Reuben Sandwiches with Russian Dressing

Take tender slices of seasoned corned beef and nutty Baby Swiss, add the tang of sauerkraut and tuck everything in between slices of buttery, toasted rye bread that’s been slathered with creamy, spicy Russian dressing. There’s nothing much better than a great Reuben sandwich!

It’s something so simple and when it’s done right, it’s simply wonderful. To build this classic sandwich grab rye bread, a generous amount of corned beef, slices of Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. And a must for the sandwich spread, Russian dressing, which is almost impossible to find. But luckily it’s quite simple to make.

With its bold and spicy notes, the dressing is as important to a great Reuben sandwich as is every other component. The flavors come from savory ingredients including chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce and shallots with a bit of heat from paprika, horseradish, and a dash or two of Tabasco all blended into a creamy base of mayonnaise.

Pile everything between two slice of rye bread, buttered then toasted just enough to leave the bread a light golden brown and the Swiss cheese warm and melting inside.

The history on this sandwich is a bit murky but there’s no doubt it’s one that’s been popular for decades. After one bite you’ll know why!

Reuben Sandwich with Russian Dressing

For the Russian dressing:

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot, about 1 small shallot

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup good mayonnaise, preferably Duke’s

¼ cup chili sauce*

2 tablespoons creamy prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

⅛ teaspoon Tabasco

¼ teaspoon paprika

*Chili sauce can be found in most food markets in the condiment aisle. In a pinch, you can use ketchup.

Finely mince the shallot with the kosher salt either by hand or in a small food processor.

Combine the shallots and salt with the mayonnaise, chili sauce, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and paprika.

Stir to blend together. Makes about 1-¼ cups of dressing.

For the Reuben sandwich:

You can adjust the amounts of corned beef, cheese and sauerkraut to suit your taste, but this is a good place to start!

4 slices of rye bread

2 to 4 tablespoons Russian dressing

½ pound corned beef, sliced thin

4 to 6 tablespoons sauerkraut

4 to 6 slices baby Swiss or regular Swiss cheese

2 tablespoons melted butter

Spread a generous amount of the Russian dressing on one side of each slice of the rye bread.

Layer the corned beef on two slices of the bread.

Scatter the sauerkraut over the corned beef and top with slices of the cheese.

Top with the remaining pieces of bread, brushing the outside with melted butter.

Place the sandwiches, buttered side down onto a hot Panini machine or in a hot skillet. Brush the remaining side with melted butter. Toast the sandwiches until the bread is lightly golden and the cheese has started to melt.

Makes two sandwiches.