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What to Serve with Reuben Sandwiches: 15 Sides that Will Make Reuben Proud

What to Serve with Reuben Sandwiches: 15 Sides that Will Make Reuben Proud

The Reuben sandwich is not for the faint of heart.

This is a big sandwich with big flavors, corned beef, melted swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing.

Each of these ingredients has robust flavors on their own, but combine them, and you get a powerhouse of a sandwich.

Each flavor is strong, but they all work together and have made this sandwich famous for a reason.

Reuben is big and bold.

Reuben is not a wimp.

The strongman in the circus, the hearty Italian chef with the epic mustache, and the muscle-bound personal trainer with the long dark flowing hair are probably all named Reuben.

You can buy corned beef with prepared spices that you can cook and serve, you can buy it at the deli and get it professionally sliced, or you can do everything from scratch.

If you get your corned beef at the deli, pick up your sliced swiss while you’re there.

Today I’ll show you some awesome sides that are sure to please and will stand up to these flavors and round out your plate.

What goes with Reuben sandwiches?

Read on, and let’s find out!

What Side Goes Well with Reuben Sandwiches: 15 Ideas You Won’t Regret Trying

1. Homemade Potato Chips

This simple recipe bakes the chips instead of frying them.

If you’ve never made potato chips at home, this is something you’ll want to try; they’ll turn out great.

You can control the thickness with a mandoline, but if you don’t have one of those, try a cheese slicer or potato peeler.

I like my chips a little bit on the thicker side.

Another pro-tip is to make sure you soak the potatoes in ice water for 30 minutes and dry them thoroughly before you bake them.

This is also the best place to use your pink Himalayan salt grinder since you’ll taste the difference over table salt.

homemade baked potato chips

Check out this recipe from homecookingadventure.com, and you’ll be in heaven.

2. Potato Leek Soup

This warm and hearty soup would be an excellent counterpoint as one of the best sides for Reuben sandwiches.

It works so well because the creamy potatoes are delicious on their own, and they don’t compete with the robust sandwich flavors. An excellent combo for a cold winter’s night, so cozy!

potato leek soup

3. Pickles and Pickled Peppers

Pickled peppers and cucumbers are delicious veggies that give the Reuben a snap of vinegary goodness and crunch.

There are lots of pickled peppers and pickle choices you can pick up at the grocery store, but making your own is surprisingly easy and quick.

bell peppers as a side

 

4. Eggplant Caponata

Here’s a side with the strength to stand up to Reuben!

Caponata is a cooked salad of eggplant, celery, onions, green olives, and capers, cooked in tomato sauce, olive oil, and spices.

This salad is no wimp, and a little goes a long way, but if you give it a try, you’ll be glad you did.

eggplant caponata

5. Mushroom and Olive Tapenade

Thinking about what side goes with Reuben sandwiches?

How about a mushroom and olive tapenade?

Use your food processor for a rough chop of this healthy and flavorful side dish.

Green olives, Portobello mushrooms, toasted almonds, and an anchovy fillet, mixed would be great on toasted thinly sliced sourdough or rye.

mushroom and olive tapenade

6. Spicy Vinegar Coleslaw

This is one of my favorites!

I’m not into mayonnaise-based coleslaw since I prefer the brightness of vinegar to the creaminess of the mayo.

I also appreciate a little kick of spice!

This uses green cabbage, shredded carrots, bell pepper, sweet onion, and your choice of peppers.

You could buy pre-shredded veg if you’re in a pinch, but you’ll get a much better flavor with freshly sliced cabbage and carrots.

Love the heat?

spicy vinegar coleslaw

Cayennediane.com is the place for all kinds of spicy recipes.

This one also works nicely, when you want something different to put on a corned beef sandwich!

7. Great Kale Salad

Fueling our nation’s obsession with kale, here’s a lovely, simple salad that lets the power of this super green shine through.

This uses Tuscan kale, but any type of kale will be great, and it’s so healthy!

great kate salad

8. Broccoli Salad

While we’re getting our greens, take a look at this gorgeous salad with broccoli, scallions red onion, shredded mozzarella, red grapes cut in half, sliced almonds, and bacon!

The recipe says not to blanch the broccoli because it will be too wet and water down the dressing.

This is one of the few instances where the microwave comes in handy.

You just want to microwave the broccoli until it changes color to a bright green. Start with thirty seconds and see how it goes.

Maybe you like uncooked broccoli, but I’m not a fan.

broccoli salad

9. Giardiniera

This translates to the gardener in English, and it’s no wonder why.

This is a mix of pickled vegetables straight from the garden.

It’s typically carrots, bell peppers, celery, cauliflower, and gherkins.

If you make your own, you can pick your veggies to make it more interesting. I’d like to try baby corn and okra, why not?

What sounds good to you?

giardiniera sottaceto

10. Onion Rings

We don’t make these at home very often, and I think we forget how good they are!

These rings are made with red ale, but you can use any kind of beer, and they’ll taste great.

They’ll look great on the plate with the Reuben too.

beer batter onion rings

Lyuba Brook at Willcookforsmiles.com is a mom and food blogger with great recipes for our busy lifestyles.

11. Vinegar Steak Fries

I always added vinegar to thick-cut steak fries when they were already cooked, but did you know you can cook the potatoes in vinegar and the vinegary goodness will be infused inside?

When I learned that, I thought, Eureka!

Why hadn’t I discovered that before?

Here’s a great recipe that cooks the potatoes in vinegar, then finishes them in the oven.

salt vinegar fries

See Sheri and Nancy at thepillarlife.com for great food ideas and even a podcast!

12. Stuffed Olives

Get your piping bag and get ready to fill big olives with the filling of your choice!

What goes well with Reuben sandwiches?

These!

Here’s a recipe that gives you stuffed olives three ways! Mix goat cheese, with herbs, pickled garlic, and peppers.

You can also fill these by hand, but a piping bag makes them look more elegant, especially with a star tip.

It’s also a million times faster.

marinated stuff olives

13. Salad With Pickled Veggies

This salad gives you a nice mix of fresh greens and pickled veg and has so many of my favorites!

Beets, red onions, radishes, fennel (my fave!) carrot and cucumber.

These lovely pickled veg are then served on another favorite, arugula or rocket. Rounding out this salad is creamy goat’s cheese, walnuts, and freshly chopped parsley.

pickled veggie salad

Check out personal trainer Kayla Itsines site for healthy recipes for a bikini body

14. Traditional Potato Salad

I haven’t seen a traditional recipe like this one for a while.

It’s a classic and would be a perfect pairing for your Reuben sandwich.

I usually would recommend a vinegary potato salad, but this one brings you back to the

days when you could use both mayonnaise and bacon grease in a recipe without

blinking.

potato salad

15. Crunchy Green Salad With Goat Cheese and Mixed Seed Praline

Oh, this is a good one! Greens of your choice, spicy dressing, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy vegetables.

The seed praline is fantastic, offering so much flavor and crunch.

This salad is a treat and a must-try!

salad with cheese and fresh vegetables

What to Serve with Reuben Sandwiches: Beer Tasting

How about beverages?

What goes well with Reuben sandwiches? Let’s take a look at some good beer choices.

Whether light and pale, medium-bodied, or dark and heavy, beers are a natural pairing with a Reuben sandwich, it’s up to your taste.

You really can’t go wrong, so let’s take a look at the options.

Lagers are the most popular beers since they go with almost anything.

Their crisp character will cut through the richness of the Reuben and let the sandwich be the star.

IPA’s or India Pale Ale is a beer variety that has grown in popularity in recent years. It’s more hoppy and bitter than a Lager, heavier in body, and more sophisticated in taste.

Amber ale is my favorite, and I order it every chance I get when I’m drinking beer.

It’s medium-bodied, so it invites you to drink it slowly. I think it’s a beautiful color too in addition to enjoying the taste.

Porter is a darker, sweeter, heavier style beer, that can be hoppy or not depending on the brewer. These are often craft-brewed, and it’s fun to try all the handmade variations.

grilled reuben sandwich with dark beer

Stout lives up to its name.

It’s the most substantial, darkest, richest beer out there. If you ever get a chance, try a draught Guinness or craft-brewed stout with your sandwich, and your life will be forever changed.

If you’d prefer wine, I’d go with one of the heavier reds, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, or Petite Sirah.

Whatever you choose, you don’t want anything too sweet.

If you’re looking for a non-alcoholic option, you can make some spa water with herbs and cucumbers.

There’s no shortage of suggestions for what to serve with Reuben sandwiches, and we have a little something for everyone!

reuben sandwich with pastrami

I’ve suggested pickled, fresh, creamy, salty, and crunchy sides for Reuben sandwiches, so you’re sure to find something that’s to your liking!

They’re all delicious choices in their own way; just as you’d find with French dip sandwich pairings.

Whether you choose something that takes a back seat to the Reuben, like potato leek soup, or something that stands up to match it like giardiniera, any of these selections will be a winner.

It’s all up to you and what you’re in the mood for.

Today, I’ve shared 15 side dish ideas that you can try and see what you like. They’re easy to make and delicious.

I’ve also given you some excellent beverage pairing ideas for beer drinkers, wine drinkers, and teetotalers.

Reuben Sandwiches side recipes

What to Serve with Reuben Sandwiches

Ideas and side dish recipes to eat with Reuben Sandwiches
Course: Side Dish

Ingredients

  • Potato Chips
  • Potato Soup
  • Pickles & Peppers
  • Eggplant Caponata
  • Mushroom & Olive Tapenade
  • Vinegar Coleslaw
  • Kale Salad
  • Broccoli Salad
  • Giardiniera
  • Onion Rings
  • Steak Fries
  • Stuffed Olives
  • Salad With Veggies
  • Potato Salad
  • Green Salad

Instructions

  • Choose your desired Reuben Sandwiches side dish recipe.
  • Gather and organize needed ingredients.
  • Create a tasty Reuben Sandwiches side to complete your meal!

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