This is a straightforward skillet Reuben — corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing, and buttered rye bread, cooked until the outside is crisp and the cheese has melted through. It takes 30 minutes and makes four sandwiches, which means it’s genuinely useful on a weeknight when you have deli meat to use up. The ingredient list is short and the technique is forgiving.
Before you start
Two things make or break this sandwich. First, drain the sauerkraut thoroughly — press it in a clean towel or squeeze it hard in your fist. Wet sauerkraut steams the bread from the inside and you end up with a soggy bottom layer no matter how well you butter the outside. Second, keep the heat at medium and be patient. The goal is for the cheese to fully melt by the time the bread turns golden, which takes 3–5 minutes per side. If the pan is too hot, the bread scorches before the cheese softens. If it’s too low, the bread goes pale and greasy. Medium heat, a lid placed loosely over the pan for the first two minutes on each side, helps the heat circulate and speeds up the melt without burning.
Smart swaps
- Corned beef: Pastrami works well and is the most common swap — it’s smokier and a little fattier, which some people prefer. Use the same quantity.
- Thousand Island vs. Russian dressing: The recipe calls for Thousand Island, which is slightly sweeter. Russian dressing is tangier and less sweet. Either works; use whichever you have open.
- Swiss cheese: Gruyère melts more smoothly and has a stronger flavor. It’s a direct substitute at the same amount. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish.
- Rye bread: Seeded rye is the standard choice here. If you can only find seedless, it still works fine. Sourdough rye holds up especially well if you’re making these ahead.
Mistakes to avoid
- Overloading the filling: It’s tempting to pile on extra corned beef, but a thick stack makes it hard to press the sandwich flat and the center stays cold. Stick to a single even layer of meat.
- Cold corned beef straight from the fridge: Cold deli meat chills the center of the sandwich and slows the cheese melt. Let the meat sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before building, or warm it briefly in the microwave.
- Buttering too thin: A light smear of butter produces pale, uneven browning. Use a full tablespoon per slice, spread all the way to the edges, so the crust browns evenly.
- Skipping the rest before slicing: Cutting immediately lets the melted cheese run out. One minute on a cutting board lets everything set so the sandwich holds its shape when you cut it.
- Using cold butter: Cold butter tears the bread when you try to spread it. Softened butter spreads cleanly and coats the surface evenly, which is what gives you that even golden crust.
Storage and reheating
Assembled but uncooked sandwiches can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours — useful if you’re prepping for lunches. Cooked Reubens are best eaten the same day, but leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days wrapped in foil. To reheat, skip the microwave; it makes the bread soft and the sauerkraut watery. Instead, put the sandwich back in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes per side, or place it unwrapped on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes. Both methods bring the crust back. Corned beef on its own — if you bought a larger package — keeps refrigerated for 3 to 4 days and freezes well for up to 2 months, making it easy to pull together another round of sandwiches later in the week.
Classic Reuben Sandwich
Ingredients
- 8 slices Rye bread Fresh and preferably seeded
- ½ pound Corned beef Thinly sliced
- 1 cup Sauerkraut Drained and rinsed
- ½ cup Swiss cheese Grated or sliced
- ¼ cup Thousand Island dressing
- 4 tablespoons Butter Softened
Instructions
- Start by preheating a non-stick skillet over medium heat, around 175°C (350°F).
- Butter one side of each slice of rye bread generously with softened butter.
- On the non-buttered side, spread 1 tablespoon of Russian dressing for each slice.
- Layer sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut onto half of the bread slices, dressing-side up. Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered side out.
- Place sandwiches into the preheated skillet, cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese melts. Use medium-temperature adjustments as necessary to prevent burning.
- Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board, allow to rest for a minute, then slice each in half to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I make Reubens for a crowd without standing at the stove the whole time?
Yes — assemble all the sandwiches, then cook them in batches and transfer finished ones to a 250°F oven on a wire rack to keep warm while you finish the rest. The rack keeps air circulating under the bread so it stays crisp rather than steaming on a flat tray.
My cheese never fully melts before the bread gets too dark. What am I doing wrong?
The most common cause is using thick-sliced cheese straight from the fridge. Grated or very thinly sliced Swiss melts much faster than a cold thick slab. Placing a loose lid over the pan for the first two minutes also traps enough heat to melt the cheese without over-browning the bread.
Do I need to rinse the sauerkraut, or is draining enough?
Rinsing is optional, but draining well is not. A quick rinse under cold water reduces the sharpness slightly if you find jarred sauerkraut very pungent, but the more important step is pressing out as much liquid as possible before it goes on the bread.
Can I use a panini press instead of a skillet?
A panini press works and cuts the cooking time to about 3–4 minutes total since it applies heat from both sides at once. Watch it closely — the press can brown the bread faster than you expect, especially with the amount of butter this recipe uses.
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