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Upgrade your lunch repertoire with a hearty, homemade Reuben Sandwich. Pile rye bread high with corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut, then grill to crispy, melty perfection.
Meggan’s notes
Some believe Reuben Sandwiches were created at a New York deli, while others insist the recipe came from an Omaha, Nebraska grocer who wanted a late-night poker snack for his pals.
Regardless of its origins, one of the earliest versions won a national sandwich contest and made the Reuben Sandwich an American icon (they are not Irish no matter how much I want them to be).
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Rye bread: Take your pick; seeded rye, pumpernickel, and marbled rye all work well.
- Thousand island dressing: While thousand island is the traditional spread, some recipes call for Russian Dressing. The latter isn’t made with pickle relish and can be spicy. Both make excellent Reubens.
- Sauerkraut: You can certainly make your own sauerkraut, but store-bought canned fermented cabbage works just as well, too.
- Corned beef: Stock up on sliced corned beef at the deli, or you can slice up your leftover corned beef.
Step-by-step instructions
If you’re making multiple sandwiches but are aiming for all to eat at once, put a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 200 degrees to create a warm place that will keep everything hot until you’ve finished.
- Working with one sandwich at a time, or assembling all four simultaneously, spread 1 tablespoon thousand island dressing on the rye bread. Build each sandwich by layering the following from the bottom up: 1 slice of Swiss cheese, ⅓ cup sauerkraut, 1 tablespoon dressing, 6 ounces corned beef, 1 slice of Swiss cheese, and 1 tablespoon of dressing.
- Top each sandwich with another slice of bread and press each sandwich down gently. Brush the tops of the sandwiches with melted butter. In a large skillet over medium heat, and working in batches if necessary, lay sandwiches butter-side down. Place a Dutch oven or other heavy object on top of the sandwiches to press them down and and cook until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot and brush the tops with melted butter. Gently flip over sandwiches. Place the pot back on top of sandwiches and cook until the bottom side is crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Repeat the process with any remaining sandwiches and serve.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: One recipe makes 4 sandwiches.
- Storage: Store leftover sandwiches wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a hot skillet or an air fryer.
- Make ahead: Assemble the cold sandwiches and wrap them in plastic wrap to store in the refrigerator a few hours before you plan on grilling them.
- Hot or cold: Yes, a Reuben is also delicious cold (without grilling it). Try it if you’re in a hurry or don’t want to dirty a skillet.
- Montreal-style: Trade in Montreal smoked meat for the beef brisket for a Montreal Reuben.
- Walleye Reuben: Try walleye pike fillets instead of beef for a pescatarian-friendly reuben.
- Egg rolls: For a riff on this popular flavor combo, take inspiration from a menu item made famous at Mader’s in Milwaukee, WI: deep-fried egg rolls stuffed with corned beef, Swiss, and sauerkraut, served with a side of thousand island dressing for dipping.
- Serve with: Reubens are best enjoyed with the cold slices of pickles, crunchy potato chips, sides of coleslaw and macaroni salad, and strawberry cheesecake bars for dessert.
More Irish favorites
Stews and Soups
Guinness Stew
Appetizer Recipes
Hot Reuben Dip
Beef Recipes
Shepherd’s Pie
St. Patrick’s Day
Corned Beef and Cabbage
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Reuben Sandwich
Upgrade your lunch repertoire with a hearty, homemade Reuben Sandwich. Pile rye bread high with corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut, then grill to crispy, melty perfection.
Ingredients
- 8 slices rye bread (see note 1)
- 3/4 cup Thousand Island salad dressing (see note 2)
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 1 pound (1 ⅓ cups) sauerkraut rinsed, drained, and squeezed of extra moisture (see note 3)
- 1 1/2 pounds corned beef thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Working with one sandwich at a time, or assembling all four simultaneously, spread 1 tablespoon thousand island dressing on the rye bread. Build each sandwich by layering the following from the bottom up: 1 slice of Swiss cheese, ⅓ cup sauerkraut, 1 tablespoon dressing, 6 ounces corned beef, 1 slice of Swiss cheese, and 1 tablespoon of dressing.
- Top each sandwich with another slice of bread and press each sandwich down gently. Brush the tops of the sandwiches with melted butter.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, and working in batches if necessary, lay sandwiches butter-side down. Place a Dutch oven or other heavy object on top of the sandwiches to press them down and and cook until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot and brush the tops with melted butter. Gently flip over sandwiches. Place the pot back on top of sandwiches and cook until the bottom side is crisp, about 5 minutes. Repeat the process with any remaining sandwiches.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Rye bread: Take your pick; seeded rye, pumpernickel, and marbled rye all work well.
- Thousand island dressing: While thousand island is the traditional spread, some recipes call for Russian Dressing. The latter isn’t made with pickle relish and can be spicy. Both make excellent Reubens.
- Sauerkraut: You can certainly make your own sauerkraut, but store-bought canned fermented cabbage works just as well, too.
- Yield: One recipe makes 4 sandwiches.
- Storage: Store leftover sandwiches wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a hot skillet or an air fryer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 sandwichCalories: 703kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 41gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 3321mgPotassium: 830mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 478IUVitamin C: 63mgCalcium: 362mgIron: 6mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Cook these in our George Forman grill. Same as a panini press.
Had these three times this week so far. Still have pastrami left. So yummy!!
Hi Meggan’
My wife and I make Reuben quesadillas with our quesadilla maker. Just mix all ingredients together and use like other stuffings. Always a party fav. Best wishes, Bob