This Pastrami Swiss Melts Recipe Is a Delicious Twist on a Deli Classic
The Reuben is a classic delicatessen sandwich. Thin slices of corned beef are piled high on rye bread with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing. Then it gets toasted to melty perfection. When I’m in the mood for something decadent, it’s one of my favorite lunchtime bites! But we decided to switch things up and came up with this Pastrami Swiss Melts recipe.
The debate over pastrami versus corned beef has been a major discussion at deli counters for ages. They’re both made from brisket and brined but are different in terms of the method and final taste. Pastrami is smoked and flavored with spices like garlic, salt, pepper, cloves, coriander, and mustard seeds. All that seasoning makes it a delicious choice for our sandwich. Then we whip up with a zingy sauce instead of using bottled dressing. We serve it up on rich, dark pumpernickel bread. Watch our video to see how easy they are to put together. Then let us know — are you a pastrami or corned beef fan?
Yields
Total Time
Prep Time
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbs. ketchup
- 3 Tbs. minced red onion
- ¼ tsp. paprika
- 8 slices pumpernickel bread, from 16-oz. loaf
- 1 dill pickle, chopped
- 8 oz. deli-sliced pastrami
- 1 cup rinsed, well-drained sauerkraut
- 4 oz. Swiss cheese, grated
Instructions
PrintIn bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, onion and paprika; dividing evenly, spread over one side of each bread slice (about 1 Tbs. each). Top 4 bread slices, dressing side up, with chopped pickle, pastrami, sauerkraut and Swiss, then remaining 4 bread slices, dressing side down.
Coat 12" nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-low heat. In batches, add sandwiches; top with heavy skillet, pressing down lightly on sandwiches. Cook until lightly browned, 3-4 min. Remove top skillet; flip sandwiches. Cook (without skillet on top) until golden and cheese is melted, 3-4 min. Slice in half.
Nutrition
- Calories: 520
- Fat: 28 gram
- Saturated Fat: 7 gram
- Protein: 27 gram
- Carbohydrate: 40 gram
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
- Sugar: 27 gram
- Sodium: 1490 mg
