Classic Reuben Sandwich
Buttery, crisp rye bread wraps warm sliced corned beef, tangy sauerkraut, melted Swiss and a quick homemade Russian dressing. Pan-grilled in a skillet for a deli-style sandwich at home.
- Prep
- 16 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Wait
- 2 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Makes
- 4 sandwiches
Steps
Before you start
- Pull the butter out 30 minutes ahead so it is soft enough to spread without tearing the bread.
- Squeeze the sauerkraut very dry; excess liquid is the main cause of soggy sandwiches.
- Use thinly sliced deli corned beef, or slice home-cooked corned beef thin against the grain.
- Plan on about 40 minutes start to finish: the sandwiches cook in two batches of roughly 10 minutes each.
Make the dressing
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, drained horseradish, pickle relish and hot sauce until smooth and evenly pink-orange.
- Taste and add a little more horseradish or hot sauce if you want more bite.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dressing is uniform in color with no streaks of ketchup.
Tip: Make it up to 3 days ahead; the flavor improves.
Prep the fillings
- Squeeze the sauerkraut firmly in a clean towel until it stops dripping, then measure 1 cup (150 g) of the squeezed kraut.
- Gently separate the corned beef slices and loosely fold them into 4 equal piles of about 4 oz (113 g) each.
- Set the Swiss slices beside them.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Sauerkraut is damp, not dripping, when squeezed.
Tip: Loosely folded meat heats through faster and makes a taller sandwich.
Preheat the ovenOven 200°F / 95°C
- Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) and place a baking sheet on the middle rack.
- This keeps finished sandwiches warm while you cook in batches.
Butter the bread
- Lay out all 8 bread slices.
- Spread about ½ tablespoon (7 g) softened butter over one side of each slice, going all the way to the edges.
- These buttered sides will face outward in the pan.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each slice has a thin, even, edge-to-edge layer of butter.
Tip: Soft butter spreads without tearing the bread.
Build the sandwiches
- Flip 4 slices buttered-side down.
- Spread each with about 1 tablespoon dressing.
- Layer 1 slice Swiss, one pile of corned beef, ¼ cup (4 tablespoons, about 37 g) sauerkraut, then a second slice Swiss.
- Spread the unbuttered side of the remaining 4 slices with 1 tablespoon dressing each and set them on top, dressing-side down, buttered side up.
- You will have a little dressing left over for dipping.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each sandwich is evenly stacked with cheese above and below the meat and kraut.
Tip: Cheese on both sides of the filling acts as glue and keeps the sauerkraut from soaking the bread.
Grill first sandwiches
- Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-low heat for 2 minutes.
- Add 2 sandwiches and cook 4 to 5 minutes, pressing gently with a spatula, until the underside is deep golden brown and crisp.
- Flip carefully and cook 4 to 5 minutes more.
- Total time in the pan is 8 to 10 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Both sides are deep golden brown and crisp, and the cheese is fully melted and oozing at the edges.
Tip: If the bread browns before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the pan for 1 minute.
Keep warm and repeatOven 200°F / 95°C
- Move the finished sandwiches to the baking sheet in the 200°F (95°C) oven.
- Wipe out any burnt crumbs from the skillet, then cook the remaining 2 sandwiches the same way: 4 to 5 minutes per side over medium-low heat, 8 to 10 minutes total.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All four sandwiches are deep golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Slice and serve
- Rest the sandwiches 2 minutes, then cut each in half diagonally with a serrated knife.
- Serve hot with the extra dressing for dipping.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Cut surfaces show stretchy melted cheese and steaming meat.
Good to know
Tips
- Squeeze the sauerkraut dry; wet kraut makes the bread soggy.
- Cook over medium-low heat so the cheese melts by the time the bread is golden.
- Press gently with a spatula, not hard, so the filling doesn't squeeze out.
- Use sturdy deli-style rye; very soft bread collapses under the filling.
Make ahead
Make the dressing up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Squeeze the sauerkraut and fold the beef up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate separately and bring the beef to room temperature before assembling.
Storage & reheating
Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftovers wrapped tightly up to 2 days; reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat 3 to 4 minutes per side, or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 minutes. Freezing assembled sandwiches is not recommended; corned beef alone freezes up to 2 months.
Substitutions
- mayonnaise → Store-bought Russian or Thousand Island dressing. Use about ¼ cup (60 g) total for 4 sandwiches and skip the other dressing ingredients.
- thinly sliced corned beef → Thinly sliced pastrami. Gives a peppery, smoky variation (often called a Rachel when turkey is used instead).
- Swiss cheese slices → Gruyère or Emmental slices. Melts equally well with a nuttier flavor.
- unsalted butter → Mayonnaise spread thinly on the outside. Browns evenly and gives a very crisp crust.
