Reuben Sandwich Recipe (2024)

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (1)

By: Becky Hardin

This post may include affiliate links that earn us a small commission from your purchases at no extra cost to you.

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!

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (2)

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
Reuben Sandwich Recipe (3)

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (4)

Email This Recipe

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Cookie Rookie.

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.

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (5)

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

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 15 minutes minutes

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (6)

Serves4 people

Print Rate

Save Shop our store

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

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (7)

Email This Recipe

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Cookie Rookie.

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

    Reuben Sandwich Recipe (8)

  • 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

    Reuben Sandwich Recipe (9)

  • 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!

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (10)

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (11)

Upload A PhotoTag on
Insta
Leave A Rating

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

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (12)

Claim your free ebook!

Subscribe to have posts delivered straight to your inbox!! PLUS get our FREE ebook!

Sign Me Up

Reuben Sandwich Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in a Reuben sandwich? ›

The classic Reuben sandwich: layers of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing, tucked between slices of hearty rye bread, grilled to crispy, melty perfection.

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.

Is a Reuben Thousand Island or Russian? ›

To make Reuben sandwiches, along with quality rye bread you'll need either Russian Dressing or Thousand Island Dressing. As mentioned above, both are commonly used and it just comes down to personal preference whether you prefer spicy or sweet. You'll also need sliced corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese.

What is a classic Reuben made of? ›

A traditional reuben sandwich consists of thinly sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on rye bread slathered with Russian or Thousand Island dressing.

Why is my Reuben soggy? ›

Why is my Reuben soggy? Any sandwich can get soggy if bread comes in contact with excess liquid or wet ingredients. In the case of a Reuben sandwich, the sauerkraut can make the bread soggy. To overcome this, drain the sauerkraut and then use paper towels or the back of a spoon to remove as much liquid as you can.

Is sauerkraut warm or cold on a Reuben? ›

One key step no matter what is to pre-heat both the corned beef and the sauerkraut, so that you're not trying to warm through the entire jam-packed sandwich and instead are just trying to melt the cheese and toast the bread.

Is Thousand Island the same as Russian dressing? ›

While there are a lot of overlapping ingredients, there are also some key differences between these two iconic slathers. To start, both are mostly made from a mix of mayonnaise and ketchup, but generally, Russian dressing is a little spicy while Thousand Island tends to be on the sweeter side.

What is a Texas Reuben? ›

“a deli classic reinvented for. south Texas tastes…”

This Texas Reuben features our own lean smoked brisket thrown over some buttered and griddled rye bread. Our sauerkraut is cooked in-house and not like what you usually imagine when it comes to this German staple.

Is Arby's Reuben real corned beef? ›

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 is a cape cod Reuben? ›

Fried Haddock filet, Swiss cheese, homemade coleslaw & Russian dressing served on marble rye.

What is a New England Reuben? ›

The Reuben sandwich is a North American grilled sandwich composed of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing or Thousand Island dressing, grilled between slices of rye bread. It is associated with kosher-style delicatessens but is not kosher, as it combines meat and cheese. Reuben sandwich.

What ethnicity is a Reuben sandwich? ›

The prototype for the Reuben sandwich goes back to the early 20th century in a New York Jewish deli called Reuben's Restaurant and Deli. They often hosted celebrities after a night out at the theater and in 1914, actress Annette Seelos came into the deli.

How unhealthy is a Reuben? ›

About the Reuben

Unfortunately, this traditional sandwich is NOT one that I consider "heart healthy" as it provides approximately 800 calories, 50 grams fat, 20 grams of the artery-clogging saturated fat, 40 grams carbohydrates, 36 grams protein, and a whopping 3200 mg.

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.

What is the original Reuben sandwich? ›

According to Omaha lore, the combination of rye bread, corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut had been dreamed up in 1925 to feed participants in a late-night poker game at the Blackstone Hotel in downtown Omaha by a local grocer, Reuben Kulakofsky.

Is Russian dressing the same as Thousand Island? ›

While there are a lot of overlapping ingredients, there are also some key differences between these two iconic slathers. To start, both are mostly made from a mix of mayonnaise and ketchup, but generally, Russian dressing is a little spicy while Thousand Island tends to be on the sweeter side.

Is corned beef the same as pastrami? ›

While corned beef is typically made from brisket, pastrami generally comes from the cow's navel area, Serious Eats reports. The navel cut is a fatty one, and it's also likely to stand up well to pastrami's long cooking process.

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.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Manual Maggio

Last Updated:

Views: 5372

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (49 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Manual Maggio

Birthday: 1998-01-20

Address: 359 Kelvin Stream, Lake Eldonview, MT 33517-1242

Phone: +577037762465

Job: Product Hospitality Supervisor

Hobby: Gardening, Web surfing, Video gaming, Amateur radio, Flag Football, Reading, Table tennis

Introduction: My name is Manual Maggio, I am a thankful, tender, adventurous, delightful, fantastic, proud, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.