Reuben Cassorole a la Orcas

All the flavors of a classic Reuben sandwich, layered into a bubbly casserole that feeds a crowd. Buttered egg noodles replace the rye bread as the base, with corned beef, tangy sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese, and dollops of Thousand Island dressing stacked on top.

The rye cracker crumbs and caraway seeds on top are what sell this as a true Reuben. They crisp up during the uncovered bake at the end and give that rye bread flavor you’d miss otherwise.

Drain the sauerkraut well before layering. Excess liquid makes the noodles soggy and dilutes the Thousand Island dressing. Give it a good squeeze in a clean towel for the best results.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain the sauerkraut thoroughly. Squeeze it in a kitchen towel until barely damp. Wet kraut = soggy casserole.
• Dot the dressing, don’t spread it. Small spoonfuls scattered over the layers melt into pockets of tangy flavor instead of one slick layer.
• Cover for the first 40 minutes so everything heats through and the cheese melts. The final 15 minutes uncovered crisps the cracker topping.
• Let it rest 5 minutes after baking. The layers set up and slicing is much cleaner.

Variations

• Turkey Reuben casserole: Swap corned beef for sliced deli turkey and use coleslaw instead of sauerkraut for a Rachel-style version.
• Spicy Reuben: Add a layer of sliced jalapenos and swap Thousand Island for a spicy Russian dressing.