Reuben Sandwich Casserole Recipe

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 50 mins

Servings: 6 servings

Who could have imagined that the classic corned beef deli sandwich could be eaten any other way than as a sandwich? But, the ingredients of this grilled sandwich actually lend themselves to a delicious casserole—the corned beef, sauerkraut, and cheese are layered with Thousand Island dressing, then topped with buttered rye breadcrumbs. It's an excellent way to use leftover corned beef, especially for Reuben sandwich lovers. 

Use leftover corned beef, deli corned beef, or canned corned beef in the recipe. If you use canned corned beef, chill it in the can for a few hours so it will be firm enough to dice.

Ingredients

• 1/2 to 1 pound corned beef, cooked, diced or sliced

• 1/4 cup Thousand Island salad dressing

• 1 (16-ounce) can sauerkraut, or bagged sauerkraut, drained and rinsed

• 8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded

• 6 slices rye bread, crumbled or cut into cubes

• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Heat the oven to 350 F (180 C / Gas 4). Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

   

3. Spread the corned beef over the bottom of the prepared baking dish and dot with spoonfuls of dressing.

   

4. Spread the sauerkraut over the top and sprinkle with the Swiss cheese.

   

5. In a bowl, toss the crumbled rye bread with the melted butter.

   

6. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the sauerkraut layer.

   

7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and the crumbs are lightly browned.

   

8. Serve and enjoy!

   

Tips

• If you don't have commercial Thousand Island dressing, it's easy to make your own substitute. Combine 1/4 cup of mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of ketchup and 1 tablespoon of sweet pickle relish. Stir in 1 teaspoon of grated or finely minced onion and a dash of garlic powder. Add salt to taste.
• To quickly make the bread crumbs, pulse the rye bread slices in the food processor. You can also replace the rye bread with whole-wheat, pumpernickel, or white bread, although be aware that signature rye taste will be missing from the casserole.

Recipe Variations

• Instead of using shredded Swiss cheese, overlap thin slices over the sauerkraut. You can also replace the Swiss cheese with Gouda, Gruyère, Emmenthaler, Jarlsberg, or fontina. Again, the final dish will have a different flavor.
•  If you like caraway seeds, toss a tablespoon in along with the sauerkraut.