Reuben sandwiches are easy to put together and oh-so-melty-good.
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What makes a good Reuben sandwich?
Traditional Reuben sandwiches are served hot on rye bread, loaded with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing. Simple and absolutely fantastic.
To make my version of Reuben sandwiches, I start by warming up the meat and the sauerkraut.
It's absolutely critical to drain the sauerkraut well. Not doing so will result in a soggy sandwich—NOT good eats.
I like to slice the meat fairly thin so that the slices are no more than ¼" thick.
Before assembling the sandwiches, I put sliced swiss cheese on both the top and bottom slices of bread, then put them into the toaster briefly so that the cheese can start melting.
Then I pull them out, layer on sauerkraut and a good amount of corned beef, apply the "lid," and butter the top slice of bread.
Next, I put the sandwich—buttered side down—into a non-stick skillet over medium heat and butter the other side. I like to lid the skillet to ensure maximum meltiness.
About the dressing...
"But WAIT! You forgot the dressing!!" Or DID I?
Let's back up for a second. If you're a Reuben sandwich purist, I must warn you that I engage in some heresy with my Reubens.
First, the dressing is on the side. Furthermore, it's 1000 island dressing rather than Russian. I know, I know. Not traditional.
But Phil and I prefer the flavor and texture of 1000 island—by all means, use Russian if you must.
The dressing is on the side because Phil can NEVER get enough of it into the sandwich, so he prefers to just dip his Reuben sandwiches into a liberal amount of dressing served in a ramekin.
1000 island dressing is really easy to make. The fresh stuff is SO much better than store-bought!
Plus, I use fat-free Greek yogurt rather than mayonnaise, so it's a lot healthier too.
It contains none of the added sugar of low-fat, store-bought dressings. BONUS! There's so much flavor in the dressing that I don't even notice the substitution.
I add in a bit of chili garlic sauce for a tiny kick, but you can leave it out if that's your preference.
Back to that sandwich, which has been toasting up nicely in the skillet. I flip it when the bread develops a nice, golden color (about 2 minutes). Then I repeat on the other side. Finally, I set the sandwich on a cutting board and halve it. I serve it with that ramekin of dressing. It's nosh time, baby.
Phil adds Reuben sandwiches to the list of foods I've "ruined". By this, Phil means dishes that he no longer enjoys eating out because we make them so much better at home. I hope that your family will love these Reuben sandwiches as much as ours does!
Reuben Sandwiches
An easy recipe for melty, decadent Reuben sandwiches made—ideally—with leftover homemade corned beef.
Ingredients
FOR THE 1000 ISLAND DRESSING
- ½ cup fat-free Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp. ketchup
- 3 tsp. finely minced Vidalia onion or sweet onion
- 2 tbsp. sweet pickle relish
- 1 tsp. rice vinegar
- ⅛ tsp. coarse salt, more, if needed, to taste
- ½ tsp. chili garlic sauce, Sambal, or use Sriracha; optional
FOR THE SANDWICHES
- 4 slices of marble rye
- 4 slices of swiss cheese
- ½ cup of your favorite sauerkraut,, warmed and drained well
- ½ lb. corned beef,, warmed and sliced no more than ¼" thick
- 3 tbsp. butter
Instructions
FOR THE 1000 ISLAND DRESSING
- Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
FOR THE SANDWICHES
- Cover 1 side of each bread slice with Swiss cheese. Place in a toaster oven (or under a broiler) until cheese is slightly melted.
- Remove bread slices. Layer ⅛ cup of sauerkraut*, sufficient corned beef to cover the bread slice, and another ⅛ cup of sauerkraut. Top with the other bread slice, melted cheese facing in. Butter the top bread slice of each sandwich. Place a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. When the skillet is warm, add the sandwiches buttered-side-down. Butter the side that is now facing up. Lid the skillet, checking after 1 minute. Turn the sandwiches when the bread has developed a toasty, golden-brown color (1-2 minutes). Repeat on the other side.
- Remove the sandwiches to a cutting board. Cut in half and serve with a ramekin of 1000 island dressing.
Notes
*If you prefer to put your 1000 island dressing on the sandwich rather than serving it on the side, a great idea is to mix it with the sauerkraut (about 2 tbsp. of dressing per sandwich).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
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Deb says
I know I’ve reviewed this before, but the Thousand Island riff in the recipe deserves its own shout out. I love that stuff. I frequently use it as a healthy salad dressing (I get tired of only vinaigrettes. Thanks so much for hooking me on salads for lunch again!
Michelle says
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment again! Yes, I'm planning to give this dressing its own post. I also have a few other salad dressings scheduled, so stay tuned! 🙂
Deb says
I’m currently sitting here enjoying the last few bites of my reuben lunch. Yes, this beats any restaurant version around. It hits the perfect ratio of meat to cheese and kraut - and I have to say, your husband is right about dipping the sandwich in the dressing. As for the dressing, it’s way better than store bought and it’s healthier too. I love the idea of using yogurt instead of mayo. I *may* have added extra sambal for an additional kick. Loved it! The sandwich was great and I’ll be using that sauce as salad dressing too. Thanks!
Michelle says
Thanks for sharing your experience with the Reuben sandwiches, Deb!! I have to admit: I add extra sriracha too. And yes: I make this salad dressing all the time now. I'd never go back to store-bought!
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
"Emergency dental floss" hahaha! Yes I've had meals like that. Your sandwich sounds wonderful, though...and hopefully no dental floss needed!! Love that thing about your hubby needing to dunk his sandwich in the dressing to get enough - hilarious!! Thanks for lining up to #CookBlogShare. Eb x
Michelle says
LOL, no dental floss needed here! Thanks, Eb! 😀
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
This looks so tasty! I've never had a reuben sandwich but have seen them numerous times on my favourite American cooking programmes. Your recipe is making me think I finally need to try one!x
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Cat! You won't be sorry. Reubens are my favorite sandwich, bar none! 😉
Platter Talk says
Oh ya! one of my favorite sandwiches in the whole, wide world!
Michelle says
You and me both, Dan!
Marlee Brady says
I love a good Reuben and I appreciate you going over how to build a perfect Reuben! Happy St. Patricks Day!
Michelle says
Happy St. Paddy's Day to you, Marlee! Thanks!
Swathi says
You are right there are bad and good sandwiches. Love the adding spicy chili garlic sauce there and you build the ruben sandwiches very well. Your other sandwich recieps also looks delicious.
Michelle says
Thank you, Swathi!
mary says
Totally agree that homemade dressing always beats store bought!
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
This looks mouthwatering! I need to try making thousand island dressing. That used to be one of my favorites. Happy St. Patrick's Day 🙂
Michelle says
Thanks, Stephanie! And happy St. Paddy's Day to you! 😉