This classic Reuben Sandwich recipe features juicy, tender corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing and rye bread. Taking all of those ingredients and getting them nice and toasty in a pan creates a crunchy crust, warmed meat, and gooey melted cheese… Every bite is so satisfying!
Check out more of the very best Reuben inspired recipes like Reuben Egg Rolls and Reuben Dip.
Table of Contents
What is a Reuben Sandwich?
A traditional Reuben sandwich is a deli staple! You start with two slices of rye bread (or marble rye), and pack it in with sliced corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing. This mouthwatering combination features meaty, salty, tangy, and subtly sweet flavors and varying textures.
The origins of a Reuben sandwich are disputed to this day. Some say it originated in a deli restaurant called Reuben’s Deli in New York City, where a similar sandwich was created for actress Annette Seelos. Some say it was in Omaha’s Blackstone Hotel, where a chef created a corned beef and sauerkraut sandwich with Swiss cheese and thousand island on dark rye bread for a regular poker player, Reuben Kulafofsky.
But we will let others battle out the history and who gets the bragging rights. What matters to us is that this flavorful, warm and saucy sandwich is incredibly delicious!
For those fans who don’t love the corned beef through, feel free to make a Turkey Reuben instead or make it with pastrami.
Ingredient Notes
Corned Beef – This is a star ingredient, so make sure it’s good quality! I recommend making Instant Pot Corned Beef or 3-Ingredient Oven Baked Corned Beef Brisket. If you have to buy it, get freshly sliced corned beef from the deli. (Note that an uncooked 3 lb. corned beef brisket will be enough for about 3 Reuben sandwiches once cooked.)
Sauerkraut – It provides great tangy and sour flavor to balance out the creamy ingredients and meat. Make sure to squeeze the liquid out before adding to the sandwich.
Swiss Cheese – The absolute perfect cheese for this flavor combination. Get it sliced, or slice it yourself off the block.
Thousand Island Dressing – The combination of creamy, sweet, and tangy flavors is the perfect compliment to corned beef and rye bread.
Rye Bread – The classic bread and the best bread for this sandwich! Caraway seed flavor is the perfect finish. Use regular rye or marble rye bread.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make a Reuben Sandwich
Add dressing. Spread thousand island dressing all over the insides of two pieces of bread (1).
Add sauerkraut, cheese and meat. Add the sauerkraut to one slice of the bread. To the other slice, add Swiss cheese and corned beef (2).
Prepare the pan. Preheat a medium cooking pan over medium-low heat. Melt butter in the pan and spread it around evenly.
Toast it. Place both halves of the sandwich in the pan (3). Let the bread crisp and ingredients heat up (4). Once cheese is melted, use a spatula to carefully place one slice over the other to close the sandwich.
Enjoy! Cook for a couple more minutes on both sides, until bread is golden. Press gently. Take the sandwich out of the pan, cut in half, and serve right away.
Recipe FAQs
Traditionally, Reuben sandwiches are made with corned beef. If you would rather use pastrami, you can definitely substitute it but note that the flavor won’t be quite the same. It will still be delicious, but pastrami does taste different from corned beef.
Reuben is far better served as a hot sandwich. It’s better to serve it hot, especially if using home cooked corned beef. Plus, the melted cheese and toasted bread is best still fresh and warm.
If you’re in a rush, you can definitely make it cold on either toasted or un-toasted bread. But if you do have a few extra minutes, definitely opt for it hot!
While the sauerkraut provides a delightful tangy taste and a crunch, there are many people that just don’t enjoy it. You can always omit it if you simply don’t like it OR you can substitute coleslaw or shredded lettuce.
Note, if using lettuce, add it after you’ve cooked the sandwich.
More Sandwich Recipes You Must Try
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Reuben Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 slices of deli rye swirl bread
- 3 tbsp Thousand Island dressing
- 6 oz corned beef sliced thinly
- 2 slices Swiss cheese
- 1/4 cup sauerkraut liquid squeezed out
Instructions
- Preheat a medium cooking pan over medium-low heat. Melt butter in the pan and spread it around evenly.
- Place slices of bread in the pan and spread Thousand island dressing on both slices.
- Squeeze liquid from sauerkraut and spread it on one slice of bread. Place two slices of Swiss cheese on the other slice of bread.
- Layer corned beef over cheese evenly. Let the bread crisp and ingredients heat up. Once cheese is melted, use a spatula to carefully place one slice over the other to close the sandwich.
- Cook for a couple more minutes on both sides, until bread is golden. Press gently.
- Take the sandwich out of the pan, cut in half, and serve right away.
Video
Notes
- Corned Beef – make sure it’s good quality! Get freshly sliced corned beef from the deli. Or, I recommend making Instant Pot Corned Beef or 3-Ingredient Oven Baked Corned Beef Brisket.
- If you don’t like corned beef – feel free to use turkey instead or make it with pastrami. (Note, it will taste different! But it will be delicious.)
- Don’t like sauerkraut? While the sauerkraut provides a delightful tangy taste and a crunch, there are many people that just don’t enjoy it. You can always omit it if you simply don’t like it OR you can substitute coleslaw or shredded lettuce.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in February 2019.
Emma Emily says
I love this sandwich recipe
Tami says
This recipe was so easy and so delicious! I used Trader Joe’s “Magnifisauce” rather than Thousand Island dressing and it was very tasty. My daughter said she’s could eat these sandwiches every night!
PATTI K HELSEL says
I love a good Reuben any day but long ago had one without thousand island dressing..instead the sandwich shop used mayonnaise , mustard and then some juice squeezed from the saurkraut to thin it. The dressing is your preference of mayo to mustard ratio… I like it so much better than the sweeter thousand island.. I encourage you to try it sometime, Oh Yum!!!
LyubaB says
I will do that, Patti!
Marc Baranchik says
In the Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago, some restaurants add egg salad on their Reubens.
LyubaB says
That sounds interesting!
Marco the wine guy says
This is a really nice way to make the iconic deli sandwich at home. Lyuba is the queen of all things Reuben.👍👍👏👏
lyuba says
Haha, well thank you for the title, Marco!!