There is nothing like a great Reuben Sandwich all year round and especially on St Patrick’s Day!
Slices of rye bread are topped with melted swiss cheese, tangy sauerkraut, dressing, and lots of sliced corned beef. It’s cooked in a skillet (grilled cheese style) until crisp and toasty!
I love to make Reuben sandwiches at home, it’s one of my husband’s favorite sandwiches!
A Perfect Deli-Style Sandwich
A Reuben sandwich is a great way to enjoy leftover corned beef from your Saint Patrick’s Day dinner, or just a delicious addition to your weekly menu, any time of the year!
What is a Reuben Sandwich? The origins of the Reuben sandwich can be traced back to around the 1920s, but there’s still a debate about who invented them. Regardless of who created it, it’s an all time favorite sandwich!
Made on rye bread a traditional Reuben sandwich has Thousand Island Dressing (or Russian dressing), Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and of course, corned beef.
For the ultimate corned beef sandwich, skip the deli and make your own slow cooker corned beef. It’s almost effortless to make and you can skip the cabbage and veggies if you prefer. Plus, you’ll have plenty of leftovers to make this sandwich recipe even better!
Ingredients in a Reuben Sandwich
Dressing – We love using Thousand Island dressing on a Reuben sandwich but you can also try horseradish sauce for a little bit of a kick.
Sauerkraut – Use sauerkraut in a jar or can, but make sure to squeeze it well so it doesn’t make the sandwich soggy.
Corned Beef – You can use store-bought, deli, or leftover homemade corned beef. Thicker slices of warmed leftover corned beef work especially well, you can ask them to cut it thicker at the deli counter. If you prefer, you can use pastrami instead.
Swiss Cheese – Place Swiss cheese on the bread when making the sandwiches so it melts as the sandwich is heated. If you’re not a fan of Swiss cheese, try using cheddar, mozzarella, or any other type of cheese you have on hand!
How To Make A Reuben Sandwich
Making classic Reuben sandwiches is easy, a bit like making a grilled cheese sandwich.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread.
- Spread dressing on each side of the sandwich (on the inside) and top with a slice of swiss cheese, corned beef, and sauerkraut. Place butter side down in a skillet.
- Cook until bread slices are golden, and enjoy!
Serve with additional dressing for dipping, a side of coleslaw, and, of course, dill pickles.
PRO TIP: If you are loading up your sandwich with lots of meat or using thick corned beef, heat the corned beef first.
More Ways to Enjoy Corned Beef
Reuben Roll Ups
Reuben Egg Rolls
My Favorite Reuben Sandwich
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 slices rye bread
- 16 ounces corned beef cooked & sliced
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 1 cup sauerkraut drained and squeezed dry
- ½ cup thousand island dressing
Instructions
-
Butter each slice of bread. Place 4 slices, butter side down, on the table or a cutting board.
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Spread the slices with 1 tablespoon dressing and top with 1 slice of cheese (or more to taste), ¼ of the sauerkraut and ¼ of the corned beef.
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Spread remaining dressing on the second piece of bread and place on top of sandwich, butter side out.
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Place in a skillet over medium low heat and cook until just golden and crisp. Flip and cook on remaining side.
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Cut in half and serve with additional dressing for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
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Made your slow cooker corned beef yesterday for this recipe today. I spoiled my husband; because these are now his favorite Reubens. Thanks so much for your recipes. All are Yummy!!!
So glad you’ve loved the recipes Sherry! Reubens with homemade corned beef are so good.
This was the best Reuben I’ve ever had. We made our own thousand island dressing and used garlic sauerkraut. And mayo instead of butter on the outside of the bread. Amazing!
Excellent
I’m a big fan of Reuben sandwiches, and this recipe definitely did justice to this classic.
Thanks a lot!
wow! great recipe for my children. Awaiting for new recipe also
So happy to hear everyone is enjoying it, Shaheen!