Just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day, this recipe for corned beef seitan should please even the biggest weirdo corned beef purist. What you do with this knowledge is up to you, but I highly suggest getting a bunch of friends together and celebrating with a tray of vegan reubens.
For the record, I’ve never actually eaten corned beef, but I can safely surmise that this recipe is pretty dang authentic. This seitan includes all the same spices and flavorings as traditional corned beef — minus the animal corpse. I think it makes a super tasty sandwich, and I’m not just saying that because it’s topped with sauerkraut (one of the greatest foods on the planet)!
- 1¼ c wheat gluten
- ½ Tbsp ground mustard
- ½ Tbsp pepper
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp red pepper
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- 1 c cold water
- ½ c kidney beans, mashed
- 2 Tbsp oil
- ½” ginger root, finely minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- Preheat oven to 325°.
- In a small bowl, mix together dry ingredients, wheat gluten through allspice.
- In a medium bowl, mix together remaining ingredients.
- Combine the wet and dry mixtures together until well-blended, and knead the mixture for few minutes to condition the gluten.
- Shape dough into a 9-10″ log and roll tightly (double-roll, if you have to!) in aluminum foil, twisting the ends to seal.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, rotating once.
- Let cool fully; slice, and serve.
To assemble reubens, lightly butter one side each of two slices of rye bread. Between the un-buttered sides of the bread, layer with corned beef seitan, thin slices of vegan mozzarella, a copious amount of sauerkraut, and a drizzle of Russian dressing. (You’ll now have a sandwich with the outsides buttered.) Fry sandwich, one side at a time, in a covered frying pan on medium-high heat, until each side is golden brown and the cheese has melted a bit (pressing down on the sandwich once or twice while it cooks helps). Slice diagonally, crank the DKM, and eat up!
21 comments
Jennifer says:
Mar 11, 2013
This looks and sounds amazing! I have something similiar planned for later this week! Vegan Reuben Rolls/Wraps
claryn says:
Mar 14, 2013
Ooh, that sounds awesome, Jennifer!
christina says:
Mar 16, 2013
Is the mustard just yellow mustard? Or is it the dry spice kind? Also, in the first step you said wheat gluten through allspice… what did that mean? I’m making this today. Thanks!
claryn says:
Mar 17, 2013
Ground mustard — the dry stuff! I’ve edited the recipe accordingly. And “all the dry ingredients, wheat gluten through allspice” means all of the dry ingredients I listed, starting with wheat gluten and ending with allspice.
christina says:
Mar 17, 2013
Thanks a bunch!
Sara says:
Mar 11, 2013
Well this is something special. I haven’t tried a vegan Reuben yet (it’s not that well-known here in Belgium, and I’ve only got to know it through US blogs), but I soon have to!
Pho says:
Mar 11, 2013
I can’t tolerate wheat gluten is there anything you can substitute for the gluten? will brown rice work?
claryn says:
Mar 14, 2013
It won’t, sadly! I have seen some recipes for “gluten-free seitan” floating around the Web, though, so if you want to do some experimenting, have at it!
Jojo says:
Mar 13, 2013
That sounds so great. I love a good reuben and I’m always up for trying a new kind of seitan.
Jessica says:
Mar 16, 2013
This looks awesome
Do you think it would be possible to steam it instead of baking it? I find my seitan turns out dry when I bake it.
claryn says:
Mar 17, 2013
Baking definitely gives seitan a different, drier texture than steaming, so if you’d rather yours be more like the texture of steamed sausages, yeah, you can totally divide the dough up into six “sausages” and steam them as you usually would!
Vegan St. Patrick’s Day + rainbow parfait with chocolate mousse | Love Without Handles says:
Mar 16, 2013
[...] Vegan Reuben with Corned Beef Seitan via Hell Yeah It’s Vegan. [...]
Shaun says:
Apr 6, 2013
Amazing! Love the seitan. Do you have any other takes on seitan? Say a maple glazed ham or prime rib?
kmonlo7 says:
Jul 4, 2013
Sounds great! My husband and I had our first vegan reuben sandwich at “The Chicago Diner” and it was- without a doubt- the best reuben I’ve ever had!!
I’ve been on a mad search ever since for something that will atleast come close to their corned beef. Will leave a follow-up.
Vegan Irish Soda Bread | Hell Yeah It's Vegan! says:
Mar 4, 2014
[…] this week, I recommend whipping up some cheap and hearty colcannon and checking out my recipe for vegan corned beef seitan. But, authentic or not, this version of soda bread is tasty as heck, and I stand by it. Tender and […]
Joel says:
Mar 13, 2014
I followed the recipe exactly except I substituded 1 cup of beet juice instead of water. The Russian dressing and cheese made a fantastic sandwich. Happy St. Paddy’s day all year long.
Jon says:
Mar 15, 2014
This is really good!!!! I have prepaired this several times now, my non vegan wife and family were totally suprised on how good it was and went for seconds. I love your recipies!
claire says:
Mar 17, 2014
So stoked to try this when it’s done. The batter tastes great!
Desirae says:
Mar 17, 2014
Holy hell yeah! I just made these for my family and they will now be one of my St Patrick’s day delights. I made the soda bread as well. Very yummy, but this Reuben made my daughter share her love for it on Facebook immediately. Looking forward to making more of your recipes!
JennO says:
Mar 18, 2014
Hell yeah, this is a great reuben sandwich. Had my non-vegan son tell me that dinner was fantastic! The seitan is spot on and smelled amazing as it was baking. Did go to another site for a vegan thousand island (vegetarianabout.com) dressing, a slice of Go Veggie smoked provolone…really satisfied my Irish craving. Thank you for sharing.
Stacy says:
May 10, 2014
I tried this recipe last night and it was fantastic (but I made vegan Thousand Island dressing)… I am so happy that I can have my reubens, again!!! Thanks!