Skip the bread and make a Reuben bowl full of tempeh corn beef, sauerkraut, grains, greens, and raw veggies, and top with a tangy vegan thousand island dressing. You will love this Reuben bowl recipe!
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? Take your favorite vegan Reuben ingredients and make a Reuben in a bowl.
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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 combines hot and raw foods, divide the bowl into hot versus raw foods sections.
Reuben Bowl Ingredients
- Reuben Marinated Tempeh: I marinate the tempeh in a vegan brine that gives the tempeh a tangy, flavorful taste.
- Brown Rice: I love brown rice in bowls. It absorbs the flavor of the ingredients and is so good for you.
- Sauerkraut: Sauerkraut and other fermented foods are great for the gut. Have you ever tried Trader Joe's dill sauerkraut. If not, give it a try!
- Red Onions: I love the sweetness of red onions. If you want to kick it up a notch, try adding pickled red onions instead of raw onions.
- Kale: Kale, as you know, is a superfood, so I chop it finely to make it easy to digest and chew.
- Grape Tomatoes: I prefer using grape tomatoes in bowls and salads because they have very few seeds yet are incredibly flavorful.
- Dill Pickles: I love dill pickles on my salads and sandwiches, so I added it to this sandwich bowl for added flavor.
- Green Onions: Green onions, also called scallions, are light and flavorful.
- Vegan Thousand Island Dressing: I make this vegan thousand island salad dressing to drizzle over the top of the Reuben bowl.
Reuben Bowl Ingredient Substitutions
- Instead of tempeh, marinate tofu instead.
- Any grain works well with a Reuben bowl. I suggest quinoa, millet, or barley. Or combine two of your favorite grains together.
- Kick it up a notch and choose a spicer option like kimchi instead of sauerkraut.
- Use white or yellow onions instead of red onions.
- Any greens can replace the kale, but I suggest a hearty green, such as collard greens, or add cabbage instead of the kale.
- Cherry tomatoes are similar to grape tomatoes in size and flavor.
- Sweet pickles are very popular in this bowl if you don't like dill pickles.
- Choose a bottled vegan Thousand Island dressing instead of making a homemade dressing.
Marinating Tempeh
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 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.
Baking
- Cut the 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.
Dressing Ingredients
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: Raw cashews are the creaminess to the dressing; however, see below the substitutions for nut-free options.
- Organic Ketchup: Just a little ketchup provides orange coloring and bold flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is perfect for the tangy flavor.
- Agave: Agave provides a little sweetness.
- Salt: Salt enhances the flavors in the dressing.
- Pepper: I prefer using fresh ground pepper for the best flavor.
- Water: The water thins the dressing.
- Dill Pickles: Finely chopped dill pickles are added to the dressing for texture and flavor. Afterall, thousand island dressing is supposed to be thick and chunky.
Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
- Choose sunflower seeds instead of raw cashews.
- Or substitute plain plant-based yogurt and omit the water completely.
- Substitute Vegenaise for nuts and reduce water to ¼ cup
- Or use silken tofu for nuts and use ½ cup water.
- Another option is using white beans instead of cashews.
- If you don't have ketchup, substitute it with tomato paste or tomato sauce.
- White vinegar works as a substitute for apple cider vinegar.
- Try maple syrup or date syrup instead of agave.
- Some people prefer sweet pickles instead of dill pickles. Or add pickle relish instead.
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.
Recipe FAQs
Vegan French dressing is another tasty opinion for a vegan Reuben bowl.
Sauerkraut is packed full of probiotics and vitamin K2. Eating sauerkraut and other fermented foods like pickles is believed to strengthen the immune system, improve digestion, reduce the risk of certain diseases, and even help people lose weight
Tempeh is a fermented soy product high in protein and prebiotics. It is also high in fiber, potassium, and iron.
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.
The next time you're craving a vegan Reuben, make a Reuben bowl instead!
Other Great Vegan Bowls
If you love this Reuben bowl, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Reuben Bowl
Ingredients
Tempeh Corn Beef
- 8 ounce tempeh cut into equal sized cubes
- ½ cup pickle juice from a jar of dill pickles
- ½ 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 sauerkraut drained and squeezed to remove an excess fluid.
- 1 red onion slice into slivers
- 8 cups finely chopped kale
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
- 4 dill pickles cut into thin slices
- 1 bunch green onions scallions, chopped
- Vegan Thousand Island Salad Dressing
Instructions
Tempeh Corn Beef
- Remove tempeh from the packaging and cut it into equal-sized cubes.
- Place in a small saucepan and cover with water.
- Boil for 10 minutes.
- Drain tempeh in a colander.
- In a safe refrigerator container, whisk together pickle juice and beet juice.
- Place tempeh in the base of the container with the marinade.
- Place marinated tempeh in the refrigerator overnight.
- When ready to cook the tempeh, pour off the excess marinade before cooking.
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.
Baking
- Cut tempeh into equal-sized cubes.
- Once the tempeh is marinated overnight, preheat 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.
Sauerkraut/Onions/Rice/Quinoa
- While the tempeh cooks, heat the drained sauerkraut and red onions in a skillet.
- Heat on medium-low until the onions become translucent and the sauerkraut heats through.
- Cook the brown rice and quinoa separately, according to the package directions.
- Once cooked, combine the brown rice and quinoa by stirring together.
- 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
- Combine all the vegan thousand island dressing ingredients, except for the diced pickles.
- Blend until smooth.
- Fold in diced pickles.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
How to make a Reuben 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.
Notes
- 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 fluid.
- Do not add pickles to the dressing until after blending and folding them into the dressing.
- Finely chop the kale for easier digestion.
- Cook the grains in advance and warm them 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.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Susan
Curious - so if I don’t want canned beets, I can just buy a red beet and roast it and then blend it with the pickle juice. Would a yellow beet have a similar flavor? I’m not that experienced with beets - not my fave.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Susan, you can buy jarred beet juice, or if you have a juicer, you can juice raw beets without roasting them. Yes, you can use a yellow beet, but it won't be red in color like 'corn beef." If you don't have a juicer, you could roast beets and blend them with some water with the same effect. I hope you like the recipe.