Reuben Sandwich Recipe

Juicy homemade Reuben Sandwich with slices of crisp rye bread toasted to golden perfection, piled with thinly sliced corned beef, melted swiss cheese, and loaded with sauerkraut. You’ll love the creamy and tangy homemade Russian dressing. This Reuben is everything a grilled sandwich should be, and according to many of you, this rivals some of the best sandwiches in New York City!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Reuben Sandwich

I’m sharing the BEST Reuben Sandwich! It’s simple, but the combination of flavors and textures is everything. A Reuben is the perfect balance of salty, sour, creamy, and crunchy. It’s a little messy but seriously satisfying. Is your mouth watering yet?

What is a Reuben Sandwich?

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

Though the sandwich may be enjoyed hot or cold, we love serving it HOT. The meat is heated and cheese melts and the tangy dressing penetrates into the sauerkraut creating an irresistible grilled sandwich.

Ingredients for a Reuben Sandwich

• Meat- Corned beef that’s store-bought (deli dept), or use leftover homemade corned beef.
• Sauerkraut – Homemade Sauerkraut or storebought will work great.
• Dressing – Tangy homemade Russian dressing.
• Cheese –  Swiss cheese is the classic cheese used.

How to Make a Reuben Sandwich?

• Prepare the Russian dressing – just stir it together. You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate until you need it.
• Butter one side of each slice of bread.
• Gently warm the beef in a skillet.
• Add the dressing, corned beef, sauerkraut and cheese to the bread and close to create a sandwich.
• Cook both sides of the bread slices as a grilled cheese until the cheese melts and bread slices are crispy and golden brown.

How to Make Russian Dressing?

Though you can purchase Russian dressing or even substitute with a store-bought Thousand Island dressing instead, I highly recommend trying the homemade dressing – it’s SO GOOD and really easy to make.

• In a bowl, whisk together the mayo, chili garlic sauce, lemon juice, creamy horseradish, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, onion, paprika, salt, and pepper until creamy.

Tips for Making the Best Reuben Sandwich

• Bread- You want to make sure to use a good quality rye bread as it adds so much flavor to the sandwich. Just like with our BLT Sandwich, buttering and toasting the bread adds another layer of flavor.
• Sauerkraut- Be sure to drain as much liquid from the sauerkraut as you can or the sandwich will be soggy. TIP- If you don’t like sauerkraut, you can use pickles or Coleslaw instead. You can also try optional extras light caramelized onions.
• Garlic butter- If you really like garlic, sprinkle some garlic powder over the butter spread on the bread slices before cooking the sandwich.
• Meat- Though corned beef is the classic meat used in a Reuben, you can substitute for pastrami.
• Panini- You can use a panini press or a griddle to cook the sandwich instead of a skillet if you have one.
• Dressing- The dressing does have some heat in it from the chili garlic sauce. If you don’t like spicy food, add the chili sauce to taste.

This Reuben Sandwich is not only great for a hearty lunch, but it’s also just as good for a quick dinner served with Baked Potato Wedges!

Reuben Sandwich Recipe

4.99 from 175 votes

Author: Valentina Ablaev

Once you try this homemade Classic Reuben Sandwich Recipe, you'll never order it at a restaurant again. Slices of rye bread with corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and cheese – grilled until crispy!

SaveSaved Pin Review Print

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 15 minutes mins

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

Servings: 3 servings

Sandwich-

• 1/2 lb corned beef
• ½ tsp olive oil
• 6 slices rye bread
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained, storebought or homemade
• 6 slices Swiss cheese

Russian Dressing-

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 ½ tsp creamy horseradish
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp onion, finely grated
• ⅛ tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the Russian Dressing, set aside.
• In a skillet, over medium heat, add oil. Once hot, add the meat and cook just until heated.
• Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread. Place the bread (butter side down) on a plate.
• Add the toppings to each sandwich: Spread the dressing, top with the meat, cheese and sour kraut. Close bread slices to create a sandwich.
• In a hot skillet, cook sandwiches over medium heat 4-6 minutes, flipping once. Cook until cheese melts and the bread is crispy.

Nutrition Per Serving

3g Serving746kcal Calories38g Carbs32g Protein51g Fat21g Saturated Fat120mg Cholesterol414mg Potassium5g Fiber6g Sugar739IU Vitamin A25mg Vitamin C502mg Calcium4mg Iron

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Reuben Sandwich Recipe

Serving Size

 

3 g

Amount per Serving

Calories

746

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

51

g

78

%

Saturated Fat

 

21

g

131

%

Cholesterol

 

120

mg

40

%

Potassium

 

414

mg

12

%

Carbohydrates

 

38

g

13

%

Fiber

 

5

g

21

%

Sugar

 

6

g

7

%

Protein

 

32

g

64

%

Vitamin A

 

739

IU

15

%

Vitamin C

 

25

mg

30

%

Calcium

 

502

mg

50

%

Iron

 

4

mg

22

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: classic reuben sandwich, reuben sandwich, reuben sandwich recipe

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $

Calories: 746

More Sandwich Recipes

• Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich – the CLASSIC way to make it!
• Hamburger Recipe – plus how to assemble a burger
• Breakfast Sandwiches – one-pan quick breakfast
• Sloppy Joe – seriously has the best sauce!
• Grilled Cheese – everyone’s favorite sandwich
• Crispy Chicken Sandwich – restaurant remake
• Pulled Pork – add coleslaw for the best sandwich