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Reuben Sliders pack all the cozy, tangy flavor of a classic Reuben sandwich, corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing, into buttery Hawaiian rolls baked until golden and melty. I make a pan for game day, and Maddie always grabs a corner piece while Lizzie goes straight for the gooey cheese pull. If you love an easy crowd pleasing slider, these are right up there with our French dip sliders.
Sweet Hawaiian rolls layered with corned beef, melty Swiss, and tangy sauerkraut, then brushed with a savory poppy seed butter, make the ultimate party sliders.
Reuben Sliders Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 sliders
- ⚡ Calories: 257kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory, tangy, and buttery with melty Swiss
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our cheeseburger sliders
Quick Answer
To make Reuben Sliders, mix drained sauerkraut with Russian dressing and caraway seeds. Slice Hawaiian rolls in half, layer the bottoms with Swiss cheese, corned beef, the sauerkraut mixture, and more Swiss, then add the roll tops. Brush with a mixture of melted butter, onion soup mix, and poppy seeds, cover, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, uncovering at the end until golden. Cut and serve warm.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Hawaiian rolls add the perfect sweet contrast. The soft, slightly sweet rolls balance the salty corned beef and tangy sauerkraut in these Reuben Sliders beautifully.
- Cheese on top and bottom seals everything in. Layering Swiss above and below the filling melts into a gooey glue that holds each slider together.
- Squeezing the sauerkraut keeps them from getting soggy. Draining and pressing the kraut dry means tangy flavor without a watery slider.
- The poppy seed butter is everything. Brushing the tops with butter, onion soup mix, and poppy seeds gives a savory, golden, irresistible crust.
- Baking covered then uncovered nails the texture. Covering first melts the cheese through, then uncovering toasts the tops to golden perfection.
- They are made for a crowd. One pan of 12 sliders pulls apart easily, making them perfect for parties, game day, and St. Patricks Day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They turn a deli classic into an easy, shareable pan of sliders with hardly any effort.
- Everything bakes in one dish, so cleanup is a breeze and they go from prep to table in about 40 minutes.
- They are a guaranteed party hit, right alongside our Italian sliders on a game day spread.
Key Ingredients
Here is what comes together to make these crowd pleasing Reuben Sliders. It is a short, deli inspired list.
- Hawaiian rolls: Soft and slightly sweet, they are the perfect pillowy base that balances the savory, tangy filling.
- Corned beef: The deli star, sliced thin and piled on for that classic Reuben flavor.
- Swiss cheese: Layered on top and bottom so every slider is gooey and melty throughout.
- Sauerkraut and Russian dressing: The tangy, zesty duo that makes a Reuben a Reuben, mixed with caraway for extra flavor.
- Butter, onion soup mix, and poppy seeds: Whisked into the savory topping that brushes over the rolls for a golden, flavorful crust.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These Reuben Sliders are easy to tweak to your taste.
- Swap the meat: Use pastrami instead of corned beef for a smokier twist, or sliced turkey for a Rachel slider.
- Change the dressing: Thousand Island works in place of Russian dressing if that is what you have.
- Add more tang: Stir a little extra sauerkraut or a few chopped pickles into the filling.
- Make them spicy: A swipe of spicy brown mustard or a few pickled jalapenos adds a kick.
- Serve with dipping sauce: Set out extra Russian dressing for dunking, like we do with our French dip sliders and their au jus.
How to Make Reuben Sliders
- Drain the sauerkraut well and squeeze it dry, then mix it in a bowl with the Russian dressing and caraway seeds.
- Slice the Hawaiian rolls in half, place the bottoms in a greased baking dish, and layer 4 slices of Swiss cheese over them.
- Add the corned beef in an even layer over the cheese.
- Spread the sauerkraut mixture over the corned beef, add the remaining 4 slices of Swiss cheese, then place the roll tops on.
- Stir together the melted butter, onion soup mix, and poppy seeds, then brush it all over the tops of the rolls, using it all.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then uncover and bake until the tops are golden brown. Cut, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Squeeze the sauerkraut really dry. Excess moisture is the enemy of crisp, sturdy Reuben Sliders, so press out as much liquid as you can.
- Use the cheese as glue. Layering Swiss on the top and bottom helps hold the sliders together when you cut and serve them.
- Do not skip the poppy seed butter. Brushing on all of that savory butter is what gives the tops their golden, flavorful finish.
- Cover, then uncover. Baking covered melts everything through, and uncovering at the end toasts the tops perfectly.
- Let them rest a few minutes. A short rest after baking makes the sliders easier to cut into clean squares.
- Serve with extra dressing. A little dish of Russian dressing for dipping takes them over the top.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Reuben Sliders are a game day and party favorite, and they shine on any appetizer spread. Pull them apart and pile them on a platter with a little bowl of extra Russian dressing for dipping. They are hearty enough to be a meal, especially with a simple side salad or a cup of soup.
For a full party table, serve them alongside our Italian sliders and a batch of Southwest egg rolls so guests can graze. They are also perfect for St. Patricks Day next to corned beef and cabbage.
Reuben Sliders are best warm and fresh from the oven, but leftovers reheat well, wrapped in foil in a low oven until warmed through. They make a great next day lunch, and you can easily double the recipe in a larger pan to feed an even bigger crowd.
Reuben Sliders FAQs
Yes. You can assemble Reuben Sliders up to a day in advance, cover, and refrigerate them unbaked. When ready, brush on the butter topping and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes since they are cold. This makes them a great make ahead option for parties and game day.
The key to non soggy Reuben Sliders is draining and squeezing the sauerkraut very dry before mixing it with the dressing. Excess moisture makes the rolls soggy. Layering cheese directly on the bottom rolls also creates a barrier that helps keep the bread from absorbing too much liquid.
Soft Hawaiian rolls are the classic choice for Reuben Sliders because their slight sweetness balances the salty corned beef and tangy sauerkraut. Any soft slider rolls or dinner rolls connected in a slab will work, but the buttery Hawaiian rolls give the best flavor and pull apart texture.
Store leftover Reuben Sliders covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, wrap them in foil and warm in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven until heated through, about 10 to 15 minutes. The foil keeps them from drying out and helps the cheese melt again. Avoid the microwave, which can make the rolls tough.
Absolutely. Pastrami makes a delicious, slightly smokier version of Reuben Sliders. You can use it in place of the corned beef in the same amount. If you swap the corned beef for turkey instead, you have made Rachel sliders, another tasty deli inspired option.
Reuben Sliders pair well with classic deli sides like potato chips, pickles, coleslaw, or a simple green salad. For a heartier meal, serve them with a cup of tomato soup or French onion soup. On a party spread, they are great alongside other sliders and finger foods with a bowl of Russian dressing for dipping.
Building a slider spread? Try our French dip sliders next, another easy, crowd pleasing favorite served with au jus for dipping.
Craving more cabbage? Our boiled cabbage with crispy bacon is a smoky, buttery side.
Love corned beef? Turn the leftovers into our crispy homemade corned beef hash for breakfast.
Turn the leftovers from our slow cooker corned beef and cabbage into these Reuben sliders.
Reuben Sliders
Ingredients
- 14 ounces canned sauerkraut
- 2 tablespoons Russian dressing or Thousand Island, plus more for dipping
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds optional
- 12 Hawaiian rolls
- 8 sliced Swiss cheese
- ½ pound deli corned beef thinly sliced
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried onion soup mix
- ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Drain the sauerkraut well and squeeze it dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, you want to get as much liquid out of the sauerkraut as possible.
- Place the sauerkraut in a medium-sized bowl and mix it with the Russian dressing and caraway seeds if using, set aside.
- Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half so you have tops and bottoms. Place the bottom portion of the rolls, cut side up, into an 11×7 baking dish.
- Add 4 slices of the swiss cheese on top of the rolls.
- Add the corned beef, followed by the sauerkraut mixture.
- Next, add another 4 slices of cheese on top.
- Add the tops of the rolls on top of the filling.
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, onion soup mix, and poppy seeds.
- Brush the butter mixture on top of the rolls, use it all!
- Cover with nonstick foil or spray foil with cooking spray. Cover the baking dish with the foil and bake for 25 minutes. Take the foil off and bake for an additional 5 minutes until toasted and browned.
- Cut, garnish with optional parsley, and serve with more dressing for dipping, optional.
Notes
- Hawaiian Rolls are used, but you can use any of your favorite slider buns.
- Other meat can be used, see my tips above.
- You can use either Russian Dressing or Thousand Islands for this recipe.
- Caraway seeds are used to get that authentic flavor, but can be left out if you do not like them.
- This can be frozen, see my tips above on how to do that.
- Double this recipe to serve a larger crowd.
Nutrition
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