This completely vegan, Reuben-inspired dish features marinated tofu cutlets that get breaded, crisped and served with Russian dressing and sauerkraut.
Make ahead: The tofu needs to marinate for about 15 minutes, and up to 1 day in advance.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Ingredients
Servings: 2–3
Directions
Active:
35 mins|
Total: 55 mins
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Step 1
Make the tofu: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. If you have a convection feature, turn that on, too.
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Step 2
In a small baking dish, whisk together the vinegar, 1/4 cup of the water, the oil, garlic, tamari and maple syrup, and add the tofu, turning the pieces over to coat in the marinade. Let sit at room temperature, flipping the pieces once or twice, while you prepare the breading station, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
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Step 3
Arrange three medium shallow containers or bowls, one for each step of the breading process. (Medium takeout containers are great for this.)
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Step 4
In one of the containers, whisk together the remaining 1/3 cup of water with the flaxseed meal, and let the mixture thicken, about 5 minutes. In another container, whisk together the flour with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. In the last container, stir together the panko with the caraway seeds and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
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Step 5
Arrange the containers in order from left to right: the flour mixture, flaxseed mixture and panko mixture. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set it nearby.
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Step 6
Drain the tofu. (Discard the marinade or save it for another use.) Working with one piece of tofu at a time, dip the tofu in the flour mixture until covered all over with a thin coating. Lift the tofu out of the flour mixture with one hand and place it in the flaxseed mixture, pressing or spreading to apply an even, thin coating. (If the flaxseed mixture has gotten too thick, add a splash of water as needed.) Shake off the excess, then, using your other (presumably still-clean) hand, coat the tofu in the panko mixture, gently pressing to adhere. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan, and repeat with the remaining tofu pieces.
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Step 7
Lightly coat the tops and sides of each piece of the breaded tofu with cooking spray and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned and crisp, flipping the pieces and coating the second side with more cooking spray halfway through cooking. (If using the convection setting, the tofu will take around 15 minutes; without convection, closer to 20 minutes.)
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Step 8
Make the dressing: While the tofu roasts, in a small bowl, stir together the cornichons, mayonnaise, ketchup and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You should have about 1/3 cup.
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Step 9
Serve the crispy tofu with the dressing alongside for dipping, and plenty of sauerkraut.
Substitutions
Lemon juice >> cornichon brine or white wine vinegar.
To make it gluten-free >> use all-purpose gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko.
Chopped cornichons >> pickle relish.
Want a kick? >> Add hot sauce or chile paste to the dressing.
To make this in an air fryer >> cook the tofu in a 400-degree air fryer instead of a convection oven until crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.
To make this on the stovetop >> pan-fry the tofu in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet; fill the skillet with 1/2 inch of neutral oil (canola, avocado or grapeseed are all great options) and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is hot. (To test, add until a small pinch of breadcrumbs to the oil, and if they immediately bubble, the oil is ready.) Working in batches to prevent overcrowding, add the tofu pieces and fry until browned and crisp on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
Variations
If you’d like, you can cook the tofu in a 400-degree air fryer instead of a convection oven until crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. You can also pan-fry the tofu in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet; fill the skillet with 1/2 inch of neutral oil (canola, avocado or grapeseed are all great options) and heat over medium-high until the oil is hot. (To test, add a small pinch of breadcrumbs to the oil, and if they immediately bubble, the oil is ready.) Working in batches to prevent overcrowding, add the tofu pieces, and fry until browned and crisp on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
