Baked Reuben Casserole is like a huge reuben sandwich for a crowd! Layers of rye bread, pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and special sauce!
A DELICIOUS PASTRAMI CASSEROLE
One of my family's favorite sandwiches are reuben sandwiches. They love them! But it can be time consuming to make each individual sandwiches, right? So why not just make one big reuben sandwich casserole. All the flavors, served warm and easy to slice up and serve!
TIPS FOR MAKING REUBEN CASSEROLE:
- You can use sliced corned beef or pastrami. I prefer pastrami but use your favorite.
- Make sure you drain the sauerkraut real well. You don't want any excess juices making it soggy.
- Use dark or light rye bread. Both work just fine with this recipe.
- Don't forget the caraway seeds. They really do make this recipe!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- rye bread (dark or light)
- thinly sliced pastrami or corned beef
- sauerkraut
- shredded Swiss cheese
- caraway seeds
- chopped dill pickles
- milk
- eggs
- thousand island dressing
- yellow mustard
HOW TO MAKE BAKED REUBEN CASSEROLE:
Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Spray 11x7-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Take four slices of rye bread and cut them into 2-inch cubes.
Place remaining slices of rye bread into food processor and pulse into fine breadcrumbs and set aside.
Spread cubed bread into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Cover evenly with half of the pastrami.
Then evenly top with drained sauerkraut, chopped pickles and 1 tsp. caraway seeds.
Sprinkle 2 cups of shredded Swiss cheese on top of sauerkraut layer.
Next, top with remaining pastrami. I gently push down to help compact it all a bit.
Sprinkle remaining 2 cups Swiss cheese and 1 tsp. caraway seeds on top of pastrami.
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, thousand island dressing and mustard.
Pour mixture evenly over the casserole.
Top with breadcrumbs.
Cover with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven, let rest for 5 minutes then slice and serve.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
Baked Reuben Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 slices rye bread (dark or light), divided use
- 1 pound thinly sliced pastrami or corned beef, divided use
- 14.5 ounce can or jar sauerkraut, drained well
- 4 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided use
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, divided use
- 1 cup chopped dill pickles
- 1 cup milk
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- ⅓ cup thousand island dressing
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Spray 11x7 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Take four slices of rye bread and cut them into 2-inch cubes.
- Place remaining slices of rye bread into food processor and pulse into fine breadcrumbs and set aside.
- Spread cubed bread into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Cover evenly with half of the pastrami.
- Then evenly top with drained sauerkraut, chopped pickles and 1 tsp. caraway seeds.
- Sprinkle 2 cups of shredded Swiss cheese on top of sauerkraut layer.
- Next, top with remaining pastrami. I gently push down to help compact it all a bit.
- Sprinkle remaining 2 cups Swiss cheese and 1 tsp. caraway seeds on top of pastrami.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, thousand island dressing and mustard.
- Pour mixture evenly over the casserole.
- Top with breadcrumbs.
- Cover with foil.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven, let rest for 5 minutes then slice and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Barb
Delicious have to save this one!!
Sheryl Sheppers Eddie
Awesome! I never really cared for a Reuben Sandwich but this casserole is to die for! I used corned beef. Just freaking incredible.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Yay! Thanks so much Sheryl!
Marcia
Everyone who has tasted this reuben casserole has absolutely loved. 5 plus stars.
Sheila
If I make it again, I will chop the cornbeef or pastrami, and I would prepare it in a 9×12 dish, and up the ingredients to fit the size.
kim
Made this twice in a week, i think that speaks how good this is.
Terri Washburn
My husband & I loved your Baked Rueben Casserole. But the fine dark rye breadcrumbs on the top, looked very unappetizing when I took the foil off . It didn’t look like the pictures at all
MKWK
I have a (slightly) different recipe. This is a real favorite.
For easier eating, use 1 pound of chipped corned beef. (If the deli attendant does not understand, ask for shredded).
And, use shredded Swiss cheese.
sandy
Are you certain that you use an 11x7 pan??? When I poured my wet ingredients on the top I had it flowing off the sides!! I followed the recipe to a T. It's in the oven now but it is really overloading the pan?? Thank You 🙂 Should be good!!
Barbara Moran
Delicious and quick!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Thanks so much Barbara!
Mary Beth w
So so so yummy
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Yay!! Thank you so much Mary Beth!!
Nerissa Berry
I love Reubens,, but can't do Rye bread. Would this be good with sourdough?
Nealy
Can this be a freezer meal? If so, would you cook it before or after freezing?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Nealy, I think it could be although I haven't tried it. My best guess would be to wrap it up well and freeze before cooking. Then add a few minutes onto the cooking time when you're ready to make.
Don
I have frozen it several times and every time it's as good as the first time I had it. I don't think you can ruin the meal. It's amazing!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Thank you Don!
Mary Wichlei
Really Liked this Recipe. The "Sauce" you mix and pour on at the end bakes up really nicely. Definitely will be making it again.
Dianne
Any way to make this low carb but still as yummy?
Nancy
I made this last night and it was so good my husband and I had seconds, and I don't care for Reuben sandwiches! The only difference was that I used corned beef sliced med-thin from the deli, and slices of provolone cheese instead of swiss. I ran out of provolone so one layer was Muenster cheese. It baked for about an hour, as I had used a glass baking dish and only had the oven @325. Also I only had a tiny can of sauerkraut but it worked out beautifully. It was easy to make. And yummy!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Nancy! That is SO funny! I don't really care for Reuben sandwiches either but I really liked this too! So happy to hear you loved it. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Lynn
Loved the casserole but no way would this fit in an 11X7 dish. This just fit in a 9X13 pan.
I made croutons in the oven with six slices of rye bread and a bit of olive oil for the bottom and they didn’t get soggy as someone stayed in an earlier post. Also used 3 slices of rye crumbed in food processor on the top. Everyone wanted the recipe after eating it!
Will be keeping this one, and may never make a sandwich Reuben again. ????
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Lynn! Thanks so much for the feedback. I definitely appreciate it!! So glad you liked this recipe 🙂
Dey
Recipe is great and was a family hit! I smoked the corn beef on a green egg first. We liked the pickles in the sauerkraut. Delicious.
Ellen B Keating
Do you pre-cook the corned beef?
Linda
I don't have a food processor. Would a blender work or should I ready made bread crumbs/panko?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Linda, a blender should work 🙂 You just want to make sure the blades are sharp.
Marian
I had a similier recipe but it was made with corn beef and the top was mashed potatoes. Can't find it anywhere. Have you heard of this recipe? if so, can you repost?
Maren
What kind of mustard is used? Prepared? Yellow or Dijon? Can dry mustard be used? How much?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Maren, not sure if you can see in my photo above but I used regular yellow. However if you have a preference for dijon or brown mustard, feel free to use those. I have never tried this with dry mustard. 🙂
kim
I love Reuben's and do not eat meat but have made sandwiches using portebella mushrooms for the corned beef/pastrami.
That is what i did with this casserole. I did saute the 'rooms first and pressed them with a paper towel so they would not release any extra moisture. I used a 16 ounce and 1-8 ounce of sliced portebella's. Just enough for the two layers for the best baked reuben casserole!!!
Jude McFadden
Sounds YUM ! Think I will try Bread/ Butter pickles instead
Sherri
This is an amazing casserole !!
Husband does the cooking
Followed recipe exactly as written and it came out perfectly, just like the photo.
If you’re a Reuben lover and a casserole fan, this recipe is for you. This tastes just like a Reuben and is delicious.
Now I have a go to recipe for left over corned beef.
Thank you for the recipe, this ones a keeper for sure!
Loretta
Can this be made in a crock pot?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I've never tried it but if you do, please let me know how it turns out for you!
Linda
I’ve made this 2 times with pastrami and corned beef added a little horseradish sauce to my homemade thousand island dressing. Always double recipe to take to church, just changed it up tonight made a Rachael casserole with turkey breast I had left over.. Personally I like Rachael better. Haven’t eaten yet but I imagine it will be excellent as the other 2 times it got rave reviews..
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Yay!! Thanks so much Linda!!