Reuben Sandwich Recipe

Juicy homemade Reuben Sandwich Recipe. Slices of rye bread piled with corned beef, cheese, and loaded with sauerkraut and a tangy thousand island dressing. This Reuben is everything a toasted sandwich should be.

A perfect recipe for leftover corned beef, use cold brisket that you can slice easily into thin slices for this sandwich.  Shredded corned beef also works, it’s just a little messier to eat as the beef can fall out easier. 

Here are 2 recipes from which to choose to prepare your own corned beef.  The flat cut brisket is recommended or the top round as it will allow for easier slicing than a point cut. 

The Best Beer Braised Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage

Oven Roasted Corned Beef & Cabbage

You can also pick up corned beef deli meat from your local Safeway deli to make this sandwich.  Pastrami beef also works if you can’t find corned beef. 

What is a Reuben Sandwich?

A classic Reuben is a sandwich consisting of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, thousand island or Russian dressing between slices of rye bread that is grilled/toasted until the bread is crispy and the cheese melts.

A classic deli sandwich served with fries, chips and pickles!

What Ingredients go on a Reuben Sandwich

Meat – thinly sliced cooked corned beef – either homemade and cooled so that it can be thinly sliced, or deli corned beef.   Pastrami can also be used, but traditionally corned beef is used on a Reuben. 

Sauerkraut – the fermented cabbage has a tangy, juicy flavor that makes the sandwich. 

Swiss cheese, sliced – the classic cheese in a Reuben.  You can mix it up and use cheddar, or pepper jack for a touch of heat. 

Thousand island dressing or Russian dressing – the classic thousand island dressing has sweet pickle relish, mayo,   You could also use a homemade Russian dressing for this sandwich if you prefer.   I’ve included directions for a homemade Russian dressing in the recipe card below.  The key distinction between the two spreads lies in their flavor profiles. Russian dressing features horseradish and chili pepper, making it spicy. Sweet pickle relish is a key ingredient in Thousand Island dressing, which makes it sweet.  

Rye bread – you can use Jewish rye or Russian rye, which have caraway seeds or pumpernickel bread, or marbled rye and pumpernickel bread.  The Safeway bakery has many options from which to choose.  

Butter – for slathering on the bread before toasting in a hot skillet.  The butter gives the sandwich a golden hue and helps in the toasting process. 

 

How to Make a Reuben Sandwich

The flat-cut corned beef is the best to slice thin for a Reuben.  After the meat is cooked, refrigerate the meat for easier slicing.  Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the corned beef into thin slices for the sandwich. 

Butter one side of the rye bread. 

Layer the sandwich as follows:

rye bread with the buttered side down

thousand island dressing

corned beef

sauerkraut

Swiss cheese

rye bread with the buttered side up

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Place the Rueben sandwich in the skillet and cook 5-6 minutes on each side until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.

Slice in half and serve with your favorite side, like potato chips, pickles or tater tots. 

Homemade Russian Dressing

If you want to make your own homemade Russian Dressing rather than use a bottled thousand island dressing, you would combine the following ingredients.  This makes 1/4 cup of dressing, which is enough for 4 sandwiches. 

• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon creamy horseradish
• 1 clove garlic, grated or pressed
• 1/2 tablespoon onion, grated 
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire 
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.  Use this instead of the bottled thousand island dressing for a more savory sandwich rather than sweet sandwich. 

 

Additional Corned Beef and St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

The Best Beer Braised Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage

 

You can get all the ingredients for this recipe at your local Safeway, which also offers curbside pick up and Safeway Home Delivery!

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