Classic Reuben Sandwich (Printer-friendly)

Savory corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and Swiss cheese grilled on rye bread.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Cheese

01 - 4 slices rye bread
02 - 4 slices Swiss cheese

→ Meat

03 - 7 oz corned beef, thinly sliced

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup sauerkraut, well drained

→ Dressing

05 - 4 tbsp Russian dressing

→ For Grilling

06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

# How-To Steps:

01 - Lay out the rye bread slices on a work surface. Spread 1 tablespoon of Russian dressing on one side of each slice.
02 - On two of the slices, place a slice of Swiss cheese, followed by half the corned beef, half the sauerkraut, and another slice of Swiss cheese.
03 - Top each with the remaining bread slices, dressing side down, to form two sandwiches.
04 - Spread softened butter evenly on the outside of each sandwich, covering both top and bottom.
05 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
06 - Remove from the skillet, let rest for 1 minute, then slice in half and serve warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The combination of warm corned beef and cool tangy sauerkraut creates that perfect temperature contrast that makes deli sandwiches so satisfying.
  • Making these at home means you can load them with exactly as much meat and cheese as you want, no deli portion restrictions.
02 -
  • Pressing down too hard while grilling will squeeze out all the juices and make the sandwich dense instead of light and crispy.
  • The bread to filling ratio matters, if your corned beef pile is taller than your bread slices, you will struggle to get everything melted and heated through.
03 -
  • Low and slow heating prevents the bread from burning before the cheese has time to melt completely.
  • Wrapping the sandwich in foil for the last minute of cooking creates a steam effect that guarantees the cheese will be fully melted.
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