite vegan Reuben ingredients and make a Reuben in a bowl. 

Instead of using bread, pick a favorite grain. I chose a combination of brown rice and quinoa. Or substitute any grain of choice. Since this Reuben bowl is a combination of hot and raw foods, divide the bowl into hot versus raw foods sections. 

What ingredients are in a vegan Reuben bowl? 

• Reuben marinated tempeh
• Brown rice and quinoa (or any grain of choice)
• Saurkraut
• Red onions
• Kale
• Grape tomatoes
• Dill pickles
• Green onions (scallions)
• Vegan Thousand Island Salad Dressing

How to make marinated tofu for a Reuben in a bowl 

First, to make tempeh into "corned beef,"  all you need is a quick and easy two-ingredient marinade! 

One of the most common mistakes people make when preparing tempeh is skipping an essential step, boiling the tempeh. Tempeh has a naturally bitter taste, but the bitter taste vanishes when boiled. Not only does boiling tempeh make it taste better, but it also prepares it to soak up any marinade like a sponge.

First, you need to master the taste of corned beef flavors to make the tempeh perfect. For example, the brining process and the salty, spiced, sour taste are the magic of vegan corn beef. 

Next, you have to find a vegan version of that brining process; I use a combination of pickle juice and beet juice. For the best results, I suggest marinating the tempeh overnight. Although pickle juice and beet juice may sound a little odd, it is the perfect combination to create a sweet and sour marinade. 

I chose to air-fry my tempeh corn beef this time, but baking in an oven is also an option.

 

Air-Frying Tempeh Corn Beef

• Preheat the air-fryer to 370 degrees
• Put tempeh pieces onto the air-fryer basket
• Air-fry for 7-10 minutes until browned.

Oven option:

• Cut tempeh into equal-sized cubes.
• Once the tempeh is marinated overnight, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
• Place tempeh on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or use my favorite Copper Chef Crisper Pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes.

While the tempeh cooks, heat the drained sauerkraut and red onions in a skillet and cook the brown rice ad quinoa. Usually, I meal prep by cooking grains in advance to heat up quickly whenever I want to make a bowl recipe. 

How to make vegan thousand island dressing

Whenever I make Vegan Thousand Island Salad Dressing, I always make an excuse to eat it with every meal during the week. It's not only great for a Reuben bowl, but it also tastes fabulous on salad, as a dip, sauce on a sandwich, or as a sauce for potatoes. 

• Raw cashews 
• Organic ketchup
• Apple cider vinegar
• Agave (you can substitute maple syrup or date syrup)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Water
• Dill pickles

How to make a Reuben in a bowl 

• Divide the ingredients into four separate bowls
• Place the dressing in the center of the bowl
• On one side of the bowl, add the warm grains and sauerkraut and onion mixture. 
• Then, add the chopped kale, pickles, and tomatoes to the opposite side of the bowl.
• Add pieces of tempeh corn beef around the bowl.
• Garnish with chopped green onions. 

Tips

• For a time-saving idea, marinate the tempeh a few days before, and even cook it in advance and reheat it when making the vegan Reuben bowl.
• Always drain and squeeze the excess fluid from sauerkraut before adding to any recipe to avoid sogginess and extra juice.
• Do not add pickles to the dressing until after blending and folding them into the sauce. 
• Finely chop the kale for easier digestion.
• Cook the grains in advance and warm before making bowls. 
• Make the dressing in advance. Plan to use the Vegan Thousand Island Salad Dressing for other recipes during the week, such as salads, a sandwich spread, or a dip.
• Choose spicy sauerkraut to spic up the sandwich bowl. 
• Instead of heating the sauerkraut and onions, choose to eat them raw and select one possible solution.

FAQ

What other dressings taste good in a Reuben bowl?

• Vegan French dressing is another tasty opinion for a vegan Reuben bowl. 

How healthy is eating sauerkraut?

• Sauerkraut is packed full of probiotics and vitamin K2. Eating sauerkraut and other fermented foods like pickles are believed to strengthen the immune system, improve digestion, reduce the risk of certain diseases, and even help people lose weight.

What is tempeh?

• Tempeh is a fermented soy product high in protein and prebiotics. It is also high in fiber, potassium, and iron. 

If you love bowl meals, give these vegan bowl recipes a try! 

• Vegan Breakfast Bowl
• Fajita Bowl
• Bahn Mi Bowl
• Forbidden Rice Bowl Recipe
• Greek Quinoa Bowl
• Teriyaki Tofu Bowl
• Asian Tahini Noodle Bowl
• Taco Salad Bowl With Lentils - Quick Recipes!
• Vegan Chipotle Bowl
• Buddha Rice Bowl
• How to Make Your Own Vegan Poke Bowl With Tofu

Yield: 4 servings

Reuben Bowl

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Skip the bread and make a Reuben bowl full of tempeh corn beef, sauerkraut, grains, greens, raw veggies, and top with a tangy vegan thousand island dressing.

Print

Ingredients

Tempeh Corn Beef

• 1 8 ounce package tmepeh, cut into equal sized cubes
• 1/2 cup pickle juice (from a jar of dill pickles)
• 1/2 cup beet juice (from a can of beets; if you don't have canned beet juice, blend 1 large beet with pickle juice)

Other Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (or any grain of choice)
• 2 cups saurkraut, drained and squeezed to remove an excess fluid.
• Red onions
• 1 red onion, slice into slivers
• 8 cups finely chopped kale
• 1 pint, grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 4 Dill pickles, cut into thin slices
• 1 bunch green onions (scallions), chopped
• Vegan Thousand Island Salad Dressing

Instructions

Tempeh Corn Beef

1. Remove tempeh from packaging and cut into equal-sized cubes.
2. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water.
3. Boil for 10 minutes.
4. Drain tempeh in a colander
5. In a safe refrigerator container, whisk together pickle juice and beet juice.
6. Place tempeh in the base of the container with the marinade.
7. Place marinated tempeh in the refrigerator overnight.
8. When ready to cook the tempeh, pour off excess marinade before cooking.

Air-Frying Tempeh Corn Beef

1. Preheat the air-fryer to 370 degrees
2. Put tempeh pieces onto the air-fryer basket
3. Air-fry for 7-10 minutes until browned.

Oven option:

1. Cut tempeh into equal-sized cubes.
2. Once the tempeh is marinated overnight, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
3. Place tempeh on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or use my favorite Copper Chef Crisper Pan.
4. Bake for 30 minutes.

Sauerkraut/Onions/Rice/Quinoa

1. While the tempeh cooks heat the drained sauerkraut and red onions in a skillet.
2. Heat on medium-low until the onions become translucent and the sauerkraut heats through.
3. Cook the brown rice ad quinoa separately, according to package directions.
4. Once cooked, combine the brown rice and quinoa by stirring together.
5. Usually, I meal prep by cooking grains in advance to heat up quickly whenever I want to make a bowl recipe. 

Vegan Thousand Island Dressing

1. Combine all the vegan thousand island dressing ingredients, except for the diced pickles.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Fold in diced pickles.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

How to make a Reuben bowl

1. Divide the ingredients into four separate bowls
2. Place the dressing in the center of the bowl
3. On one side of the bowl, add the warm grains and sauerkraut and onion mixture. 
4. Then, add the chopped kale, pickles, and tomatoes to the opposite side of the bowl.
5. Add pieces of tempeh corn beef around the bowl.
6. Garnish with chopped green onions. 

Notes

Tips

1. For a time-saving idea, marinate the tempeh a few days before, and even cook it in advance and reheat it when making the vegan Reuben bowl.
2. Always drain and squeeze the excess fluid from sauerkraut before adding to any recipe to avoid sogginess and extra fluid.
3. Do not add pickles to the dressing until after blending and folding them into the dressing. 
4. Finely chop the kale for easier digestion.
5. Cook the grains in advance and warm before making bowls. 
6. Make the dressing in advance. Plan to use the Vegan Thousand Island Salad Dressing for other recipes during the week, such as salads, a sandwich spread, or a dip.
7. Choose spicy sauerkraut to spic up the sandwich bowl. 
8. Instead of heating the sauerkraut and onions, choose to eat them raw and select one possible solution.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 430Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 452mgCarbohydrates 114gFiber 12gSugar 70gProtein 12g

Nutrition facts may not be 100% accurate.

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