Check out this amazing Grilled Avocado Sauerkraut Sandwich featuring crunchy, tangy sauerkraut with creamy avocado and hummus, stuffed between two slices of pumpernickel bread, and grilled until hot and crispy!
I promise you won’t even miss the cheese, corned beef, or the Russian dressing in this vegetarian twist on the classic Reuben sandwich. This recipe is perfect as a hearty hot lunch idea or a quick, healthy, and tasty dinner dish!
Jump to:
👩🏻🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe
This easy sauerkraut sandwich is a vegetarian take on the classic Reuben sandwich. Tangy and creamy and grilled to perfection, this simple sandwich is perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a hearty lunch.
With only 5 ingredients and less than 30 minutes of prep and cooking time, you'll love how quick it is to get these sandwiches on the table. Filling and flavorful, this sauerkraut sandwich will become a new go-to in your repertoire!
And if you love avocado as much as I do, you'll love these
Baked Avocados - This flavorful and nutritious dish is perfect for a light but filling meal. With caprese-inspired toppings and warm, creamy avocado, this is a satisfying and elegant dish that elevates your avocados!!
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- pumpernickel - this unique bread has a distinct flavor that's subtly sweet and a bit sour, and it pairs perfectly with the flavors of this sandwich.
- buttery spread - I like to use a vegan spread to keep this sandwich on the healthier side, but you can use whatever butter works for you.
- hummus - gives your sandwich a creamy texture.
- sauerkraut - tangy and crunchy and perfect with pumpernickel.
- avocado - makes this sandwich extra filling and satisfying!
🔪 Instructions
- Spread butter on one side of each piece of bread and place half of them face down on a baking sheet.
- Distribute about half of the hummus.
- Top with sauerkraut.
- Add slices of avocado.
- Finish the sandwiches by spreading the rest of the hummus on the other slices of bread and placing them on top.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes at 450 degrees F, then flip and bake another 6 minutes, or until crispy.
👪 FAQs
Originating in Germany, sauerkraut is made from finely cut cabbage that's undergone a fermentation process, which gives it a distinctly sour taste and a long shelf life.
Yes! Sauerkraut is a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and because it's fermented it contains probiotics that are great for digestion.
A Reuben is typically composed of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island or Russian dressing, all on rye bread. This vegetarian sauerkraut sandwich is a healthier twist on those classic flavors!
Yes, this is a great way to make a whole batch of grilled sandwiches in one go, instead of having to cook them in a pan one or two at a time!
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- There's no need to exactly measure how much spread you use, but I estimate about a tablespoon for each sandwich.
- Taste your sauerkraut before using it for the sandwiches; if it's too tart, rinse it in some water. Different brands have different levels of sourness.
- If you want to streamline prep, use all of the hummus on one half of the bread instead of spreading on both sides.
Make this vegetarian sauerkraut sandwich for a quick and easy dinner with strong and distinct flavors! This alternative to the classic Reuben is much healthier but doesn't sacrifice quality or enjoyment.
📖 Substitutions and Variations
- Roasted garlic or red pepper hummus are great varieties to try on this sandwich.
- You can make this without the avocado if you want a lighter sandwich!
- Some corned beef or pastrami can be added to this sandwich if desired.
- Try adding a slice of Swiss cheese or mustard for extra flavor.
- If you're not a fan of pumpernickel, try rye bread!
🔊 What readers are saying...
"I made this for lunch because I was looking for a way to use up extra sauerkraut. It had the feel of a grilled cheese with no actual cheese. Thanks so much for this recipe!"
- Kim
🥫 Storage and Reheating
These sandwiches are great to wrap up individually and store in the fridge or freezer to pull out and reheat when you need something quick. I recommend reheating in the oven at around 400 degrees F, which can take up to 10 minutes, but may take more if you're reheating from frozen.
💡 What To Serve With This Dish
Pairing this vegetarian sauerkraut sandwich with a tasty veggie side dish is a great way to prepare a full and satisfying meal! Try it with Roasted Brussels Sprouts or this easy Garlic Butter Microwave Broccoli, or make some Baked Dill Fries or a quick and simple Kale Caesar Salad.
🍞 More Sandwich Recipes You'll Love
- Crock Pot Pulled Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches - So easy to make in your slow cooker, these sandwiches have just the right kick!
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Cheese - With Parmesan crusted bread, this is an elevated version of grilled cheese that every home chef should have.
- Shrimp Grilled Cheese - Seafood paired with nutritious spinach makes for a healthy and fulfilling meal.
- Chicken Parmesan Sandwich - This classic sandwich from Little Sunny Kitchen is a must-try!
How much do you know about about avocados? Check out my article about what does avocado taste like to discover the best way to choose avocados, how to extract the flesh for eating, and get some great ideas for how to prepare them!
Vegetarian Sauerkraut Sandwich
Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star ⭐ rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!
📋 Recipe Card
Mom's Grilled Avocado Sauerkraut Sandwich
Ingredients
- 8 slices pumpernickel bread
- vegan buttery spread (or regular butter)
- 1 cup hummus (use your favorite variety, I used roasted red pepper)
- 1 cup sauerkraut (drained and liquid squeezed out)
- 1 avocado (peeled and sliced lengthwise into about 16 pieces)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- Spread butter on one side of each of the 8 slices of bread, and place 4 of them them butter side down on a baking sheet.8 slices pumpernickel bread, vegan buttery spread
- Take about half of the hummus and distribute over the 4 slices of bread.1 cup hummus
- Distribute the sauerkraut over the hummus on each slice.1 cup sauerkraut
- Distribute the avocado slices over the sauerkraut.1 avocado
- For the remaining 4 slices of bread, spread hummus on the side without butter and place hummus side down on the avocado slices.
- Bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes, then flip the sandwiches and bake about 6 minutes more, until the sandwiches are golden brown and crispy. (Alternatively, you can grill them on the stove top on a griddle or in a skillet).
Notes
- I don't usually measure the buttery spread, but I probably use about 1 tablespoon per sandwich.
- You can rinse the sauerkraut lightly if it's a little too tart for you. Different brands taste slightly different so I usually try a little before rinsing.
- Roasted garlic hummus is also a good variety of hummus to try on this sandwich.
- To streamline prep, you can spread all of the hummus on the bottom slice of bread and not bother with doing it in step 6. The reason I do half in step 3 and the other half in step 6 is that the hummus helps to 'glue' the sandwich together, which make for easier flipping in step 7.
- You can leave out the avocado altogether if desired, and this sandwich still tastes great!
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Check out my Dizzy Busy and Hungry store on Amazon for a whole bunch of great kitchen products I love!
Thanks so much for reading! I also invite you to follow me on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, or INSTAGRAM to keep up with what's going on in my kitchen.
Happy cooking!
Happy cooking!
Sara Welch
This was everything a gourmet sandwich should be, and then some! Easy, flavorful and delicious; loved every bite!
Mirlene
Wow! This sandwich was surprisingly delicious. I love the tartness from the sauerkraut along with the avocadoes! It's the perfect combo!
Louise Cayzer
Ohh all my faves in just one sandwich! Seriously delicious and combo I hadn't thought of before!
Alisha Rodrigues
Everything you've added to make this sandwich is so lovable .. Absolutely delicious to have at lunch or dinner
Corinne Giglio
LOVE this sandwich. I now make it several times/week. Delish!! Thank you for sharing your mom's awesome recipe.
Kristin King
So glad to hear that, Corinne! Thanks for stopping by to let me know! 🙂
K Smith
Way to go Mom! I had made some Rye and was looking for a vegan recipe to try and this was excellent!
Cindy
This healthy sandwich is delicious. I would give it a 10 star! Tell your mom thank you for sharing this recipe. I would really like to see more receipes from her.
Kristin
I will tell my mom to let me in on more of her secrets, lol! So glad you like this. I will pass along your feedback to her! 🙂
Kim
I made this for lunch because I was looking for a way to use up extra sauerkraut. I only had buffalo hummus on hand so I used that. To expedite, I just grilled it like a grilled cheese with olive oil. I made one for me and one for my husband. I agree that the flavors go together so well. It had the feel of a grilled cheese with no actual cheese. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Kristin
Yay! Buffalo hummus sounds delish! So glad you liked it. Thanks for stopping by to let me know! 🙂
Theresa
Sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party @DearCreatives pinned, and sharing. See you again soon.