Reuben Dip

This Reuben Dip recipe features all of the flavors of the classic deli sandwich…in appetizer form. Grab some crackers and dig in!

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I was first introduced to Reuben Dip when my buddy made a batch for a meeting at the curling club. I’m fairly certain I ate at least half of the dip by myself! This Reuben Dip recipe is a fun one – it’s basically a Reuben sandwich that has been deconstructed into a dip form. It makes for a great party appetizer!

What is Reuben Dip?

Reuben Dip takes all of the flavors of the classic reuben sandwich and transforms them into a dip. It’s often served with carrots and celery, crackers or toasted rye bread.

Before diving into the recipe for this dip, let’s first chat about the sandwich itself. A Reuben is a common deli sandwich consisting of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island or Russian dressing. The hot sandwich is almost always served on toasted rye bread.

This recipe would be a great way to use leftover corned beef after St. Patrick’s Day. Of course, corned beef is readily available at the deli counter at most grocery stores, so this dip can be made year-round.

Ingredients

• Corned Beef. We actually prefer using pastrami in this hot dip. (We always keep homemade pastrami in the freezer – it’s essentially just smoked corned beef!) Technically, that would make our sandwich closer to a “Rachel” rather than a Reuben as a Rachel uses pastrami instead of corned beef. However, a Rachel also uses coleslaw instead of sauerkraut…and we love the sauerkraut! Feel free to use either corned beef or pastrami – although we vote for pastrami!
  
• Sauerkraut. The fermented cabbage has a distinctively sour taste, and it pairs SO well with the salty meat and cheeses in this recipe. We typically just buy sauerkraut – if possible, try to find sauerkraut in the cold section at your grocery store. We can’t always find it, but we feel like it has better flavor than the canned version.

• Swiss Cheese. One of the best things about a Reuben sandwich is the melted cheese! This recipe calls for shredded Swiss cheese, although we often use Cabot’s Monterey Jack cheese instead. Either cheese will work well as you’re basically looking for a milder cheese that melts well.
  
• Sour Cream and Cream Cheese. These form the base of the dip itself. I’ve seen recipes that call for mayonnaise, but we personally prefer the sour cream + cream cheese combination.
  
• Russian Dressing. Russian dressing is the traditional dressing for Reuben sandwiches, but Thousand Island dressing is often used as a substitute. The two dressings are very similar, although Thousand Island tends to be a little sweeter while Russian tends to be a little spicier thanks to the addition of horseradish. Feel free to use either one!

Panko Breadcrumbs and Unsalted Butter. A simple combination of breadcrumbs and melted butter creates a crunchy topping to this dip. Don’t skip this part!

Carrots, Celery, Crackers and/or Rye Bread. Serving this dip with toasted rye bread is our preferred choice as the rye bread brings the iconic flavor that you associate with the Reuben sandwich. However, this dip is also great with baby carrots, celery sticks and crackers. When it comes to crackers, hearty crackers like Triscuits, pretzel chips or rye chips are good choices!

Leftovers

Leftover Reuben Dip should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave the dip or place it in a small skillet over medium heat until heated through. This dip will not freeze well.

If you’re looking for a great appetizer for St. Patrick’s Day parties (or really any party), then keep this Reuben Dip in mind. It’s also a great game day appetizer, and we always get requests for this recipe whenever we make it! Cheers!

Did you make this Hot Reuben Dip recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Reuben Dip

This Reuben Dip recipe features all of the flavors of the classic deli sandwich…in appetizer form. Grab some crackers and dig in!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 361kcal

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Ingredients

For the Dip

• 8 oz. corned beef or pastrami thinly sliced and chopped
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese can substitute Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14.5-oz.) can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
• {optional} ¼ cup Russian dressing or Thousand Island dressing see note
• {for serving} Celery Carrots, Crackers, Rye Bread

For the Topping

• ¾ cup Panko-style bread crumbs
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
• {for garnish} fresh Italian parsley chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Using a large bowl, add all ingredients for dip; stir until well combined. Transfer dip mixture into greased baking dish or cast iron skillet.
• Using a small bowl, add the Panko bread crumbs and melted butter; stir until well combined. Sprinkle topping evenly on top of dip.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.
• Serve hot with crackers, toasted rye bread and vegetables (recommended: celery and carrots) for dipping.

Notes

We’ve made this dip recipe with and without the dressing – it’s great either way!

Looking for more dip recipes? Check out these other favorites, too: