Reuben Recipe

Inside: The secret to making a corned beef Reuben with leftovers from your previously cooked brisket.

Want a mouthwatering Reuben recipe using leftover corned beef? There’s a simple way to ensure a melty, juicy corned beef Reuben that you and your friends will positively swoon over.

Be sure to slice the corned beef very thinly, against the grain.

Okay, I admit it. I posted that Russian dressing because I had an ulterior motive. This heavenly meaty, golden, tangy, hits all the right notes Reuben Sandwich. Oh yeah!

For the uninitiated, this sandwich is transformative, quashing any preconceived notion as to what a corned beef sandwich should/could be. My daughter found that out for herself.

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When was the first time you had a Reuben sandwich? I was just a kid when I was out to lunch with my Mom and grandmother, Myne.  We’d been clothes shopping, something my 10-year-old self HATED to do, but the promise of lunch at a sit-down restaurant lessened the agony. It was then that I had my first Reuben.

Drain the swiss cheese well — and blot dry with paper towels, if necessary.

As we weighed the options on the menu, my grandmother immediately zeroed in on The Reuben Sandwich.  I remember her saying to my Mom, “Chris, when was the last time you had a Reuben?”  

Hardly waiting for an answer, she wistfully described how she’d always loved them. She went on about that sandwich until lunch arrived, and she got her Reuben. Of course, I had to taste what the fuss was about.

OMG. I’ve loved them ever since.

It’s easy to mix up your own Russian dressing with a few pantry staples.

Consequently, this classic Reuben sandwich has been in the works since I started making that brisket brine a few weeks ago. As you recall — that was a big brisket — and even after making corned beef hash and eggs, I had enough for this sandwich.

My daughter, Emily, who’d never had a Reuben sandwich — was distinctly uninterested because of the sauerkraut.  

“I don’t like sauerkraut,” she said — the subtext being — “so, I won’t like this.”

rye bread with cheese and dressing.
Assemble the ingredients for your Reuben sandwich.

I didn’t say a word—I just assembled the sandwiches, toasted them on the cast iron griddle, and brought them to the table.

My Mom and Dad helped themselves, Scott went in for some, and I took a half while Emily dubiously watched us each take a bite, eyes rolling back in our heads, muffling appreciation through stuffed mouths as we chewed.

Yeah, she TOTALLY caved.

She took half of a sandwich and sunk her teeth into the golden crusted rye, through the Russian dressing, melty cheese, thinly sliced corned beef — and yes, the sauerkraut… and she had exactly the same reaction that we all did.  Heaven.  As in — cue the angels.

Don’t be conservative when piling on the corned beef.

No one spoke, we just ate.  A few appreciative groans and grunts could be heard, but no words.  We didn’t need them and neither will you.

I used my cast iron pan to griddle these sandwiches and achieve that luscious golden crust, but you can also do this in a panini press or if you’re feeding a crowd, use one of those large cast iron griddle pans that spans several burners on your stove top.  

Cast iron is my pick for sandwiches like this because it cooks evenly and without hot spots to yield ideal results every time.

Griddle the sandwich in a cast iron skillet or use a panini press.

A classic reuben sandwich consists of rye bread, thinly sliced corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing (though many folks substitute Thousand Island). Here’s some tips on making the Best Reuben Sandwich…

Pro tips :

  • In case you haven’t been brining a beef brisket for five days, you can certainly get a pound of good, quality corned beef sliced thin at your grocer’s deli—no hard feelings. Quite honestly, if I didn’t already have leftover corned beef in my fridge, that’s exactly what I would’ve done. 
  • I use the sauerkraut that comes in the refrigerated pouches — not the canned variety.  It’s personal preference, but I’ve noticed a metallic taste from the canned sauerkraut that I find off-putting.
  • I like baby swiss cheese for this sandwich, but regular swiss or muenster would work well too. Other good, melty cheeses that would compliment the corned beef: monterey jack, provolone or white American — I know they’re not traditional, but I’m not the food police.
  • If you have a good fresh baked deli rye bread, that’s always the best, but Arnold makes a good seedless and seeded rye bread (your choice) and that’s what I used for this sandwich.
  • For the Russian dressing – make your own (here’s the recipe).  It’s ludicrously simple and so much better than a bottled dressing — plus it will take you less than 5 minutes to put together.  You can also scale the dressing up or down depending on how many sandwiches you’re making — though I always like a little extra to dip the sammie into as I eat. If you like a little heat in your Russian dressing, add a bit of horseradish, or for a sweeter taste, mix in a spoonful of sweet pickle relish.

More famous sandwich recipes you’ll love:

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a sliced reuben sandwich.
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4.67 from 9 votes

Reuben Sandwich

This real deal reuben will ruin you for any other corned beef sandwich, with homemade Russian Dressing, sauerkraut and baby swiss.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword corned beef sandwich, grilled sandwich, sandwich
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings 1

INGREDIENTS:

For Each Sandwich:

  • ¼ pound corned beef very thinly sliced
  • 2-3 slices baby swiss cheese
  • cup sauerkraut drained and excess liquid squeezed out
  • 2 tablespoons russian dressing (recipe follows)
  • 2 slices rye bread with or without seeds
  • 2 teaspoons butter or mayonnaise (for brushing on bread)

For Russian Dressing:

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar can use red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced onion
  • salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Make the Dressing:

  • In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk together.  Set aside.

For the Reuben Sandwich:

  • Spread Russian dressing over both slices of bread.  Top each slice with baby swiss cheese.  Add corned beef to one side and top with sauerkraut.  Top the corned beef side of the sandwich with the remaining bread, dressing cheese side and press firmly together.
  • Heat a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat.  Spread the top of the sandwich with a teaspoon of mayonnaise or butter — so that it thinly but evenly coats the bread.  Transfer the sandwich to the hot pan and lay it down on the side you just coated.  Spread the other side of the sandwich with the remaining mayonnaise or butter.  Cook the sandwich 3-4 minutes per side or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Transfer to a cutting board, slice the sandwich in half and enjoy.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 1642kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 135g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 3951mg | Potassium: 818mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 1015IU | Vitamin C: 40.8mg | Calcium: 517mg | Iron: 5.4mg

“Pin It” For Later!

The Reuben a hearty grilled corned beef sandwich that's taken to the next level with Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, is easy to make at home. This Classic Reuben recipe has tips on how to make yours, the best reuben at home. Great for using up leftover corned beef. #reuben #reubensandwich #grilledsandwich #cornedbeef #russiandressing #swisscheese #sandwichrecipe #sandwich #sauerkraut #homemadereuben #reubendressing #reubenfromscratch #classicreuben #reubenrecipe

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15 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I loved this sandwich! I will have to try it with a little horseradish next time!

  2. 5 stars
    Wonderful recipe! I can’t wait to try this at home. Do you think spreading a dollop of horseradish on the rye (not in the dressing) would be too strong of a flavor? I love horseradish and I feel like including it in the dressing and not by itself won’t be enough for me. Either way thank you for sharing!

    1. I’m all for horseradish — a light spread should give you a good zing.

  3. 5 stars
    I love reuben sandwiches and this one looks fantastic. I am sure it tastes scrumptious too.

  4. 5 stars
    Reubens are my all time favorite sandwich so I’m sold!! <3 I love that you're using a homemade Russian dressing too! I didn't know how simple it could be!

  5. 5 stars
    I love a good Reuben. But I’ve never made one at home with my own corned beef and homemade Russian dressing. This is a next level Reuben!

  6. Terry Smith (caregiver) says:

    Myne enjoyed the memory you shared of your first Reuben sandwich.

    1. I’m so glad she liked the post — that memory is VIVID for me!

  7. 5 stars
    YUM. Did you know that the Reuben was invented in Omaha, Nebraska (supposedly)? It’s where I was born, so naturally I love them, lol. Yours looks amazing!

    1. I did read about that — recently — although as with any to-die-for food invention, there is some contention about the original birthplace– another city is claiming its origins.