Smoked Tofu Reuben
The Sandwich That’ll Ruin All Other Sandwiches
YEAH, YEAH, I KNOW—SOME PEOPLE HEAR "TOFU" AND IMMEDIATELY ASSUME SADNESS ON A PLATE. BUT GIVE IT A SOAK IN THAT SMOKY, TANGY, BEET-RED MARINADE, THROW IT IN THE OVEN, AND SUDDENLY, YOU’VE GOT SOMETHING THAT SMELLS RICH, TASTES DEEP, AND HITS EVERY DAMN NOTE—SAVORY, SWEET, SMOKY, AND JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF UMAMI. IT CRISPS UP AT THE EDGES, STAYS JUICY IN THE MIDDLE, AND HONESTLY? YOU WON’T MISS THE MEAT. THE BEST PART? THIS STUFF KEEPS LIKE A DREAM. MAKE A BATCH, STASH IT IN THE FRIDGE, AND YOU’VE GOT SANDWICH GOLD FOR DAYS. TOSS IT IN A REUBEN, THROW IT IN A SALAD, EAT IT STRAIGHT FROM THE CONTAINER LIKE THE SNACKY GOBLIN YOU ARE—NO JUDGMENT.
FEEDS 2 II ACTIVE TIME: 15 MINS II DIFFICULTY: IT’S A SANDWICH
INGREDIENTS
For the tofu marinate:
300g smoked tofu
1 cup beetroot juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
For the Russian dressing:
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1/4 finely chopped onion
4 or 5 cornichon or dill pickles, finely chopped
Good sourdough
Swiss cheese
Sauerkraut
Butter
GET COOKING
Give That Tofu Some Love
Slice your smoked tofu into thin, sandwich-worthy slabs. Whisk together the beet juice, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, maple syrup, garlic powder, onion powder, and hot sauce in a shallow dish. Drop in the tofu, making sure it's swimming in all that flavor. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes—2 hours if you’ve got the patience of a saint.
Take your marinated tofu and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes.
Russian Dressing = Mandatory
Mix mayo, ketchup, finely chopped onion, and those little pickles until it looks like something you'd want to slather all over your life.
Assemble Like a Pro
Grab two slices of good sourdough—none of that flimsy stuff. Butter one side of each slice. Flip them over and stack up: cheese, sauerkraut, crispy smoked tofu, Russian dressing, and more cheese (because obviously).
Top with the second slice, butter side out.
The Golden Finish
Heat a pan over medium and grill the sandwich until golden brown and the cheese is having a full-on meltdown—about 3-4 minutes per side.
Slice in half. Admire your creation. Take a bite. Make questionable noises.
Fuck yeah! You just made a damn good Reuben. Enjoy!
