Corned Beef Sandwich
intro
Stacked, savory deli-style corned beef sandwich with melted Swiss, tangy mustard, and crisp griddled rye— a fast, hearty, satisfying classic.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and drain fillings
First, place 120 grams of sauerkraut in a fine-mesh sieve, pressing firmly with paper towels to squeeze out all excess brine to prevent soggy bread. Pat 80 grams of dill pickle slices dry, then set both aside alongside 450 grams of thinly sliced pre-cooked corned beef and 8 slices of Swiss cheese for smooth, fast assembly.
Butter rye bread slices
Lay 8 slices of seeded rye bread on a wooden cutting board. Spread 3 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter evenly across one outer side of every slice, using roughly 1.5 teaspoons of butter per slice to ensure full, even coverage for a crisp, golden crust when griddled.
Layer sandwich fillings
Flip all buttered bread slices so the buttered side faces down. Spread 1 tablespoon of spicy brown deli mustard across the unbuttered side of each slice. On 4 of the slices, stack 112 grams of corned beef, 30 grams of drained sauerkraut, 20 grams of patted-dry dill pickle slices, and 2 slices of Swiss cheese per sandwich, then top with the remaining 4 bread slices, mustard-side facing in, to form 4 closed sandwiches.
Griddle sandwiches until crisp
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or flat griddle over medium-low heat (325°F / 160°C). Place 2 sandwiches on the hot surface at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Press gently with a metal spatula halfway through cooking, until the bread is deep golden and crisp, and the Swiss cheese is fully melted.
Rest cooked sandwiches
Transfer the cooked sandwiches from the griddle to a clean cutting board, and let them rest for 2 full minutes. This short rest allows the melted cheese to set slightly and fillings to settle, preventing ingredients from sliding out when the sandwiches are sliced.
Slice and serve
Use a sharp serrated knife to slice each rested sandwich diagonally into two equal triangular halves. Arrange on serving plates, and serve immediately while the bread is crisp and cheese is warm, paired with dill pickle spears or crispy potato chips if desired.
Tips
2.Cook sandwiches over medium-low heat only: high heat will burn the butter and rye crust before the Swiss cheese has a chance to fully melt through all the filling layers.
3.Ask your deli counter to slice corned beef paper-thin for the most tender, classic texture; thick, chewy corned beef slices will make the sandwich hard to bite through cleanly, leading to fillings spilling out.
OMG this tastes exactly like the corned beef sandwiches I used to grab after class at the old Jewish deli by my Queens high school! Piled high with tender meat, zesty yellow mustard, a side of half-sour pickles, on perfectly chewy rye — SO good, I’ve already made it twice this week for lunch. Worth every minute of prep, even if I did overdo it on the meat pile the first time 😂
Made these for the team tailgate last Saturday and they were a total hit! Even the picky teens who only eat chicken nuggets came back for seconds. Only tweak I made was adding a slice of Swiss to a few of them for the cheese lovers. Game changer for quick weekend cookouts!
How well does this hold up for meal prep? I’m always looking for easy lunches I can assemble Sunday and grab on my way out to work all week, and 15 minute cook time sounds perfect for my chaotic schedule.
My grandkids used to beg me to take them to the deli for corned beef sandwiches when they were little, so I made this for our Sunday family dinner last week. They all said it tasted even better than the deli version! My oldest grandson even asked for the recipe to take back to college with him. My heart is so full.
Super easy to make in my tiny dorm kitchen! I didn’t have a fancy panini press or anything, just toasted the rye in my little countertop toaster oven and piled the meat high. Way cheaper than buying a $15 deli sandwich on campus every day, saved me so much money this week already.
Has anyone tried this with gluten-free rye bread? I have celiac so regular rye is a no-go for me, but I’ve been craving a good corned beef sandwich something fierce lately.
Threw the corned beef on my smoker for an extra hour before piling it on the rye, and holy cow that smoky flavor took this to a whole other level. Added a little coleslaw on top for crunch, 10/10 will make again for our next backyard cookout.
Made this for my husband for his birthday lunch since he’s been obsessed with deli sandwiches since we started dating, and he said it’s the best meal I’ve ever made for him! I was worried it would be too complicated since I’m still learning to cook, but the 15 minute cook time was totally accurate, so easy to pull off.
Thinking about making a big batch of these for our neighborhood block party next weekend. About how many sandwiches does one batch of the corned beef make? I need to feed about 20 people and don’t want to run out!
Made this for a lazy Sunday lunch while we watched football, and it hit so hard. A little spicy brown mustard, a pile of corned beef, some rye toasted with butter, paired with a bag of chips and a beer? Literally the perfect weekend meal, zero effort required.
Look, I’m a born and raised Brooklyn guy, I’ve been eating deli corned beef sandwiches for 40+ years, and I was fully ready to roast this recipe for being fake deli slop. Color me shocked — this actually gets the ratio right, the meat is tender, the mustard to meat to bread balance is perfect. Who knew a home recipe could nail it?
I pack a sandwich for work every day, and these are perfect for long shifts on the job site. Hearty, filling, doesn’t get all squished in my lunch box if I wrap it tight in parchment paper, keeps me full for 6 hours straight until quitting time. Way better than the sad fast food I used to grab on my lunch break.
I love extra heat on all my sandwiches — any recs for what to add to this to give it a little kick without ruining the classic deli vibe?
My three kids are so picky, I swear they turn their nose up at 90% of the dinners I make, but they devoured these last night! Even my youngest who “hates all meat except chicken nuggets” ate a whole half sandwich and asked for more for his lunch today. Total win for this tired mom.
This took me right back to the old diner my parents used to take me to after little league games when I was a kid. The buttery toasted rye, the salty tender corned beef, the yellow mustard that squishes out the sides when you take a bite — total nostalgia bomb. I may have teared up a little at the first bite, no shame.
Wait, I tried this last night and my corned beef was kind of tough? Did I do something wrong? I sliced it pretty thick, maybe that was the issue? It still tasted good, just wasn’t as tender as the deli meat I’m used to.
I run a tiny little neighborhood cafe in Denver, and I tested this recipe for our new lunch menu last week. We sold out of corned beef sandwiches in 45 minutes on the first day we offered it! Customers have been asking when we’re bringing it back permanently. Thank you for such a solid, reliable recipe!
Wrapped these up tight in foil and brought them on our day hike last weekend, and they were perfect. No need to reheat, tasted amazing even after 3 hours in my backpack, gave us all the energy we needed to make it to the summit and back. Next time I’m making a double batch for our overnight backpacking trip next month.
Wait, is it sacrilege to add sauerkraut and Russian dressing to this to make it a Reuben? I know this is the classic plain corned beef sandwich, but I’ve been craving a Reuben so bad lately and this feels like the perfect base.
Made a big batch of these on Sunday for my work lunches, and honestly they taste better than the $18 sandwich I get from the deli by my office. I added a little coleslaw on the side each day, and I’m already looking forward to making them again next week. So easy, so affordable, 10/10.