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Enjoy the flavors of a classic Reuben sandwich, made with layers of corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut, served on rye bread. This easy-to-make recipe ensures the bread is pan-grilled to a toasty brown, with a crisp, buttery finish. Simple yet delicious, this sandwich offers a satisfying combination of savory ingredients. Prepare to make this deli favorite in your own kitchen for a meal that delivers on taste with every bite.

Why This Recipe Works

  • A Reuben sandwich is absolutely delicious! The filling is perfectly balanced so you get a taste of each of the delicious ingredients in every single bite.
  • It’s easy to make.
  • This sandwich recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to make more.
  • Reuben sandwiches are traditionally made using Russian dressing. We have provided a very easy and incredibly delicious Russian dressing recipe to use on your Reuben sandwich or you can use Thousand Island dressing instead.

Sandwich Ingredients

corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, rye bread, and butter on a cutting board

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  • Bread: I use a good quality rye bread. Although the traditional Reuben is made with rye, you can use a different kind of bread, like pumpernickel, sourdough, or even white or wheat bread as long as the bread is sturdy enough for the dressing and the pan-grilling.
  • Meat: Corned beef is the classic meat used in a Reuben, but you can use pastrami instead. Corned beef can be purchased from the deli section of your local grocery store.
  • Cheese: Use 2 slices of Swiss cheese.
  • Sauerkraut: Be sure to drain as much liquid from the sauerkraut as possible so that your sandwich will not be soggy. If you don’t like sauerkraut, use coleslaw instead.
  • Dressing: Although you can purchase Russian dressing, or substitute with Thousand Island dressing instead, the homemade dressing is so delicious and very easy to make.

Ingredients In Russian Dressing

russian dressing ingredients on a wooden cutting board: ketchup, mayonnaise, hot sauce, horseradish, and worcestershire sauce
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How To Make This Recipe

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  1. Make The Dressing: In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Set aside.
a small clear bowl filled with homemade russian dressing
  1. Assemble Sandwich:
    • Butter one side of two slices of bread.
    • Place the bread buttered-side down on a plate or on a flat surface. Top one piece of bread with a slice of Swiss cheese and half of the corned beef.
    • Add the sauerkraut and dressing, and then top with the remaining corned beef and cheese.
    • Top with the second slice of bread to create a sandwich.
four photos showing how to assemble a reuben sandwich
  1. Pan-Grill The Sandwich: Preheat a griddle or a frying pan to medium heat. Cook the sandwich on one side until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 3 minutes. Use a spatula and carefully flip the sandwich over to cook the second side, an additional 3 minutes.
a reuben sandwich in a skillet
pan-grilling a reuben sandwich on a non stick skillet on the stove
  1. Slice and enjoy!
a reuben sandwich sliced in half on a white plate

Expert Tips

  • Be sure to drain and completely squeeze all the liquid from the sauerkraut. Otherwise, your sandwich could end up soggy.
  • Gently press down on the sandwich with a spatula while it’s cooking. This will help to heat all of the sandwich ingredients.
  • A Reuben is a big and hearty sandwich, so you may want to save half for later. If you have a leftover half of a sandwich, it’s easy to reheat. Wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and place it on a baking sheet. Heat it in a preheated 325 degree F oven (165 degrees C) for 12-15 minutes.
  • Thousand Island dressing can be substituted for the Russian dressing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Did The Reuben Get Its Name?

There are a few different stories involving the creation of the Reuben sandwich. Some say the Reuben was created in 1914 by Arnold Reuben, proprietor of Reuben’s Restaurant and Deli in New York. Others say that the iconic sandwich was created by Reuben Kulakofsky, a wholesale grocer in Omaha, Nebraska who created the sandwich for his friends in a weekly poker game.

What Is The Difference Between A Reuben and A Rachel Sandwich?

The Rachel sandwich is one of several variations on the famous sandwich. Instead of the classic corned beef and sauerkraut, the Rachel is made with pastrami or turkey and coleslaw. Both sandwiches are made with Swiss cheese and served on rye bread.

What Should I Serve With A Reuben Sandwich?

Serve Reuben sandwiches with dill pickles and crispy potato chips, French fries, potato salad, or a bowl of soup.

Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients

If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:

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If you’ve tried this Reuben sandwich or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.

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Because you’re worth it

Reuben Sandwich

5 from 3 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 13 minutes
Servings: 1 sandwich
A classic Reuben sandwich recipe made with corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut piled high on rye bread and pan-grilled so that the bread is toasty brown and buttery crisp. Easy to make and incredibly delicious!

Ingredients 
 

For the Russian dressing

  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ketchup
  • ½ teaspoon horseradish
  • teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • teaspoon hot sauce

For the sandwich

  • 2 teaspoons butter , softened
  • 2 slices rye bread
  • 2 slices Swiss cheese (1-ounce)
  • ¼ pound corned beef , thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup sauerkraut , drained

Instructions 

To make the Russian dressing

  • In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Set aside.
    a small clear bowl filled with homemade russian dressing

To make the sandwich

  • Butter one side of two slices of bread.
    two slices of buttered rye bread on a white plate
  • Place the bread buttered-side down on a plate or on a flat surface. Top one piece of bread with a slice of Swiss cheese and half of the corned beef.
    corned beef and swiss cheese on one slice of rye bread on a white plate
  • Add the sauerkraut and dressing, and then top with the remaining corned beef and cheese.
    swiss cheese, corned beef, and sauerkraut on one slice of bread
  • Top with the second slice of bread to create a sandwich.
  • Preheat a griddle or a frying pan to medium heat. Cook the sandwich on one side until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 3 minutes. Use a spatula and carefully flip the sandwich over to cook the second side, an additional 3 minutes.
    pan-grilling a reuben sandwich on a non stick skillet on the stove
  • Slice and enjoy!

Notes

Expert Tips
  • Be sure to drain and completely squeeze all the liquid from the sauerkraut. Otherwise, your sandwich could end up soggy.
  • Gently press down on the sandwich with a spatula while it’s cooking. This will help to heat all of the sandwich ingredients.
  • A Reuben is a big and hearty sandwich, so you may want to save half for later. If you have a leftover half of a sandwich, it’s easy to reheat. Wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and place it on a baking sheet. Heat it in a preheated 325 degree F oven (165 degrees C) for 12-15 minutes.
  • Thousand Island dressing can be substituted for the Russian dressing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich, Calories: 547kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 1357mg, Potassium: 316mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 592IU, Vitamin C: 38mg, Calcium: 341mg, Iron: 4mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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5 Comments

  1. Don’t use deli corn beef
    Bake the corn beef flat cut in crock pot until fork tender
    So much better
    Freeze what you don’t use in small packages

  2. I had this sandwich for supper tonight. I have had a lot of reubens in my life but this was the best on ever. I am a small woman and usually a small eater but ate every bit of it. The dressing was awesome and made the sandwich. Thank you so much for this site. I use it at least a couple of times a week. I am a 79 year old widow so you are truly a Godsend.

  3. I made this sandwich for dinner and because you were so kind to explain how to reheat this sandwich if you didn’t eat it all at once, I was able to reheat it for lunch today. Thank you so much for the suggestion. It was as good, if not better, than last night.
    Have enjoyed everything I have tried.