This idea for a beet pastrami originated as a "smoked salmon" substitute for my everything bagel and herb & garlic cream cheese recipe, but it didn't quite fit. And it also seemed like a waste of a perfectly great recipe! So I made it into its own sandwich, and I think this is a much better way to eat your beets.
And no, I don't plan on making carrot lox anytime soon either. Have you seen the carrot dog video?! Oh, brother.
Anyhoo, focus! These sandwiches have it all - sweet, savory, spicy, tangy, creamy, and crunch! You're going to melt when you sink your teeth into these. If you're looking for the thousand island dressing, I took it straight outta the hot for food cookbook, but you can also find a similar version here.
Check out how to make them in the video below or keep scrolling for the recipe.
golden beet pastrami reuben style sandwiches
Ingredients
beet pastrami
- 4 small to medium sized golden beets (skin on)
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
pastrami spice mix
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ground in mortar & pestle
- 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
sandwiches
- 8 slices light rye bread (check to make sure it's vegan friendly!)
- 3 to 4 tablespoon vegan butter
- 2 C shredded vegan pepperjack cheese
- 1 C sauerkraut
- thousand island dressing (from the hot for food cookbook)
- 4 dill pickles, as garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a mortar and pestle, crush the mustard seeds and then add to a bowl with the rest of the spice mix.
- Brush ½ teaspoons of oil on each beet and place in foil. Create a foil packet by placing all the beets in the foil and wrapping tightly to cover completely. Roast for 45 minutes for small beets or longer for larger beets (time may vary).
- Open up foil carefully, as hot steam will be coming out. Beets should easily be punctured by a fork. If not, continue roasting in the foil packet.
- Generously brush the liquid that has pooled in the foil packet over the beet skin to get it wet, then generously cover in the pastrami spice on outside of the beet so it’s covered evenly. Keep them spaced apart on the foil, but you don’t need to wrap them again. Roast for another 15 minutes so the moisture evaporates and the paste sticks.
- Remove the beets from the oven and slice very thinly.
- Spread 4 pieces of bread with vegan butter on the outside and thousand island dressing on the inside. Top with vegan cheese and 1 sliced beet per sandwich. Then top with sauerkraut, more cheese and top with a piece of bread with thousand island on the inside and more butter on the outside.
- Get a grill pan heated over medium heat and press the sandwich on the grill pan for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Use a sandwich press or another small cast iron to press the sandwich.
- Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serve with pickles if desired.
Stacey
Made these last night for dinner. Absolutely brilliant. Impatiently gobbled up the beet coins out of the oven without the bread, and topped with the dressing and kraut. Later, topped the beets on toasted rye with some vegan pepper Jack, as per your recipe (and some added avocado), and found it transcendent. Thank you for taking the time to create something so delicious and for having the generosity to share it. Perfectly delicious.
Emily
This recipe is AMAZING! I’ve been adding it into my dinner rotation and I’m just obsessed. The flavors & textures are so good—I will definitely be making these over and over again.
Trisha
Lauren--I was just introduced to you by my daughter and made this sandwich for dinner tonight. It was AH-Mazing!!! I was full after eating half of it, and ate the other half because it was just THAT good! Can't wait to try more of your recipes.
Marcella
Sooo crazily good! Everyone needs to try this sandwich!
CC
So you never peel the beets?
Lauren Toyota
you can if you want but then you don't get that spiced kind of crust. The skin is soft and edible, just scrub em before
Adrienne
Favorite Ruben recipe. I used to do tempeh Rubens but this version is even better.
Adrienne
Made several times with both golden and red beet. 11/10 my favorite Ruben recipe. Move over tempeh Ruben.
Lauren Toyota
woo hoo! love it!