My husband thinks I'm crazy for driving twenty minutes across town just for a sandwich. But Sam's Deli makes this Reuben sandwich that I still dream about from my culinary school days. After eighteen years of cooking professionally and probably making this sandwich more times than I can count, I finally figured out what made his so special. It wasn't fancy ingredients or secret techniques - just really good timing and getting that Russian dressing just right. Emma calls it "the messy sandwich that's worth the mess."
Why You'll Love This Reuben Sandwich
Emma took one look at my first Reuben Sandwich attempt and wrinkled his nose. "Mom, why does it look so weird?" Fair question from a seven-year-old staring at layers of meat, kraut, and cheese stacked between dark bread. But after that first bite, everything changed. His eyes went wide, he chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then declared it "the best pickle sandwich ever." Now he asks for "pickle sandwiches" every single week, which has become our family code for Reubens.
This Reuben Sandwich hits every single flavor note you could want. The tangy sauerkraut cuts right through the rich, salty corned beef. The Swiss cheese gets all stretchy and melty, creating these perfect cheese pulls that make Emma giggle every time. And that Russian dressing? It's like the conductor of this whole flavor orchestra, bringing everything together in perfect harmony. It's messy in the absolute best way possible - the kind of sandwich that requires napkins and maybe a change of clothes if you're wearing something nice.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Reuben Sandwich
- Ingredients for the Perfect Reuben Sandwich
- How To Make the Perfect Reuben Sandwich Step By Step
- Smart Swaps for Your Reuben Sandwich
- Reuben Sandwich Variations
- Equipment For Reuben Sandwich
- Storing Your Reuben Components
- How My Sister's Kitchen Became Our Family's Heart
- Top Tip
- Why This Reuben Sandwich Works
- FAQ
- Time to Make Your Perfect Reuben!
- Related
- Pairing
- Reuben Sandwich
Ingredients for the Perfect Reuben Sandwich
The Main Players:
- Thick rye bread
- Good corned beef
- Swiss cheese
- Sauerkraut
- Russian dressing
- Butter for grilling
For Making Your Own Russian Dressing:
- Mayo
- Ketchup
- Sweet pickle relish
- Horseradish
- Worcestershire sauce
- Onion powder
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make the Perfect Reuben Sandwich Step By Step
Get Everything Ready:
- Make your Russian dressing and stick it in the fridge
- Drain that sauerkraut really well
- Slice your corned beef thin as you can
- Butter the outside of your bread slices
Build It Right:
- Spread Russian dressing on the inside of both bread pieces
- Put Swiss cheese on the bottom slice
- Layer on your corned beef nice and even
- Add the well-drained sauerkraut on top
- Another layer of Swiss cheese
- Top with the other bread slice
Cook It Perfect:
- Keep cooking until that cheese melts completely
- Get your skillet to medium heat
- Put the sandwich in butter-side down
- Press it gently with your spatula
- Cook about 3-4 minutes until it's golden
- Flip it carefully and do the other side
Smart Swaps for Your Reuben Sandwich
Meat Switches:
- Corned beef → Pastrami (this is actually a classic variation)
- Regular → Turkey (lighter option that Emma surprisingly loves)
- Traditional → Those vegan deli slices (tried it for my vegetarian sister)
- Store-bought → Leftover pot roast, sliced thin
Cheese Options:
- Swiss → Provolone works great
- Regular → Sharp cheddar for something different
- Standard → Vegan Swiss if that's your thing
- Sliced → Shredded cheese melts faster
Bread Choices:
- Rye → Sourdough is really good
- Traditional → Marble rye looks fancy
- Regular → Even whole wheat works in a pinch
- Thick-cut → Regular sandwich bread (just watch the cooking time)
Dressing Swaps:
- Creamy → Spicy brown mustard for a kick
- Russian → Thousand Island (they're cousins anyway)
- Homemade → Store-bought is fine, just get the good stuff
- Regular → Add extra pickle juice to mayo for tang
Reuben Sandwich Variations
The Rachel Sandwich:
- Turkey instead of corned beef
- Coleslaw replaces the sauerkraut
- Thousand Island dressing instead of Russian
- Emma calls it "the girl sandwich" which cracks me up
Open-Faced Style:
- Use just one slice of bread as the base
- Pile everything on top and broil until bubbly
- Perfect when you want the flavor but half the bread
- My mom's go-to version every single time
Reuben Wrap:
- Big flour tortilla instead of bread
- Roll everything up tight and slice for parties
- Way less messy than the sandwich version
- Great for lunch boxes or picnics
Mini Party Reubens:
- Use cocktail rye bread for tiny versions
- Made 60 for my sister's baby shower
- They disappeared in about ten minutes flat
- People always ask for the recipe after trying these
Pastrami Switch:
- Swap pastrami for the corned beef
- Gives it a smokier, spicier flavor
- New York delis do both versions
- Emma actually prefers this one now
Equipment For Reuben Sandwich
- Heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron pan
- Wide spatula for easy flipping
- Sharp knife for clean cuts
- Cutting board that won't slip around
- Small bowl for mixing Russian dressing
Storing Your Reuben Components
Assembled Sandwich (Don't Even Try):
- Sauerkraut will make the bread soggy overnight
- Cheese gets weird and rubbery when cold
- Russian dressing soaks into everything
- Emma took one look at day-old Reuben and said "Mom, that looks sad"
Russian Dressing (1 week):
- Store in airtight jar in the fridge
- Stir well before using - ingredients separate
- Make a big batch on Sunday for the week
- Gets better after sitting for a day or two
Sliced Corned Beef (3-4 days):
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil
- Keep it cold and use quickly
- Don't slice until you're ready to use it
- Stays fresher in bigger pieces
Sauerkraut (2 weeks once opened):
- Keep it in its original container
- Always use clean utensils when scooping
- Drain well before using on sandwiches
- That liquid is actually really good for you
Make-Ahead Strategy:
- Never store the finished sandwich
- Prep dressing and keep it cold
- Slice meat the morning you want sandwiches
- Have everything ready to assemble fresh
How My Sister's Kitchen Became Our Family's Heart
My sister makes this incredible Reuben Sandwich that put mine to shame for years. Every Sunday dinner at her house, she'd whip up these perfect sandwiches while the rest of us were still figuring out what to eat. Emma would run straight to her kitchen the second we walked in, knowing she'd have one ready for him with extra cheese and light sauerkraut. The secret wasn't fancy ingredients or special techniques - she just understood timing. She'd get that cast iron pan heating while assembling everything, so by the time the last sandwich was built, the first one was ready to go in.
Her real trick was the Russian dressing though. She'd make it fresh every time, tasting and adjusting until it was just right. "Too sweet," she'd mutter, adding more pickle juice. "Needs bite," and in would go extra horseradish. Emma would stand on his tiptoes, watching her work, learning without even knowing it. Now when I make these at home, I follow her timing method - heat the pan first, build while it's warming, and always taste that dressing before it goes on the bread. Some of the best cooking lessons come from watching someone who just gets it.
Top Tip
- The biggest mistake people make with Reuben Sandwich is not draining the sauerkraut properly. Pat it dry with paper towels, then let it sit on more paper towels for 10 minutes - wet sauerkraut equals soggy bread, and nobody wants that. Also, slice your corned beef paper-thin. I learned this after Emma struggled with my first thick-cut attempt, saying "Mom, this sandwich is fighting back.
- Heat your pan first, then build your sandwiches - my sister taught me this timing trick. By the time you finish assembling, the pan is perfectly ready with no waiting around. Layer cheese directly on the bread, not on top of the meat, because it creates a moisture barrier that keeps everything from getting soggy. And always use medium heat - high heat burns the bread before the cheese melts, low heat makes everything take forever.
Why This Reuben Sandwich Works
The thing about a good Reuben Sandwich is that it's really just a balancing act. You've got the rich, salty corned beef playing against that tangy sauerkraut. The Swiss cheese melts into this creamy bridge between all the strong flavors, while the Russian dressing ties everything together with its sweet-and-sour punch. Get any one of these elements wrong, and the whole sandwich falls apart.
What makes this version work is the layering order and the cooking method. Cheese goes directly on the bread so it creates a barrier - keeps the dressing from making everything soggy. The sauerkraut gets drained really well, so you get the flavor without turning your sandwich into a wet mess. And that medium heat? That's what gives you time for the cheese to melt completely while the bread gets golden instead of burnt. Emma learned this the hard way when he tried to "help" and cranked the heat up.
FAQ
What is a Reuben sandwich made of?
A classic Reuben Sandwich has corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing grilled between rye bread. That's it - just five ingredients that create magic when you put them together right. The key is getting good quality ingredients and not skimping on any part.
Should a Reuben have pastrami or corned beef?
Traditional New York delis use corned beef, but pastrami Reubens are popular too. Corned beef is milder and saltier, while pastrami brings smokier, spicier flavors. Both work great - it's really just personal preference and what your local deli does best.
How to make a Reuben Sandwich in the UK?
UK cooks can use salt beef instead of corned beef, and Emmental cheese works if Swiss isn't available. German sauerkraut is perfect, and you'll need to make Russian dressing from scratch since the commercial versions there are different from American ones.
What is a German Reuben sandwich?
Some versions use German-style sauerkraut and mustard instead of Russian dressing. You might see German rye bread and different cheese varieties too. It's not traditional, but it honors the European roots while keeping the basic concept intact.
Time to Make Your Perfect Reuben!
Now you've got all the secrets to make a Reuben that'll have people asking for your recipe. From getting that Russian dressing just right to my sister's timing tricks, you're ready to create sandwich magic in your own kitchen. Emma still asks for his "pickle sandwich" every week, and honestly, I never get tired of making them.
Craving more comfort food favorites? Try our hearty Delicious Cabbage Rolls Recipe that's perfect for Sunday dinners. Need a quick weeknight meal? Our Easy Pork Fried Rice Recipe comes together in minutes with amazing flavor. Or warm up the family with our crowd-pleasing Delicious Pizza Casserole Recipe that combines everyone's favorite flavors in one dish!
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Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Reuben Sandwich
Reuben Sandwich
Equipment
- 1 Heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron pan (For best crust)
- 1 Wide spatula (To flip without tearing)
- 1 Sharp knife (Clean slicing)
- 1 Cutting board (Non-slip preferred)
- 1 Small bowl (For Russian dressing)
Ingredients
For Sandwiches
- 8 slices Rye bread - Seeded if possible
- 1 lb Corned beef - Thinly sliced
- 8 slices Swiss cheese - Or shredded for faster melt
- 1 cup Sauerkraut - Fresh well-drained
- 4 tablespoon Russian dressing - Homemade or store-bought
- 2 tablespoon Butter - For grilling
For Homemade Russian Dressing
- ½ cup Mayonnaise - Base
- 3 tablespoon Ketchup - Sweetness & color
- 2 tablespoon Sweet pickle relish - Adds tang
- 1 teaspoon Horseradish - For bite
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce - Depth
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder - Savory
Instructions
- Mix mayo, ketchup, relish, horseradish, Worcestershire, and onion powder in a bowl. Chill.
- Pat sauerkraut dry with paper towels and let sit 10 minutes.
- Spread butter on outside of rye slices. Spread Russian dressing inside.
- Layer Swiss → corned beef → sauerkraut → Swiss → top bread.
- Heat skillet on medium. Place sandwich butter-side down, press gently. Cook 3–4 min until golden.
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