Reuben sandwich - Definition and Overview

The Reuben or Reuben sandwich is made with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing on rye bread and then grilled or toasted. It has been claimed to have been invented at Reuben's Restaurant in New York City by Arnold Reuben, as well as at the Blackstone Hotel in Omaha by Reuben Kulakofsky. The oldest evidence of the sandwich is a menu from the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, Nebraska, from 1937.

A modern variation of the Reuben substitutes Thousand Island dressing for the traditional Russian dressing. The Reuben also has a "sister" sandwich, the Rachel. This sandwich replaces the corned beef with pastrami, and the sauerkraut with cole slaw.