½cupcashews soaked in water for at least 10 minutes.75g
1tablespoontomato paste20g
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar15ml
¾teaspoonsea salt
⅔cupwater
⅓cupchopped dill pickles90g
2tablespoonschopped onion20g
Few turns fresh cracked black pepper
Tempeh
1packagetempeh, steamed(directions below / 8 oz / 227g)
1bay leaf
Tempeh Marinade
2tablespoonswater
2tablespoonslow sodium soy sauce
2teaspoonsbrown rice vinegar
2teaspoonscoconut aminos
1teaspoonapple cider vinegar
1teaspoonWorcestershire saucevegan
¼teaspoongarlic powder
¼teaspoononion powder
¼teaspooncaraway seed
⅛teaspoonmustard powder
¼teaspoonblack pepper10 turns
Instructions
Thousand Island Dressing
A good dressing will make or break your reuben. Make this one and you won’t be disappointed.
Drain the water from the cashews and place the cashews, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, sea salt and water in the blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
Pour the dressing in a mixing bowl and add the relish, onion and black pepper.
Stir until combined and refrigerate.
Eat within 4 or 5 days.
Now that you have a super yum dressing, it’s time to sort out the tempeh.
Make the Tempeh
To make sure the tempeh is packed with flavor you want to marinate it overnight and then bake it the next day. This will lock in the maximum flavor.
The first step is to steam your tempeh. Steaming is crucial because it helps the tempeh absorb the marinade and it will make for a better overall texture. You can use your Instant Pot or you can steam it on the stove. Whichever way you choose, cut your tempeh in half first, so you have two thick pieces.
To use your Instant Pot (IP), add 1 cup of water and the bay leaf to the pot and place the IP trivet on the bottom. Place the tempeh directly on the trivet and lock the lid into place. Make sure the nozzle is pointed in the sealing direction. Use the manual mode and set the timer for 5 minutes. Use the natural release method when the timer is up. If using the stove, add two cups of water and the bay leaf to a pot, along with a steamer basket. Place the tempeh in the steamer basket and place a lid on the pot. Steam for 10 minutes. If you do not have a steamer basket you can gently simmer the tempeh and bay leaf directly in the water for 10 minutes.
When the tempeh is steamed, carefully slice both halves in half (lengthwise, through the middle) so that you have 4 thinner slabs in total. Set aside for now.
Make the marinade by placing all of the marinade ingredients into a bowl, and whisk until combined. Transfer the bay leaf from the IP or the pot and add it to the marinade.
Place the tempeh pieces into a container and pour the marinade over them. The marinade won’t completely cover the tempeh. This is okay - just flip the pieces over the next day so all sides get some marinade goodness. Allow the tempeh to fully cool before you cover the container with a lid and place in the fridge until you bake it.
After the tempeh has done its thing overnight, bake at 350° for 20 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes.
Okay - you have the dressing and the tempeh, the rest is simple.
Toast one or two pieces of sprouted grain bread, and pour the dressing over the bread.
Add the tempeh and then add a generous helping of sauerkraut.
Top with avocado and you have an insane sandwich in front of you.
Notes
There are 5 main components in this vegan oil free reuben.
Make sure you buy the type of sauerkraut that’s in the refrigerated section and doesn’t have any vinegar. Vinegar kills off the live cultures in the kraut. The live cultures are super healthy for your gut health. Also, make sure not to heat the kraut, this will also kill off the cultures. My favorite brand is Bubbies.