Rachel Sandwich

Meet the Rachel Sandwich, the lighter take on the classic Reuben that calls for turkey instead of corned beef. Yes, crunchy sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and rye bread are all still invited to lunch.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 516kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

8 slices rye bread (see note 1)
3/4 cup Thousand Island salad dressing (see note 2)
8 slices Swiss cheese
1 pound (1 1/3 cups) sauerkraut drained, and squeezed of extra moisture (see note 3)
1 1/2 pounds deli turkey thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. On a flat surface, lay out 4 slices of bread.
Spread 1 tablespoon of thousand island dressing on each piece. Layer one piece of Swiss cheese, 1/3 cup sauerkraut, 1 more tablespoon dressing, 6 ounces deli turkey, one more slice Swiss cheese, and 1 additional tablespoon of dressing. Top each sandwich with another slice of bread and press each sandwich down gently.
Brush the tops of two sandwiches with melted butter. Lay them butter-side down in a large skillet. Place a Dutch oven or large pot onto the tops of the sandwiches and cook over medium-low heat until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pot and brush the tops with melted butter. Gently flip over sandwiches. Place pot back on top of sandwiches and cook until the bottom side is crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sandwiches to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat the process with remaining two sandwiches.

Notes

Rye bread: Take your pick; seeded rye, pumpernickel, or marble rye all work well.
Thousand island dressing: Some Reuben-style recipes call for Russian Dressing, which is similar in flavor to thousand island, but isn't made with pickle relish and may be spicy. Both types of dressing make excellent Rachel Sandwiches.
Swiss cheese: You'll need 2+ slices of Swiss per sandwich.
Sauerkraut: You can absolutely make your own sauerkraut, but store-bought canned fermented cabbage works just as well. Whichever you use, drain it well so the kraut doesn't make the sandwich soggy.
Yield: One recipe makes 4 Rachel Sandwiches.
Make ahead: Assemble the cold sandwiches, wrap them in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator a few hours before you plan to grill.
Hot or cold: Feel free to eat your Rachel cold, without grilling it—it tastes delicious this way, too.
Serve with: Cold kosher pickles, crunchy potato chips, Coleslaw, Macaroni Salad, plus Cheesecake Bars for dessert.

Nutrition