Everyone needs a go-to diner order, and mine's a Reuben. Okay, fine, it's also a Cobb salad, but that's only because I'm not always hungry enough to eat a six-inch stack of meat. In my opinion, the best parts of the Reuben are everything but the corned beef: sharp, salty sauerkraut, creamy, tangy Russian dressing, hearty rye bread, and, of course, lots of melted Swiss cheese. This vegetarian Reuben recipe agrees with me, and it indulges my healthyish desire to sneak greens into otherwise decadent dishes whenever I can get away with it.

Chris Morocco, who tackles all my half-baked recipe ideas with aplomb, decided to use kale in place of the meat, but any sturdy green is fair game. The greens get lightly sautéed with garlic then mixed with sauerkraut and Morocco's shockingly delicious take on Russian dressing, which is just full-fat Greek yogurt and hot sauce. The kale mixture goes on your bread of choice (no, you don't have to go with rye) with a couple slices of Swiss, and, well, you know how to make grilled cheese—just be sure to butter the outsides of the bread first so your sandwiches can achieve melty, toasty perfection.

Maybe someday I'll be able to order a Reuben like this at my local diner (Gee Whiz, I see you!). Until then, I'll make my Reubens at home and order the Cobb salad, please.


Kale Reuben

Skipping the corned beef in a cooked greens-packed Reuben shouldn’t feel (or taste) like a bummer. Happy to say this one doesn’t.
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