Reuben Casserole Recipe

Name: Reuben Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 8 slices (9 ounces) seeded sliced rye bread; 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature; 1 1/2 pounds sliced pastrami or corned beef (from the deli or homemade); 8 ounces sliced Swiss cheese; 22 ounces (2 3/4 cups) sauerkraut, drained; 1 1/2 cups Thousand Island dressing; 2 teaspoons caraway seeds; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Butter for the baking dish

Reubens are a family favorite at my house. This boldly flavored sandwich is layered with tangy sauerkraut, earthy Swiss cheese, meat, and thousand island dressing, pressed between hearty rye bread and grilled until golden and crispy. What’s not to love? Well, maybe one thing.

Making one sandwich after the other usually means that either I’m standing at the stove grilling the next sandwich or my husband is while everyone else eats. For nights when you want the flavor of a Reuben, without spending your evening at the stove, this Reuben Casserole is here for you.

How to Make Reuben Casserole

Layer the bottom of the casserole dish with cubes of rye bread (hearty seeded rye is my favorite); mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl; spread it over the cubed bread, and top it with breadcrumbs. The cheese melts, and all the flavors meld together without needing to stand at the stovetop.

A golden brown baked reuben casserole is cooling on a rack. A metal spatula is in the lower right hand corner. A matte grey plate has a side salad and black fork in the upper right. A dark teal linen is under the plate. — Alison Bickel

What Meat Is Best for Reuben Casserole?

If I make this around St. Patrick’s Day, I always use leftover corned beef, but it’s a quick and simple weeknight dinner any time of year. If I don’t have leftover corned beef on hand, I just buy pastrami at the deli counter.

I prefer deli pastrami to deli corned beef, because the flavor is more pronounced and stands up better to all the competing flavors in this casserole. My deli will give me a sample; I’m sure yours would too. Don’t be afraid to ask to try a piece, then decide for yourself—corned beef or pastrami. They cost about the same.

What To Serve With Reuben Casserole?

This is a pretty rich dish, and definitely not heavy in the vegetable department. I would serve this with a simple vegetable side like green beans, asparagus, or broccoli. A light, easy salad is always a great way to round out dinner.

Close up view of a ceramic plate with a scoop of easy reuben casserole and side salad with diced red peppers. A second plate with reuben casserole is partially in view to the right. A dark teal linen is underneath the plates. — Alison Bickel

Make-Ahead Tips for Reuben Casserole

Casseroles are the perfect make-ahead meal. Make this recipe the night before, cover, and keep in the fridge unbaked, then just pop it in the oven when you get home from work. You can also bake it completely, then just reheat it in a 350°F oven until it's warmed through.

Can You Freeze Reuben Casserole?

Yes, you can! Feel free to assemble the entire casserole, wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and keep it in your freezer for up to three months.

Just take it out the night before you want to eat, and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Pop it in the oven when you get home from work, and bake as if it had never been frozen.

You can also bake the casserole as directed before freezing. Let it cool completely, then wrap and freeze the baked casserole. It will keep for up to three months. When ready, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a 350°F oven.

Try These Easy Weeknight Casseroles!

Reuben Casserole

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 65 mins

Servings 6 to 8 servings

8 slices (9 ounces) seeded sliced rye bread
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 pounds sliced pastrami or corned beef (from the deli or homemade)
8 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
22 ounces (2 3/4 cups) sauerkraut, drained
1 1/2 cups Thousand Island dressing
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Butter for the baking dish

Prepare the pan and heat the oven:

Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cube and crumb the bread:

Take 6 slices of the bread and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Ultimately, you need enough bread to cover the bottom of your baking dish. If you're bread isn't pre-sliced, you might need more to do this.

Take the remaining 2 slices of bread and pulse in a food processor until fine crumbs are formed.

Alison Bickel

Alison Bickel
Chop the meat and the cheese:

Chop the pastrami (or corned beef if you’re using) into bite sized pieces. I do this by stacking it and cutting the meat first in strips, then I cut across the strips to form rough squares. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s a casserole.

Stack the cheese slices one on top of the other, then cut it in strips, and then cut across the strips into squares.

Alison Bickel
Make the filling:

In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and smoosh it with a spoon or spatula to soften and break it up a bit. Add the meat, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing, caraway seeds, and salt. Stir to combine, making sure you fully incorporate the cream cheese.
Layer the casserole:

Place the cubed bread on the bottom of your baking dish (slice and add more cubes if needed to make a full layer). Then spoon the filling over the top of the bread. Spread it out as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.

Alison Bickel

Alison Bickel

Alison Bickel
Bake the casserole:

Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the crumbs are toasted and the casserole is heated through.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
598	Calories
42g	Fat
23g	Carbs
31g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	598
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 42g	54%
Saturated Fat 17g	83%
Cholesterol 129mg	43%
Sodium 2244mg	98%
Total Carbohydrate 23g	8%
Dietary Fiber 4g	15%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 31g
Vitamin C 12mg	60%
Calcium 339mg	26%
Iron 4mg	24%
Potassium 462mg	10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.