Baked Reuben Casserole (Easy Dinner Idea)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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,

First published in 2017 and updated in 2024.