Instant Pot Corned Beets

This recipe will blow your mind, and it’s healthy too! The red beets are sliced thin on a mandolin, and I recommend that you pile them up high like a NYC deli does.

Corned beets are so easy to make in your electric pressure cooker. Just slice, cook in a marinade, and you are set. Plus, you can freeze any extra beets for later.

What is a Meat-free Reuben, Anyhow?

It’s a plant-based variation of the classic Reuben with a few simple vegan ingredient swaps. It’s made with sauerkraut, vegan Swiss cheese, and Russian or Thousand Island dressing.

We take the dairy out of those ingredients with non-dairy cheese and vegan dressing.

The traditional corned beef is replaced with corned beets, but other versions include tofu, tempeh, seitan, or even sweet potatoes!

What does a Reuben Taste Like?

It’s been decades since I had corned beef, but the star of the sandwich was never the meat for me. It’s the tanginess of the sauerkraut, the gooiness of the melted (vegan) cheese, and the melange of flavors from the Russian dressing.

If you make this on rye bread, you get that yummy flavor in every bite too.

What ingredients do I need to make corned beets?

In addition to the most important ingredient, thin slices of beet, you’ll need:

• Vegan beefy bouillon powder recipe – or a mushroom bouillon or mushroom powder. This adds a beefy flavor
• Pickle juice – use some from an open jar
• Worchestershire sauce – make sure it’s vegan! Many contain anchovies.
• Ground ginger
• Mustard powder
• Allspice
• Cinnamon
• Salt or salt substitute
• Ground black pepper
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Ground coriander

How do I make corned beets?

Use a mandoline to get consistently thin slices of the beet. Add these to your Instant Pot with the marinade.

Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, then manually release the pressure.

If you aren’t using the beets now, store them in the marinade in the fridge.

Ack – I don’t have dressing! What can I do?

Mix up vegan mayo and ketchup until it’s the perfect dark pink color, then add in some pickle relish or chopped pickles. Enjoy!

Equipment

While I do recommend a mandoline, you can use a sharp knife and cut as thin as you can in a pinch.

This recipe is for an Instant Pot, but you can cook it on the stove, and simmer until the beets are done.

Pro Tip: Search the Amazon Warehouse for amazing deals on kitchen equipment!

Assembling the sandwiches

The preparation process for making the sandwich is easy. Assemble the ingredients around a cutting board.

Your first decision is will you grill them or not. If you are, heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat or get out that panni press you never use – now is its big moment!

I pan fry mine dry, but you can add some vegan butter or even plant-based mayo on the outside of the bread to crisp it up more.

Then layer a slice of vegan cheese, the sauerkraut, the corned beets, some of the dressing. Put on the top piece of bread.

If you grill or not you’ll enjoy this sandwich with a few napkins – it can be messy!

Grilled sandwich tip

It helps to have 2 pieces of cheese – one on the top piece of the bread, and the other on the bottom.

When it gets hot and melts, the cheese helps keep your sandwich from falling apart.

Looking for more vegan sandwich recipes?

• Instant Pot Orange Lime Chile Jackfruit
• Cauliflower Po’ Boy Sandwiches
• Sloppy Buffalo Beans