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!
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Helpful Reader Review
“I just made these Reuben Sandwiches for St. Patrick’s Day and oh my goodness they were the best Reuben sandwiches we’ve ever had, even better than NY Gandofol’s! I got the crust to crunch and the Swiss cheese all melty gooey, they were just amazingly delicious!” – Rhonda★★★★★
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
Ingredients
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
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
- Italian Sandwich – you’ll love every bite