This Authentic Reuben Sandwich Recipe Is Straight From a Famous New York City Deli by Dieter Schmitz

Back in my high school and college days, I worked at a Country Kitchen restaurant in my small hometown in Minnesota. At Country Kitchen, I learned to make all kinds of diner specialties, including the tasty Reuben sandwich (served with fries, of course).

Over the years, I've enjoyed eating a Reuben every now and then but hadn't had one in quite some time. Then, this holiday season, a good friend and colleague of mine was kind enough to send me a gift box from a famous New York City deli: Katz's Delicatessen. Established in 1888 on New York’s Lower East Side, Katz's hosts thousands of visitors from around the world each week to enjoy its legendary sandwiches and meats. But, according to Katz's website, "it's really New Yorkers that have made Katz's Delicatessen what it is, making Katz's an inherent part of the city's culture and history. They enthusiastically spread the word, brought their friends in, wrote books, shot films and kept coming back for a pastrami on rye."

So you can imagine how excited I was to receive the gift of Katz's and be able to make an authentic Reuben sandwich straight from this famous NYC deli. The kit came with all the ingredients needed to make this legendary sandwich.

But you don't need a Reuben kit from a deli to make a Reuben sandwich. It's so easy to make a Reuben with simple store-bought ingredients! Here's your easy shopping list, which is the same list straight from Katz's Deli: rye bread, corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Reuben (or Russian) dressing. The deli mustard and pickles for garnish are optional.

I served this sensational sandwich for dinner with a side of sweet potato fries and Katz's pickles, but feel free to serve it with the side dish of your choice. It's filling enough on its own for lunch, too!

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Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 1 

Ingredients

• 2 slices rye bread
• 1/4 pound corned beef, sliced
• 2 ounces (2 slices) Swiss cheese
• 2 ounces sauerkraut
• 1 ounce Russian dressing
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened

Helpful Products

• Butter Knife
• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Skillet
• Spatula
• Kitchen Towels

Recipe Notes

• If you don't have Russian dressing, you can use Thousand Island dressing. The only difference is that Russian dressing includes horseradish.

• Using butter makes the Reuben really crispy on the outside. But to reduce calories, you also could use nonstick cooking spray.

• Prior to assembling your sandwich, you can heat up the corned beef and sauerkraut in a pan or microwave.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Spread the butter on one side of each of the bread slices. Put the first slice butter side down into a skillet over low heat.
   
2. Lay the corned beef onto the slice of bread.
   
3. Add the layer of dressing.
   
4. Add the layer of sauerkraut.
   
5. Add the cheese. (You also could add one slice of cheese before the corned beef if you want the cheese to be on both pieces of bread.)
   
6. Add the second slice of bread, butter side up.
   
7. Cover the pan with a lid. Cook over low to medium heat until bottom slice is golden brown (about 2 to 3 minutes). Using a sturdy spatula, carefully flip the sandwich over to the other side. Cover with the lid and cook until second side is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes.
   
8. Gently remove from pan and serve warm. Serve with deli mustard and pickles on the side, if desired.
   

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 695

Total Fat: 40.5g

Saturated Fat: 21.6g

Cholesterol: 108mg

Sodium: 2869mg

Total Carbohydrate: 65.2g

Dietary Fiber: 8.1g

Total Sugars: 28.5g

Protein: 19.9g

Vitamin D: 0mcg

Calcium: 378mg

Iron: 7mg

Potassium: 540mg

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by VeryWellFit. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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