Reuben Sandwich Recipe (2024)

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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This classic Reuben sandwich recipe is made with rye bread, and stuffed with tender corned beef, tangy sauerkraut, melty Swiss cheese, and creamy Thousand Island dressing. It’s such an easy thing to make for St. Patrick’s Day, or any lunch. The distinct flavor of these sandwiches is unbeatable!

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Table of Contents

What’s on a Reuben Sandwich?

This is the best reuben sandwich recipe, and you only need a few ingredients to make it. There’s so much flavor packed into these easy sandwiches!

  • Rye Bread: Marbled rye lends a distinct flavor and look to this popular sandwich. The best substitute would be pumpernickel, sprouted bread, or whole grain wheat.
  • Corned Beef: Corned beef is salt-cured brisket, and it’s one of the highlights of a reuben. You can get slices of it at your local deli or grocery store.
  • Sauerkraut: This fermented cabbage adds a distinctly tangy and salty flavor.
  • Swiss Cheese: Swiss compliments the flavor of corned beef perfectly.
  • Thousand Island Dressing: This creamy dressing is deliciously tangy, sweet, and sour.
  • Butter: Use butter to grill up the sandwiches in a skillet.

Reuben sandwiches are one of my favorite St. Patrick’s Day foods. And you can use leftover corned beef to makes these too.

Can I use Russian dressing on this Reuben?

Absolutely! When it comes to making a classic reuben, you can use either Thousand Island dressing (as we did here) or Russian dressing.

Buy a bottle at the store, or make your own Russian dressing by whisking together the following ingredients:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
  • 2-4 teaspoons jarred horseradish
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
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What is a Reuben sandwich?

The Reueben is a grilled sandwich consisting of corned beef, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing with Swiss cheese. It’s a North American sandwich that has been around for decades.

Is a Reuben made with pastrami or corned beef?

When you are making a Reuben, it’s always made with corned beef.

Is a Reuben sandwich considered Irish or German?

Believe it or not, this amazing sandwich was made right in America. Rumor has it that it was made in Nebraska or New York City!

Can I use roast beef instead of corned beef?

It won’t taste quite the same, but yes, feel free to use roast beef if that’s what you have on hand.

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How to Store and Make Ahead

As with most sandwiches, you’ll want to store ingredients separately and make the reubens as you serve them for best quality. If you’re making any of the ingredients yourself (like the corned beef, sauerkraut, or dressing), make them ahead of time so they’re ready to use at lunch time!

You can put a whole sandwich in the fridge if you like, either in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap/foil. But storing bread/sandwiches in the fridge means it might get a little soggy. They can be eaten warm or cold.

What to Serve with Reuben Sandwiches

Serve your Reuben with potato chips and pickle slices for a simple deli-style lunch. Or serve them with any of your favorite potato side dishes. I recommend colcannon potatoes, these Air Fryer baked potatoes, or German potato salad. Refrigerator pickles or pickled beets would both add a bit more tanginess to compliment the sauerkraut.

If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.

Recipe

Reuben Sandwich Recipe

4.82 from 16 votes

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 15 minutes minutes

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Serves4 people

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This classic sandwich is a deli-staple thanks to its distinct flavor, and it's so easy to make at home.

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Ingredients

  • 8 slices marble rye bread
  • Butter
  • 1 pound sliced corned beef
  • 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut drained
  • 4 slices Swiss cheese
  • 1/2 cup thousand island dressing

Instructions

  • Butter each slice of bread.

    8 slices marble rye bread, Butter

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  • Flip the slices over, and spread a thin layer of dressing on each slice.

    1/2 cup thousand island dressing

  • Top 4 of the slices with an even amount of corned beef and sauerkraut and 1 slice of Swiss cheese.

    1 pound sliced corned beef, 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut, 4 slices Swiss cheese

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  • Place the 4 remaining slices of bread, buttered side up, on the top of the cheese.

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

  • Once heated, cook the sandwiches on the skillet for a few minutes on each side. Cover the skillet for a minute or two to ensure the cheese is melted and gooey.

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 581kcal (29%) Carbohydrates: 39g (13%) Protein: 27g (54%) Fat: 35g (54%) Saturated Fat: 10g (63%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g Monounsaturated Fat: 13g Cholesterol: 85mg (28%) Sodium: 2420mg (105%) Potassium: 580mg (17%) Fiber: 6g (25%) Sugar: 8g (9%) Vitamin A: 221IU (4%) Vitamin C: 39mg (47%) Calcium: 210mg (21%) Iron: 5mg (28%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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More Corned Beef Recipes We Love

  • Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage
  • Reuben Casserole
  • Reuben Egg Rolls
  • Corned Beef Hash

More Sandwich Recipes we Love

  • Copycat McRib Sandwich
  • Patty Melts
  • BLT Sandwich
  • Classic Grilled Cheese
  • Homemade Maid Rite Sandwiches
  • Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

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Reuben Sandwich Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a classic Reuben sandwich made of? ›

The Reuben Sandwich is an American classic made with savory corned beef piled on our favorite marble rye bread and topped with plenty of baby swiss cheese, crunchy, tangy sauerkraut, and zippy Russian dressing, then griddled to perfection until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted.

How do you make a Reuben sandwich not soggy? ›

Why is my Reuben sandwich soggy? The culprit is most likely the sauerkraut. Be sure to drain off as much liquid as possible from the sauerkraut before piling it onto your Reuben sandwich to prevent any sogginess. It's also best to serve Reubens soon after griddling to keep the toasted bread nice and crisp.

Should a Reuben have pastrami or corned beef? ›

A Reuben sandwich is typically made with corned beef. It would taste great with pastrami too, it just wouldn't be a classic Reuben! Bottom line: You can't go wrong with either of these flavor-packed deli meats.

Should a Reuben be pressed or toasted? ›

In some cases, this rule works for melts, which is what a Reuben technically is. But with the Reuben, I prefer to revert to single-side toasting, because I like the inner surfaces of the bread in a Reuben to be slightly steamed and tender, the whole thing partially fusing together.

What is a dirty Reuben sandwich? ›

Dirty Reuben: Roast Beef, Ike's Dirty Dressing, Purple Slaw, American Cheese. ( I added. #MozzarellaSticks & #Avocado) #YOUreWorthMore.

Is Thousand Island dressing the same as Russian dressing? ›

The ingredient that differentiates Russian dressing from Thousand Island is—drumroll, please—horseradish. When you have Russian dressing accenting a hearty sandwich like a Reuben, the horseradish can be hard to detect, especially when you've got the sharp, funky flavors of sauerkraut to contend with.

What is a Reuben without sauerkraut called? ›

The Rachel sandwich is one of several variations on the famous sandwich. Instead of the classic corned beef and sauerkraut, the Rachel is usually made with turkey or pastrami and coleslaw. Both sandwiches are made with Swiss cheese and rye bread.

How was the original Reuben sandwich made? ›

The request came from a city store owner and casual poker player named Reuben Kulafofsky. Schimmel chose to add Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing on dark rye bread. This version originated in 1925 and was quickly put on the hotel's menu by owner Charles Schimmel.

What's the difference between a Reuben and a Rachel sandwich? ›

Perhaps owing to its absence of an exact origin story, the Rachel is certainly more of a pliable sandwich than the classic Reuben as far as ingredients are concerned. The first major difference is that the Rachel swaps brisket-based corned beef for pastrami, which comes from a comparatively leaner cut of the cow.

What is a substitute for Swiss cheese in a Reuben sandwich? ›

Swiss cheese: Swiss cheese is generally used for a Reuben Sandwich because of its mild flavor. You may also try mozzarella or provolone cheese, two more mild-tasting kinds of cheese.

What animal does pastrami come from? ›

» Type of Cuts

While beef is the common meat source for corned beef and pastrami, they have different types of cuts. Usually, brisket is used for corned beef. It is the lower area of a cow's chest. Meanwhile, brisket for pastrami comes from the beef plate, shoulder, or cow's naval area.

Does a Reuben have Russian or Thousand Islands? ›

A good Reuben isn't anything too complicated. All you need is corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and rye bread—but the one ingredient that really ties the room together is the Russian dressing.

What does Arby's put on their Reuben sandwiches? ›

About the Sandwich

Marbled rye bread filled with freshly sliced corned beef, melty Swiss Cheese, tangy sauerkraut and creamy Thousand Island dressing. This is a Reuben sandwich inspired by the New York standard.

What chips go best with a Reuben? ›

Reuben + kettle salt & pepper chips

There's the salty, smoky flavor of corned beef, the tongue tingling acidity of sauerkraut, and creamy Russian dressing all sandwiched between slices of rye bread, sour with caraway seeds. To balance it out, a simple bag of Kettle salt and pepper chips really does the trick.

Can you eat a cold Reuben? ›

The sandwich is traditionally made with sliced corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese on rye bread. It is usually fried like a grilled cheese sandwich and served hot, but it may be served cold.

Are corned beef and pastrami the same? ›

Corned beef is made from the leaner flat brisket. Pastrami is made with point brisket, which contains more marbling and fat. Pastrami can also be made with other cuts of beef, such as deckle (a lean shoulder cut) or navel (aka beef belly, which comes from the plate, a juicy section just below the ribs).

What's the difference between a Reuben and a corned beef special? ›

Both feature corned beef and sauerkraut on rye bread, but where a corned beef sandwich keeps it simple with mustard and relish, the reuben takes things an extra step further by adding Russian dressing and melty cheese. What's on a corned beef sandwich?

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