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Hot Reuben Dip showcases all the flavors of the famous deli sandwich in one easy appetizer recipe. Scoop up with toasted rye bread pieces to complete the Reuben sandwich experience.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Corned beef: Deli corned beef is great, and so is leftover St. Patrick’s Day corned beef you make yourself (I usually buy deli meat, because this is a dip for year-round enjoyment, not just in March).
- Sauerkraut: Fermented cabbage adds texture, acidity, and flavor. I make my own sauerkraut when I have the chance, but canned works well too.
- Thousand Island dressing: Make it homemade if you want to (it’s just mayo, bread and butter pickles, ketchup, lemon juice, and garlic).
- Crackers: If you run out of crackers or are craving flavors more similar to a Reuben sandwich, lightly toast rye bread and cut each slice into quarters. Melba rye chips work well too.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and lightly grease a baking dish or oven-proof skillet with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl, mix together the corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and salad dressing.
- Then spread it into the bottom of the skillet, smooth the top, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the dip is hot and bubbly, and the top is golden brown and crackly.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: One batch of the recipe makes enough for 8 servings as a snack. We recommend doubling it for a family; you’ll want more.
- Make ahead: Prepare the dip in the skillet up to 3 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator until it’s time to bake.
- Stove-top method: To save time, mix the corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and Thousand Island dressing in a saucepan on the stove. Cook over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally so nothing burns on or sticks to the bottom of the pan.
- Slow cooker method: For a hands-off slow and low approach, combine the corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and salad dressing in a crockpot and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 6 hours.
- Broiler: Start the dip on the stove, transfer to a skillet, then broil until the top of the dip is golden brown.
- Corned beef vs. pastrami: Corned beef and pastrami both come from beef brisket, but different parts of the cut. Pastrami is smoked and usually rubbed with more spices during the process, though. And yes, you can and should make this delicious dip with pastrami, too.
- Round out your ultimate St. Patrick’s Day menu: start with Irish Nachos, and serve a basket of homemade Irish Soda Bread or Marble Rye bread along with your traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage and homemade Sauerkraut. Leftovers can be put to use in a hot Rueben sandwich or Rachel Sandwich, topped with homemade Thousand Island dressing.
More hearty hot dips
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Cheesy Bacon Dip
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Spinach Artichoke Dip
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Buffalo Chicken Dip
Appetizer Recipes
Hot Corn Dip
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Hot Reuben Dip
Hot Reuben Dip showcases all the flavors of the famous deli sandwich in one easy appetizer recipe. Scoop up with toasted rye bread pieces to complete the reuben sandwich experience.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce package) cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces deli corned beef coarsely chopped (see note 1)
- 1 cup Swiss cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup sauerkraut drained well (see note 2)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup Thousand Island salad dressing (see note 3)
- Triscuit crackers or rye chips, for serving (see note 4)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a pie plate or oven-safe skillet with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, sour cream, and dressing and mix well. Spread into prepared pie plate and bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with crackers or chips.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Corned beef: Deli corned beef is great, and so is leftover St. Patrick’s Day corned beef you make yourself (I usually buy deli meat, because this is a dip for year-round enjoyment, not just in March).
- Sauerkraut: Fermented cabbage adds texture, acidity, and flavor. I make my own sauerkraut when I have the chance, but canned works well too.
- Thousand Island dressing: Make it homemade if you want to (it’s just mayo, bread and butter pickles, ketchup, lemon juice, and garlic).
- Crackers: If you run out of crackers or are craving flavors more similar to a reuben sandwich, lightly toast rye bread and cut each slice into quarters. Melba rye chips work well too.
- Yield: One batch of the recipe makes enough for 8 servings as a snack. We recommend doubling it for a family; you’ll want more.
- Make ahead: Prepare the dip in the skillet up to 3 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator until it’s time to bake.
- Stove-top method: To save time, mix the the corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and Thousand Island dressing in a saucepan on the stove. Cook over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally so nothing burns on or sticks to the bottom of the pan.
- Slow cooker method: For a hands-off slow and low approach, combine the corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and salad dressing in a crockpot and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 6 hours.
- Broiler: Start the dip on the stove, transfer to a skillet, then broil until the top of the dip is golden brown.
- Corned beef vs. pastrami: Corned beef and pastrami both come from beef brisket, but different parts of the cut. Pastrami is smoked and usually rubbed with more spices during the process, though. And yes, you can and should make this delicious dip with pastrami, too.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 8gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 518mgPotassium: 125mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 163IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
so just how much is .5 cup sour cream and dressing?
Hi Joanne, thank you so much for your question! Looks like you’re doubling the recipe, making it 16 servings, so it would be 1/2 cup of sour cream (4 ounces) and 1/2 cup of Thousand Island dressing (4 ounces). I hope you love this dip! Take care! – Meggan
I’m wondering if you could make this using canned corned beef you can find in stores?
Hi Joanne, I’ve never used corned beef from the can but I don’t see why not! Hope you love this dip! – Meggan
I was looking for an appetizer that would compliment the corned beef and cabbage dinner. I brought this dip to the dinner and what a successful choice! Everyone loved it! I personally don’t care for corned beef however I loved this dip. So easy to prepare. I purchased a good deli rye bread and toasted it cutting into dip sized pieces.
I printed the recipe for 16 servings. Nice option on your printer options.
THANK YOU MEGGAN
You’re so welcome, Janet! Thank you so much for your comment! I’m glad it was a hit and you personally loved it, too! Take care! – Meggan
Absolute hit at the St Patrick’s Day gathering. Easy to make and unforgettable!
If I want to make a double batch in the crockpot would I need to cook for a longer time?
Hi Kristina, it should come together in the same amount of time, but maybe closer to the end of the time range to be hot and bubbly. Take care! – Meggan
Rueben dip delicious. Thanks
You’re welcome, Betty! – Meggan
Delicious. If I make it again I would increase the sauerkraut, reduce the cream cheese by half and increase the sour cream and/or thousand island dressing. The flavor is predominantly cream cheese. I want to taste more meat and have more tang.
Thank you for your comment, Cindi! I hope you are able to adjust it to your liking next time! Take care! – Meggan
This dip is delicious. This may become my go to when I need to bring something. I did add a little more dressing and a little more sauerkraut. My husband loved it.
Hi Debie, that’s great! I’m so happy to hear it! I love the dip too, I find it’s so hard to stop eating it once I start. I think a little more dressing and sauerkraut are a great idea. Thank you so much for the comment! -Meggan
I absolutely love this dip! Although I do make some alterations to this recipe. I add a lot more Swiss cheese and I use Bavarian style sauerkraut and I don’t squeeze it out as much as this recipe says. I do squeeze the majority of the juice from the can but then I just dump it in, yes I use an entire can! I have gotten many many compliments on this dip. 😊 I make it for gatherings, parties, holidays etc
I love it, Britney! Take care! – Meggan
Family favorite! I love to serve it in a mini crockpot with triscuits or cocktail rye bread!