Reuben Casserole
All the flavor of a melty Reuben sandwich packed into a one pot dinner! This EASY Reuben Casserole recipe is made with tender corned beef, tangy sauerkraut, melted swiss cheese, dressing and rye bread for a simple twist on a favorite diner classic.
When I have a sandwich craving, it’s usually for a Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich. They’re the perfect blend of melty, tangy, salty and sweet that no other sandwich can compare to. We love a deli in our area for their super messy reuben sandwich but in a pinch, I like to make them at home.
The Reuben Sandwich is super simple to make BUT when I want to make something extra comforting I throw everything into a casserole dish and make this easy Reuben Casserole. It’s fast to whip up and it’s always a huge hit with the family.
If you’re not familiar with the Reuben Sandwich, it’s basically a grilled sandwich made of corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut and dressing. It’s associated with Jewish delicatessens but it’s not, actually, kosher because it contains both meat and cheese.
You can also make a reuben sandwich with pastrami but we’re big fans of corned beef, plus it’s great for using up leftovers from St. Patrick’s Day.
Ingredients
- Bread – Reuben sandwiches are traditionally made with rye bread and that is what we use for this casserole.
- Butter – Salted butter is melted and drizzled for extra richness in the casserole.
- Corned Beef – Leftover corned beef is amazing in this recipe but deli corned beef works well, too.
- Sauerkraut – Sauerkraut is a little salty so we rinse and drain it well before adding to the casserole.
- Thousand Island Dressing – Russian dressing is traditional but we use thousand island dressing most often because we always have it on hand.
- Cheese – Swiss cheese gives the best cheese pull and a classic flavor.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How To Make Reuben Casserole
This Reuben Casserole is inspired by the sandwich but is layered in a casserole dish before being baked into a gooey, melty, comfort dinner.
Traditionally, the sandwich is made with Russian Dressing but I like to use my homemade Thousand Island dressing. It has a bit more flavor and the family loves it.
- Coat a baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Toss the bread cubes in a bowl with butter and layer in the dish
- Top with corned beef, sauerkraut and dressing. Add remaining corned beef, cheese and bread.
- Cover and bake for 25 minutes.
- Uncover and bake until bubbling and golden brown.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Tips for Perfect Reuben Casserole
- We like to use leftover Corned Beef for this recipe but you can use deli corned beef or even pastrami to make things easier.
- Be sure to DRAIN your sauerkraut before assembling the casserole so you don’t end up with a soggy meal. I like to put it in a strainer and give it a good rinse, then press down with a paper towel to squeeze out the excess.
- Shredded swiss cheese will work best because it melts down into the crevices of the other ingredients but you could use sliced deli swiss, too.
- Thousand Island dressing and Russian Dressing are very similar so they’re basically interchangeable in this recipe.
What To Serve With Reuben Casserole
Because this casserole is a one pot dinner, you don’t really need a side BUT we love to serve it with this easy Loaded Wedge Salad to round it out with something fresh.
You could also serve it alongside a big pile of green beans or make it a completely Irish feast with these easy Colcannon Potatoes. They’re so, sooo amazing!
Easy Irish Inspired Recipes
If you’re looking for even more easy Irish recipes, we love this recipe for Bangers and Mash…although it’s more British than Irish. Or you can try my favorite mini Irish Soda Bread muffins.
We’re also loving these personal sized Reuben Pizzas...they’re melty and amazing AND just like an open faced reuben sandwich. Then, follow it up with a Nutty Irishman. My FAVORITE!
Our Best Casserole Recipes
AND be sure to follow us over on Instagram and YOUTUBE so you don’t miss more easy family recipes!
Get the Recipe: Reuben Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups cubed rye bread
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 lb corned beef, leftover or deli meat is fine
- 16 oz sauerkraut, rinsed and drained thoroughly
- 3/4 cup Thousand Island Dressing, or Russian Dressing
- 2 cups shredded swiss cheese
Equipment
- baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Coat a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Place the bread in a large bowl and pour the butter over top. Toss to coat.
- Arrange half the bread in an even layer on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Layer 1/2 the corned beef on top of the bread and top with an even layer of the sauerkraut.
- Pour the dressing over the sauerkraut and spread to coat. Top with the remaining corned beef.
- Sprinkle 3/4 of the cheese over the corned beef and top with the remaining bread cubes.
- Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
2 Comments on “Reuben Casserole”
This reuban casserole was delicious! It was a bit pricey for me to make because I had to use gluten-free bread. I also bought fresh, raw saurkraut, not canned and used baby swiss cheese, as well as the author’s homemade thousand island dressing. I will make it again because I miss reuban sandwhiches!
I’m so happy you liked it! and thank you for trying our dressing, it’s my favorite. Have a wonderful day and thank you for your comment and rating!