Everyday meals · United States

Reuben Sandwich

Name: Reuben Sandwich
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: ½ lb (225 g) sliced corned beef (or try using pastrami); ¼ cup (60 ml) drained sauerkraut; 2 tbsp chopped sweet onion; 2 tbsp creamy Russian dressing; 2 slices rye bread (or use sourdough bread in case of rye allergy); 1–3 slices Swiss cheese; Chopped parsley; 1 tbsp butter

The Reuben or Reuben sandwich is a grilled or toasted sandwich made with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing. It is typically made with rye bread though originally it may have been served on pumpernickel bread. The origins of the Reuben are contested. One account holds that Reuben Kulakofsky (sometimes spelled Reubin), a grocer from Omaha, Nebraska, was the inventor, perhaps as part of a group effort by members of Kulakofsky's weekly poker game held in the Blackstone Hotel from ca.1920–1935. The participants, who nicknamed themselves "the committee," included the hotel's owner, Charles Schimmel.The sandwich first gained local fame when Schimmel put it on the Blackstone's lunch menu.

Published October 16, 2026

EST. TOTAL TIME20 min

DIFFICULTYEasy

SERVES1

Time and difficulty are editorial estimates; allow extra time for your equipment and experience.

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What you’ll need

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½ lb (225 g) sliced corned beef (or try using pastrami)
¼ cup (60 ml) drained sauerkraut
2 tbsp chopped sweet onion
2 tbsp creamy Russian dressing
2 slices rye bread (or use sourdough bread in case of rye allergy)
1–3 slices Swiss cheese
Chopped parsley
1 tbsp butter

Let’s make it

Step 1
Combine the sauerkraut, onion, and parsley.
Step 2
Spread the dressing on two slices bread.
Step 3
Pile layers of corned beef, cheese, and sauerkraut mixture on one slice.
Step 4
Add second slice of bread.
Step 5
Butter the outside of the bread.
Step 6
Grill until lightly browned, roughly 5–10 minutes.

Reuben Sandwich

What you’ll need

Let’s make it

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