Reuben Sandwich

By Kay Chun

Updated June 23, 2021

Reuben Sandwich
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(858)
Comments
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Like many classic dishes, the Reuben sandwich has multiple origin stories: Some accounts trace its origins to the since-shuttered Reuben’s delicatessen in New York City, where Arthur Reuben created a special for one of Charlie Chaplin’s leading ladies in 1914, using ham, turkey, Swiss cheese and coleslaw on rye. Another origin story points to a customer, Reuben Kulakofsky, who was said to have ordered a corned beef and sauerkraut sandwich at Blackstone Hotel, in Omaha, where Bernard Schimmel obliged by rounding it out with Thousand Island dressing, Swiss cheese, rye bread and a hot grill. Today’s Reuben sandwiches feature corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and a healthy smear of Russian dressing between toasted, buttered rye. Homemade dressing has a brighter, fresher flavor than the bottled variety, and comes together in just a few turns of a whisk. To achieve the prized crispy crust and gooey cheese, keep the heat low enough to allow the buttered bread to toast while the cheese melts.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 sandwiches

    For the Russian Dressing

    • ½cup mayonnaise
    • 5tablespoons ketchup
    • 3tablespoons dill pickle relish (not sweet)
    • 1tablespoon minced onion
    • 1teaspoon yellow mustard
    • 1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

    For the Sandwiches

    • 8slices rye sandwich bread
    • 4tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1pound thinly sliced corned beef
    • 1cup drained sauerkraut (about 6 ounces)
    • 8slices Swiss cheese (about 6 ounces)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

899 calories; 67 grams fat; 24 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 21 grams monounsaturated fat; 16 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 2503 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the Russian dressing: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.

  2. Step 2

    Make the sandwiches: Spread one side of each bread slice with ½ tablespoon butter. In a large nonstick skillet, arrange 2 slices of bread, buttered side down, over medium-low heat. Spread 2 tablespoons of Russian dressing on each slice of bread, then top each with ¼ pound corned beef, ¼ cup sauerkraut and 2 slices cheese. Top each with 1 slice of bread, buttered side up. Cook until golden and crispy underneath, about 5 minutes. Flip the sandwiches and cook, pressing down gently with a spatula, until second side is golden and cheese melts, about 3 minutes more. Transfer sandwiches to plates and wipe out skillet. Repeat with the remaining bread, sauce, corned beef, sauerkraut and cheese. Serve warm.

Ratings

4 out of 5
858 user ratings
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Comments

Lori Penner

I find it makes for a less mushy sandwich if you cook the sauerkraut separately in a small frypan prior to putting on the sandwich. This way rhe sauerkraut is already hot and dry, and the sandwich will not get soggy.

John

Russian dressing MUST include horseradish. That is the main thing that distinguishes it from Thousand Island. And it is essential to the Reuben. Why? The reason the Reuben is a great sandwich is because it contains, among its various ingredients, a good balance of all the basic flavors (sweet, sour, salt, bitter, umami). Without the horseradish the bitter is missing, and the sandwich just isn't the sublime creation it can and should be.

EW

Can’t the sandwich just be enjoyed for the sheer goodness of it? Does there always have to be something “beneficial“ about what we eat? Maybe we can just eat cold sauerkraut another time to get those beneficial bacteria

Dave from Louisiana

Made per the recipe, with the sole exception of adding a teaspoon of horseradish to the Russian dressing as some suggested. I used canned sauerkraut and used the lid to squeeze out the juices. The corned beef and rye bread were from the Carnegie deli (online). I used a scale to measure exactly. Ratio is so important in sandwiches, and this did not disappoint. Grilled on my outdoor griddle. Put a plate on top and used my spatula to flip, then slide it off the plate. Excellent.

RudisHuman

@CFXK Agree! The "atmosphere" in a deli cannot be replaced.

RudisHuman

@Patti You brought me back to my own NYC days (the later 60's, early 70's) and the delis where this sandwich was perfected... so, so good!

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