Reuben Sandwich Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

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Enjoy a restaurant quality Reuben Sandwich at home, only better. Homemade Russian dressing, mouthwatering corned beef, tart Sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese, and crisp rye bread! This amazing sandwich is messy to make and even messier to eat, but unbelievably tasty.

Why this recipe works so well:

Reuben sandwiches are typically something we only get in a restaurant, but they’re actually quite easy to make and unbelievably delicious. My husband loved this sandwich so much, I filmed him eating it because his reaction was just so entertaining!

• Quality ingredients: Unlike with a restaurant, you have total control over the ingredients in this sandwich.
• Homemade Russian dressing: It’s super easy to make and you can adjust the ingredients to your liking.
• Super messy: Reuben sandwiches are messy. There’s no way around that. Just grab a big napkin and embrace it.

Ingredients needed:

There are just a few main components to making an authentic Reuben.

Homemade Russian Dressing:

To make a homemade Reuben, you’ll need some Russian dressing. This is different from Thousand Island Dressing, which is sweeter because of the addition of pickle relish.

You can certainly buy some premade dressing, but homemade is always better and you can modify the ingredients based on your preference. You’ll also find a million different recipes for homemade Russian dressing, but I find that this specific combination of ingredients is outstanding on this sandwich.

Russian Dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, horseradish, chili garlic sauce, smoked paprika, grated onion, and minced garlic.

Reuben sandwich ingredients:

• Rye bread: Any kind will work but I chose dark rye bread.
• Corned beef: You can make your own like I did from a marinated brisket, or you can use store bought. Sliced pastrami is a common substitution for corned beef in a Reuben sandwich.
• Sauerkraut: You can make your own or use store bought. You will need to press as much liquid out as possible, otherwise you’ll end up with soggy bread.
• Swiss cheese: Other cheeses can be used, but Swiss is the traditional choice for a Reuben.
• Russian dressing: Homemade is best.
• Butter: for spreading on the outside of the sandwich prior to grilling.

How to make a Reuben sandwich:

1. Spread butter: Soften the butter and spread it onto one side of the rye bread. Then turn the butter side down.
2. Start with cheese: Add Swiss to both sides of the bread. You line the bread with the cheese so that it melts when grilled or pressed.
3. Add the Russian dressing: Avoid the edges so that it doesn’t spread once assembled.
4. Corned beef and Sauerkraut: Make sure they’re warm and assemble the whole thing together.
5. Cook: Add to a hot griddle or a panini press and cook until the cheese is melted.

Helpful tips when making this recipe:

• Heating: Both the meat and the drained and squeezed fry Sauerkraut should be warmed before assembling the sandwich. You can do this in the microwave at 50% power or in a covered pot on the stove over low heat.
• Substitutions: Thousand island is often used in place of Russian dressing. Pastrami is often used in place of corned beef. You can also swap out the type of bread and cheese used. If you want to make an authentic Reuben sandwich, however, this recipe is what you want to use.

Other corned beef recipes:

If you made a huge homemade corned beef and aren’t sure what to do with all the leftovers, you can also make these favorites.

• Corned Beef Hash
• Reuben Casserole
• Creamy Gnocchi with Corned Beef and Zucchini