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    You Are Here Home » Entree Recipes

    Published: Mar 29, 2020 Updated: Aug 13, 2020 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 5 Comments

    Reuben Sandwich Recipe on sourdough

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    Reuben Sandwich on a plate

    Get ready for your not-so-typical, but oh so tasty, Corned Beef Sandwich! It's not your typical corned beef on rye. This Reuben Sandwich Recipe features grilled Sourdough Bread, lots of sliced corned beef, pickles, sauerkraut, homemade Thousand Island dressing, diced onion, and melted pepper jack cheese!

    reuben sandwich recipe on a white plate on the counter

    Why This Recipe Works

    Do you avoid Reuben Sandwiches because they're served on rye bread? Me too!

    It's time to put an end to that nonsense with this delicious Reuben Sandwich Recipe. I use sourdough bread because I believe there is no tastier bread!

    Although I love Swiss cheese, I decided to use pepper jack cheese instead. Although pickles and onions aren't always included in a Reuben sandwich, I feel that they add a ton of flavor. You can always leave them out if you want, but if you do, we probably can't be friends!

    What Goes into This Recipe

    Reuben Sandwich ingredients, labelled

    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 — Although you can use Russian dressing or store-bought Thousand Island Dressing, sometimes it's fun and tastier to make your own dressing from scratch.
    • 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 A Corned Beef Sandwich

    Step 1 | Mix Dressing Ingredients

    Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

    dressing ingredients in a small bowl
    homemade dressing in a bowl

    Step 2 | Butter the Bread

    Spread softened butter on opposite sides of the sourdough bread slices.

    sourdough being buttered
    buttered sourdough on a white plate

    Step 3 | Add Dressing

    Spread the Thousand Island dressing on the other side of the bread.

    thousand island dressing on sourdough
    thousand island dressing on 2 sourdough slices

    Step 4 | Grill Bread/Heat Corned Beef

    Grill one slice of bread, buttered-side down, in a warm skillet over low heat. Grill corned beef at the same time, to help the cheese melt faster.

    sourdough with thousand island dressing in a pan
    sourdough bread in a pan with corned beef around it

    Step 5 | Add Cheese and Sauerkraut

    Top bread with cheese and sauerkraut.

    bread with cheese and corned beef in a pan
    bread with cheese and sauerkraut  and corned beef in a pan

    Step 6 | Top with Corned Beef and Pickles

    Add warm corned beef and top with sliced pickles.

    reuben sandwich in a pan
    reuben sandwich with pickles in a pan

    Step 7 | Add More Cheese (optional)

    If you want to splurge, add two additional slices of cheese and top with the remaining slice of bread.

    corned beef sandwich being grilled in a pan
    reuben sandwich being grilled in a pan

    Step 8 | Grill Sandwich

    Grill sandwich until both sides are golden brown. Slice in half and serve.

    grilling a reuben sandwich in a pan
    corned beef and sauerkraut sandwich on a white plate

    Recipe FAQs

    What is a Reuben sandwich made of?

    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.

    What do you serve with a Reuben Sandwich?

    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.

    What's the difference between Thousand Island and Russian Dressing?

    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.

    Expert Tips

    • 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.
    reuben sandwich and chips on a white plate

    Related Recipes

    • Instant Pot Corned Beef Recipe
    • Corned Beef Spice Packet Recipe
    • Basic Sourdough Bread Recipe
    • Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

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    corned beef and sauerkraut sandwich on a white plate

    Reuben Sandwich Recipe on Sourdough

    Grilled sourdough bread, sliced corned beef, pickles, sauerkraut, homemade Thousand Island dressing, diced onion, and melted pepper jack cheese, yum!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner, lunch
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 498kcal
    Author: Hilda Sterner

    Ingredients

    Dressing

    • 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
    • 1 tablespoon ketchup
    • 1 tablespoon relish
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon chopped red onion
    • 1 tablespoon sliced pickled peppers

    Sandwich

    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2 slices sourdough bread
    • 4 ounces cooked corned beef
    • 2-4 slices pepper jack cheese
    • ½ cup sauerkraut
    • 4 slices dilled pickles

    Instructions

    Dressing

    • Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

    Sandwich

    • Spread softened butter on opposite sides of the sourdough bread slices.
    • Spread the Thousand Island dressing on the other side of the bread.
    • Grill one slice of bread, buttered-side down, in a warm skillet over low heat. Grill corned beef at the same time, to help the cheese melt faster.
    • Top bread with cheese and sauerkraut. 
    • Add warm corned beef and top with sliced pickles.
    • If you want to splurge, add two additional slices of cheese and top with the remaining 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.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2servings | Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.2g | Protein: 17.9g | Fat: 33.8g | Cholesterol: 96.4mg | Sodium: 1350mg
    Tried this Recipe? Please leave A Star Rating!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

    More Entree Recipes

    • Smoked Salmon Salad
    • Easy Falafel Bowl
    • Sopita (Mexican Shell Soup)
    • Rajas Con Crema | Creamy Roasted Poblanos

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Ed Dunneback says

      November 30, 2021 at 11:45 pm

      Thank you for the very useful information

      Reply
    2. Michelle says

      February 23, 2021 at 10:42 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        February 23, 2021 at 11:20 am

        Thank you, Michelle, I'm glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 I'll take sourdough over rye any day of the week!

        Reply
    3. Bill says

      November 07, 2020 at 8:36 am

      5 stars
      If you do not like horseradish, we cannot be friends 🙂
      But I love your website, and have recommended it to my friends
      God Bless

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        November 07, 2020 at 9:32 am

        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! 🤗

        Reply

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