Get ready for your not-so-typical, but oh so tasty, Reuben Sandwich Recipe. We're talking grilled sourdough bread, lots of sliced corned beef, pickles, sauerkraut, homemade Thousand Island dressing, diced onion, and melted pepper jack cheese!
Why This Recipe Works
Have you ever felt deprived of enjoying a Reuben Sandwich because you didn't like rye bread? After all, a classic Reuben Sandwich is almost always served on rye.
It's time to put an end to that nonsense. My Reuben Sandwich Recipe is made with sourdough bread because, in my opinion, there is no tastier bread!
Although I love Swiss cheese, I've learned to use pepper jack instead since it's Scott's favorite cheese, which means we always have some in the fridge.
Pickles and onions aren't always included in a Reuben sandwich but I love adding them. You can always leave them out if you want, but if you do, I'm not sure if we can still be friends!
What Goes into This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
- Corned Beef — If you're not in a hurry, I recommend making your own corned beef. Not only will it make a tastier sandwich, but you will have plenty of leftovers to make more sandwiches!
- Thousand Island Dressing — Yes, you can use store-bought Thousand Island Dressing, but you can also make some using ingredients you most likely have in your fridge. I'll let you make the call, but you know what I would do!
- Pepperjack — Reuben Sandwiches usually have Swiss cheese, but I'm breaking all the rules by using pepper jack, instead. Although I love Swiss cheese, I like the added kick that pepper jack provides.
- Sourdough — Since we're breaking all the rules today, let's break one more... I've never liked rye bread, so we'll be using a good sourdough in this Reuben Sandwich recipe.
How to Make This Recipe
- Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Spread softened butter on opposite sides of the sourdough bread slices.
Spread the Thousand Island dressing on the inside of both slices.
Place one slice of bread, buttered-side down, in a warm skillet over low heat.
Add the sliced corned beef around the bread to warm it (this will help the cheese to melt faster).
Next, add cheese, followed by sauerkraut.
Once the corned beef is warmed on both sides, add it over the sauerkraut and top it with sliced pickles.
If you want to splurge, add two additional slices of cheese and top with the other slice of bread.
Grill sandwich until both sides are golden brown. Slice in half and serve.
Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips
A classic Reuben sandwich consists of grilled rye bread, sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese, Sauerkraut, and lots of Russian dressing.
In my version, I'm using Thousand Island dressing instead of Russian, substituting sourdough for the rye bread, and using pepper jack instead of Swiss cheese.
A Reuben sandwich is very filling, so something small on the side would not be a bad idea. This is why I've listed this sandwich as two servings. It's meant to be shared unless you're starving!
One wonderful side option is potato salad. Or a simpler option like tomato soup. Of course, you can always go with the easiest option and serve the sandwich with a side of potato chips.
Reuben Sandwiches are usually slathered with Russian dressing, but I use homemade Thousand Island dressing instead. You might be wondering what the difference is. Let me explain the difference:
Both dressings contain mayo and ketchup, but there are a few differences. Russian dressing is usually a bit spicier due to the horseradish (which I hate and Scott loves). Russian dressing also has Worcestershire sauce in it.
Thousand Island dressing, on the other hand, has sweet relish, which I love. However, I also LOVE spicy food. I found an easy fix, I add both sweet relish and pickled jalapeno peppers so I get the spicy flavor without the dreaded horseradish taste.
Both sauces can also include vinegar/lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder. Although Russian dressing is a key ingredient in a Reuben sandwich, my sauce is more similar to Thousand Island dressing.
If you prefer the taste of Russian dressing, you may want to mix in some horseradish and Worcestershire sauce. Start with a ½ tsp. of each, taste and add more if needed.
- If you don't have corned beef, you can substitute pastrami instead.
- Be sure to drain the sauerkraut thoroughly or else you may end up with a soggy sandwich.
- If you have store-bought Russian or Thousand Island dressing, use that instead of making the sauce from scratch.
- Make sure you use a low heat setting so that the bread doesn't burn before the cheese melts.
- If the bread is browned before the cheese has melted, microwave the finished sandwich for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- The reason I don't add salt to the dressing is that both the corned beef and the sauerkraut are salty, so adding more salt is not necessary.
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Reuben Sandwich Recipe on Sourdough
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 T. mayonnaise
- 1 T. ketchup
- 1 T. relish
- 1 tsp. lemon juice (or vinegar)
- 1 T. diced onion
- 1 T. pickled sliced jalapenos (optional)
Sandwich Ingredients
- 1 T. butter (softened)
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 4 oz. corned beef
- 2 slices pepper jack cheese (or 4 slices for an extra cheesy sandwich)
- ½ cup sauerkraut (drained)
- 4 slices dill pickles
Instructions
Thousand Island Dressing
- Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Other Sandwich Ingredients
- Spread softened butter on opposite sides of the sourdough bread slices.
- Spread the Thousand Island dressing on the inside of both slices.
- Place one slice of bread, buttered-side down, in a warm skillet over low heat.
- Add sliced corned beef around the bread to warm it.
- Next, add cheese, followed by sauerkraut.
- Once the corned beef is warmed on both sides, add it over the sauerkraut and top it with sliced pickles.
- If you want to splurge, add two additional slices of cheese and top with the other slice of bread.
- Grill sandwich until both sides are golden brown. Slice in half and serve.
Notes
- If you don't have corned beef, you can substitute pastrami instead.
- Be sure to drain the sauerkraut thoroughly or else you may end up with a soggy sandwich.
- If you have store-bought Russian or Thousand Island dressing, use that instead of making the sauce from scratch.
- Make sure you use a low heat setting so that the bread doesn't burn before the cheese melts.
- If the bread is browned before the cheese has melted, microwave the finished sandwich for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- The reason I don't add salt to the dressing is that both the corned beef and the sauerkraut are salty, so adding more salt is not necessary.
Michelle says
Thank you for posting this recipe. We were out of rye bread and needed some inspiration. We really enjoyed the twist on the thousand island dressing. Such a great sandwich.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Michelle, I'm glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 I'll take sourdough over rye any day of the week!
Bill says
If you do not like horseradish, we cannot be friends 🙂
But I love your website, and have recommended it to my friends
God Bless
Hilda Sterner says
Oh, no, Bill! I'm sure we can find other common grounds besides horseradish. 😂 Thank you so much for your support. It's greatly appreciated! 🤗