This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure form more information.

Baked Reuben Casserole is made with layers of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, rye bread and creamy dressing. All the delicious flavors of the classic sandwich in a casserole! This family favorite comfort food is perfect for a quick dinner on St. Patrick’s Day.

close up of reuben casserole with corned beef and sauerkraut on a plate

Easy Reuben Casserole Recipe

If you like reuben sandwiches, you’ll love this easy reuben casserole. It has everything you find in a classic Reuben sandwich — tender corned beef, tangy sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing on rye. The only difference is that you add everything to a casserole dish and bake it!

I found this easy recipe in my mom’s old collection a few years ago, and it’s one of our favorite ways to enjoy the flavors of a Reuben sandwich. Less mess, too!

You can make this corned beef and sauerkraut casserole for St. Patrick’s Day dinner instead of a traditional corned beef dinner. It’s a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love. Add french fries, a dill pickle spear and maybe a simple salad for a complete meal.

Or, use leftover corned beef to make this layered casserole bake the next day. Basically, all you do is assemble the ingredients in a baking pan, bake it, and you’re done. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients for this hearty casserole recipe. They should be easy to find in your grocery store or online. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.

  • Sauerkraut – from a jar or a bag
  • Ground black pepper
  • Sea salt
  • Sliced corned beef — leftover corned beef or sliced meat from the deli counter
  • Swiss cheese — either shredded Swiss cheese or sliced Swiss cheese works
  • Thousand Island dressing
  • Rye bread — with caraway seeds or without
  • Butter

How to Make Reuben Casserole

First, you want to pre heat the oven to 350 degrees f. Then, grease the casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Next, rinse and drain your sauerkraut. I do the same when I make kielbasa and sauerkraut since we like it less sour. You can skip the rinsing if you prefer a stronger flavor.

I also squeeze out extra liquid before adding the sauerkraut to the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Excess liquid will make the casserole soggy.

sauerkraut seasoned with salt and pepper in baking dish

I like to add salt and pepper to the layer of sauerkraut, since I like to season each layer. And, I just think that fermented cabbage tastes so much better when it has some salt and pepper added!

Corned beef is salty, so you can omit the salt if you like.

Next, place the sliced corned beef in an even layer over the sauerkraut.

sliced corned beef over sauerkraut in baking dish

The original recipe for corned beef casserole didn’t specify the amount of cheese and dressing to use, so I just guessed.

My version uses sliced Swiss cheese, but you can use shredded cheese if you want. The only thing that really matters is that the cheese goes over the corned beef.

Then, spread the Thousand Island dressing over the cheese.

easy baked reuben casserole with thousand island and swiss cheese

I used Russian rye bread to top off the casserole and mimic the sandwich.

And, because I didn’t want the bread to be too dry, I added some melted butter over the top.

The original rueben casserole recipe called for bread crumbs, but I just tore the slices of rye bread into large pieces, which was so much easier!

The slices work just fine, but if you want to be more precise, cut the bread into rye bread cubes instead. 2-inch cubes are perfect!

easy baked reuben casserole in baking dish

Cooking Time

Bake the casserole for 30 minutes or until it is bubbling and the bread is a light golden brown.

I always bake corned beef casserole uncovered, but if the bread is getting too dark, you can cover it with aluminum foil until the entire casserole is done.

easy baked reuben casserole on a serving fork

Variations and Substitutions

There are a couple great ways to customize this delicious reuben casserole to your liking! I like to use Russian rye, but any kind of rye–dark or light rye bread–will work. Pumpernickel bread is also a favorite!

Instead of store-bought thousand island dressing, add your favorite sandwich sauce. Russian dressing and mustard both pair well with the tangy sauerkraut. You can make this a low carb casserole by omitting the bread and using keto-friendly dressing.

Substitute provolone cheese, cheddar cheese, or a blend of cheeses for the Swiss.

For a little extra texture, add a layer of rye bread or bread crumbs at the bottom of the pan. This will also help hold your casserole together better! Or, throw some caraway seeds on top of the casserole.

How to Store and Reheat

Store any leftover reuben casserole in an airtight container or in the baking dish covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator, where it’ll last for 3 to 4 days.

For longer storage, you could freeze the casserole, but the bread might get soggy if you do this. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.

5 from 30 votes

Easy Baked Reuben Casserole

By: Dee
This Easy Baked Reuben Casserole has corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, rye bread and creamy dressing. Like the classic sandwich in casserole form! This family favorite is perfect for a quick dinner on St. Patrick's Day and definitely comfort food!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients  

  • 1 pound sauerkraut, rinsed and drained, with most of the liquid squeezed out
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 pound sliced corned beef, torn into large pieces
  • 12 slices Swiss cheese
  • ¼ cup Thousand Island dressing
  • 6 slices rye bread, torn into smaller pieces
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
Save this recipe!
Enter your email and get this recipe sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Grease a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, oil or butter
  • Spread the sauerkraut evenly over the bottom of the baking dish, and season with sea salt and pepper
  • Layer the corned beef over the sauerkraut
  • Layer the Swiss cheese over the beef
  • Spread the dressing evenly over the cheese, and top with rye bread
  • Drizzle the melted butter over the bread
  • Bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven, slice, and serve warm

Notes

You can use leftover corned beef or sliced deli meat in this recipe.
Substitute provolone cheese for Swiss cheese if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 269kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 1039mg, Potassium: 130mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 370IU, Vitamin C: 6.7mg, Calcium: 306mg, Iron: 2.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main
Cuisine: American
Like this? Leave a comment below!

Baked casseroles are great for making ahead of time–it’s just so easy to grab some leftovers for a quick meal on busy weeknights!

For more easy recipes, more delicious casseroles like my baked pierogi casserole and more easy dinners, be sure to subscribe to the newsletter and follow me on social media!

If you love this corned beef recipe as much as we do, please leave a star rating and comment!

Happy Cooking,

easy baked reuben casserole on a plate with pickles

First published in 2017 and updated in 2024.

ebook cover.
Download my free eBook!
Fill out the download form to get this collection of easy dessert dips. You'll also receive free recipes each week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

You May Also Like

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




36 Comments

  1. Stella says:

    Tried this because I love corned beef the family didn’t even know it was corned beef with all of the other flavors present. Going to make this again for St. Patrick’s Day! Yummy!5 stars

  2. Bill says:

    This looks delicious and unique! I’ll have to make this for St Patty’s day!5 stars