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Square close up shot of a pastrami reuben sandwich on a blue and white plate.
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5 from 3 votes

Pastrami Reuben

Learn how to make the deli favorite at home with this classic Reuben sandwich recipe!
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword how to make a reuben sandwich, pastrami reuben, pastrami reuben sandwich, reuben sandwich, reuben sandwich recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 4 sandwiches
Calories 550kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

For the Russian Dressing

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • Kosher salt and ground black black pepper, to taste

For the Sandwiches

  • 8 slices rye bread or pumpernickel bread (sourdough bread or marbled rye also work well)
  • ¼ cup salted butter (or more less, to taste), at room temperature
  • ¾ lb. thinly-sliced cooked pastrami or corned beef
  • 1 cup sauerkraut, drained (or use coleslaw)
  • 8 slices Swiss cheese

Instructions

Make the Dressing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, relish, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
    Process shot showing how to stir together dressing for a Reuben sandwich.

Assemble the Sandwiches

  • Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place 4 slices, buttered-side down, on a cutting board. Spread 1 tablespoon of Russian dressing on each of the 4 slices. Top each slice with ¼ of the corned beef or pastrami, ¼ cup of sauerkraut, and 2 slices of Swiss cheese. Top each sandwich with one of the remaining slices of bread, buttered-side up.
    Process shot showing how to make a reuben sandwich.

Cook the Sandwiches

  • Heat a griddle or large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sandwiches to the griddle and cook until golden brown on one side, about 4 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the sandwiches over and continue cooking until the second side is golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 4 more minutes.
    Square side shot of hands picking up a pastrami reuben.

Notes

Cook the sandwiches slowly so that the inside of the sandwiches can heat through and the cheese can melt without the bread burning. If the bread is browning too quickly before the cheese melts, reduce the heat to low and cover the sandwiches with the lid of a saucepan or other pot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1458mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 561IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 226mg | Iron: 4mg