Vegan MoFo Day 5: Best Sandwich Ever. The Tempeh Reuben.

Vegan tempeh reubens seem to be a real staple at vegan restaurants (and restaurants offering vegan options), and for good reason. Who doesn't love a reuben!? Throw some rye bread, sauerkraut, special sauce, and some tasty tempeh in there? Yes, please!

Today's Vegan MoFo entry is Best Sandwich Ever. I specifically modeled my reuben after the delicious sandwich pictured above, from Sun in Bloom in Brooklyn.

The nice thing is that everything you need is pretty straightforward. I've used spicy relish in my sauce, but regular old relish is also fine of course, and in a pinch you can even chop up spicy pickles.



I also made sweet potato fries--which are delicious! I've included their recipe as well.



Vegan Tempeh Reuben
What You'll Need:
1 package Tempeh (8oz) (I like Lightlife brand)
Rye bread (this recipe makes enough for about 3 sandwiches, so 6 slices)
Sauerkraut (you'll want a cup or 2, depending on the number of sandwiches and how much you love it!)
olive or canola oil for frying

Tempeh marinade:
1/2 cup beer and 1/2 cup broth or 1 cup of either
1/8 tsp garlic, onion, black pepper
2 tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos (you can substitute soy sauce)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp oil (olive or Grapeseed)

Special sauce:
2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
2 tsp ketchup
2-3 tsp spicy relish, to taste

What You'll Need to Do:
Mix up all of the marinade ingredients into a shallow bowl or baking pan. Add the tempeh and allow it to soak in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better (up to overnight).

Once your tempeh is nice and marinated, you'll want to get the fries going, if you're making them (see below).

Combine ketchup and mayonnaise in a tiny bowl and whisk together, then stir in the relish to make your special sauce.

Now you're ready to fry! If you have a large skillet, now is the time to pull it out. Preheat the skillet with 1 tbsp oil. Throw those tempeh strips on the skillet. Sauté each side of the tempeh until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add some splashes of marinade from time to time to moisten and add flavor. Add more oil as needed, especially if you need to add the tempeh to your pan in batches. Once the tempeh is done, place your rye bread in the pan to toast! It will soak up a little bit of that tempeh goodness, too.

Once your bread is looking as toasty as you like it, it's time to remove it from the pan and assemble your sandwich! Place a good healthy dose of the special sauce on both slices of bread, then pile that sauerkraut high, add your tempeh, and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Fries:
What You'll Need:
2-3 sweet potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp rosemary

What You'll Need to Do:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Chop your potatoes into fry wedges. Then toss in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients. Bake for 15 minutes then give them a stir. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or so, until beginning to brown. This recipe makes slightly softer fries, if you prefer crispy, you can ramp up the temperature to 425°F.