These two new ideas for Reuben Sandwiches redo the traditional ingredients in a way that will make your kids show up at the table, curious about what you’ve cooked for dinner. Seriously, the Reuben Sandwich Sliders are a game changer!!
My mom always made Reuben sandwiches on St. Patrick’s day growing up. As much as you could plan you were going to get pinched not wearing green, you could plan what we were having for dinner on March 17th. Two of my childhood friends had March 17th birthdays so there were always green festivities. I just love any excuse to celebrate a fun random day of the year and St. Patty’s Day is no exception.
I’m pretty sure my boys don’t get as excited about this day as they are with me on Valentine’s Day or Cinco de Mayo, but Mr. McKinney tolerates my food ideas for one night a year.
I have to tell you, there was a time I tried to revolt the Reuben. I think it was the sauerkraut, or I might have been a stubborn teenager, but either way, I’ve come full circle and I will order a Reuben, especially if I’m somewhere I can split it with my mama.
My very favorite place to eat a Reuben is in March on the front porch of the Tavern at Historic Washington State Park. But, I will admit The Bean Palace at War Eagle Mill is a close second. I’ve shared this historic sandwich with my mama at both places and without a doubt, the first bit always takes me back to her dining room table and we are all dressed in green at the end of a silly day making a fun memory together.
Today I’m sharing with your two ways that I’ve taken the Reuben to a new level and how my family enjoys dinner on St. Patty’s Day night. This year we are having spinach artichoke dip on the side, but a broccoli slaw salad, tortellini pesto pasta salad, or green salsa would all work as well as a Reuben dip or potato hash or wedges. Nothing complicated, just something fun to make a family memory together.
Oh, and don’t forget the green cake or No-bake butterscotch cheesecake to finish it off.
Quick tip before you jump in – check out Mama Sue’s secret to taking the funky out of saurkraut. It is a gamechanger!!!
Baked Reuben Sammies
Ingredients
- 1 pkg multigrain sweet dinner rolls
- 14 ounces pastrami or corned beef lunch meat
- 10 slices baby swiss cheese
- tub pub cheese or cheese whiz
- 1 can sauerkraut
- 2 tablespoons 1000 Island dressing
- 1 stick + 1 Tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar divided
- 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon caraway or dill seed
- Tony Chaseres or Old Bay seasoning to taste
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Drain and wash sauerkraut in a colander.
- In a saucepan, add sauerkraut, 1 tablespoon of butter, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and salt and pepper.
- Saute together.
- Season kraut with salt and pepper.
- Once cooked, set off the burner.
- Meanwhile, cut dinner rolls in half. (if they are connected, slide through the middle with one cut simultaneously to have one bottom and one top. You will cut them apart individually later.)
- Place the bottom half of the rolls in the cooking pan or a 9×13 dish.
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1 stick of butter, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, Worcestershire, and any seeds or seasoning.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat and then remove.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the inside of the rolls until one layer of sauce coasts across the inside of the bread.
- Spread a thin layer of pub cheese or cheese whiz on top of rolls.
- Place 5 slices of cheese on top of the bottom half of the dinner rolls. You may need to fold a couple of pieces of cheese in half to cover all the bread.
- Evenly cover the cheese with a layer of sauerkraut – optional.
- Cover the cheese and kraut with the meat. Using all the slices piled high.
- Add one more layer of 5 slices of cheese on top of the meat.
- Squeeze a little 1000 island dressing, zig zag on top of the cheese. (you can dip the sandwich in the dressing instead)
- Brush the inside of the top of the rolls with the butter mixture.
- Cover the pile with the top of the rolls.
- Brush the tops of the rolls with any remaining sauce.
- Cover loosely with foil.
- Bake at 350 for 15 minutes on the middle rack of the oven.
- Uncover and bake 5 more minutes.
- Cut rolls apart and serve hot.
Another way we traditionally add variety to the Reuben Sandwich is a play on my 90s childhood with the Reuben braid or ring.
Reuben Braid
Ingredients
- 2 cans crescent rolls
- 1 lb corned beef or pastrami lunch meat thinly sliced
- 8 slices swiss cheese
- 2 cups sauerkraut optional
- Spray butter
- Everything but the Bagel seasoning
- Italian seasoning
- Thousand Island Dressing optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Open cans of crescent rolls and lay out on baking stone or sheet pan with wide/fat/long side of crescent rolls facing together.
- Line up the triangles “on top” of each other making a colum of four rows, with points facing outward.
- Repeat with second can of rolls. Try to fit both braids on the same baking stone if possible.
- Press together seams of crescent rolls down the middle.
- Layer on lunch meat, evenly between the two braids.
- Top with sauerkraut.
- Top with sliced cheese.
- Wrap points of crescent rolls over sandwich ingredients. Wrapping in opposite directions to almost criss cross and join on top.
- Spray with butter.
- Sprinkle with seasonings.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes. Checking for top to be toasted and bottom to be cooked through.
- Slice with a pizza cutter and serve with dressing.
How does your family celebrate these fun food holidays?
Other St. Patty’s Day recipes you might love:
