Reuben Salad
This Reuben Salad turns the classic deli sandwich into a crisp chopped salad topped with buttery air fryer rye croutons. The slaw is tossed in Thousand Island dressing first, so the flavor is in every bite instead of sitting on top.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 412kcal
Equipment
- Air fryer (Ninja Combi, Ninja Foodi, or any air fryer)
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Large mixing or serving bowl
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Silicone spatula or tongs
- fine mesh strainer
- Small bowl for melting butter
Ingredients
Rye Croutons
- 4 cups rye bread, cut into cubes 1½ to 2-inch cubes; pumpernickel works beautifully too
- ½ cup salted butter, melted unsalted butter can be used, see the salt below
- ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt optional; only if you are using unsalted butter or an unsalted loaf
Reuben Slaw
- 2 cups coleslaw mix or shredded green cabbage
- ½ cup Thousand Island dressing homemade or store-bought
Salad
- 4 to 5 leaves romaine lettuce, roughly chopped about 3 cups once chopped
- ½ cup sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry from a bag or a jar, not canned
- 4 oz corned beef, shaved deli shaved is best; cubed homemade corned beef also works
- 2 oz Swiss cheese, cubed from a block, cut into bite-sized cubes
Instructions
- Cut the rye bread into 1½ to 2-inch cubes until you have 4 cups. Bite-sized is the goal. Larger cubes work, they just take a little longer to crisp and can be cumbersome in the salad. If you are using thin sliced rye, cube it the same way and reduce the air fry time a few minutes.
- Put the bread cubes directly into the air fryer basket or pot. If your air fryer came with a rack, leave it out. The croutons air fry more evenly and more quickly sitting right on the bottom. Pour the melted salted butter over the cubes and spread it around. If you are using unsalted butter or an unsalted loaf, add ¼ teaspoon of fine grain sea salt now.
- Toss the bread cubes until they are lightly coated with the butter. You do not want them fully saturated at this point, just coated. There is no need to preheat the air fryer.
- Air fry at 375℉/190℃ for 10 minutes total. At the 5 minute mark, pull the basket and toss the cubes around. If they look dry, spritz with a little avocado oil or add a bit more melted butter. Return them for the last 5 minutes.
- While the croutons cook, make the slaw. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of coleslaw mix with ½ cup of Thousand Island dressing and toss until the cabbage is coated. Set it aside while you prep everything else. The dressing softens the cabbage slightly and flavors it all the way through.
- Roughly chop 4 to 5 leaves of romaine into bite-sized pieces. Take a little of the stem out, but not all of it, since that crunch is lovely in the salad. Add the romaine to the bowl.
- Cut the Swiss cheese into bite-sized cubes and add it to the bowl. Add the shaved corned beef, separating the slices as you add them rather than chopping them up. It will break apart as you toss, and you want to be able to see the corned beef in the finished salad.
- Add ½ cup of sauerkraut that has been drained and squeezed dry. Wet sauerkraut will water down the salad, especially if you are making it ahead.
- Toss everything together until the dressing is distributed through the salad. Plate it up, then top each serving with as many of the warm rye croutons as you like. The croutons crisp up a little more as they sit, so there is no need for a cooling rack. Serve right away.
Notes
PREP TIPS
• Drain the sauerkraut and then squeeze it dry with your hands or press it in a fine mesh strainer. This is the single biggest thing you can do to keep the salad from going watery.
• Ask the deli to shave the corned beef rather than slicing it thick. Thick slices do not distribute through a salad the same way.
• Cube the Swiss cheese and the bread to about the same bite-sized scale so every forkful is balanced.
• Fresh bread is perfectly fine here. There is no need to leave the cubes out to stale first because the air fryer dries them out for you. COOKING TIPS
• Skip the rack in your air fryer and put the bread cubes right in the basket or pot. They crisp faster and more evenly with full contact.
• No preheating needed. Put them in cold and start the 10 minutes.
• If you are using a drawer style air fryer with a smaller base, toss the cubes more often than every 5 minutes so they brown evenly.
• Thin sliced rye cubes cook faster than cubes from a thick loaf. Start checking at 6 to 7 minutes. CROUTON TIPS
• This makes more croutons than 4 servings of salad needs, and that is on purpose. They are delicious and they keep well.
• A light coating of butter is all you want at the start. Fully saturated cubes go greasy instead of crisp.
• At the halfway toss, decide whether they need help. If they look dry, spritz with avocado oil or add a little more melted butter.
• Ten minutes gives you croutons that are crunchy outside and a little soft in the middle, which is the texture that works best in this salad. Go longer if you like them crunchy all the way through.
• They crisp up a bit more as they sit, so there is no need to cool them on a rack. VARIATIONS
• Use pumpernickel bread in place of rye for the croutons. It is delicious and gives you a darker, richer crouton.
• Swap the Thousand Island dressing for Russian dressing if that is what you keep on hand.
• Use pastrami in place of the corned beef for a Rachel style twist.
• Skip the romaine and leave it as cabbage only. At that point it is a Reuben coleslaw rather than a salad, and it is still delicious.
• Use shredded green cabbage instead of the coleslaw mix. The mix is there mostly for the color the purple cabbage and carrot bring. SERVING SUGGESTIONS
• Add the croutons at the table rather than tossing them in, so everyone can take as many as they want.
• This is a beautiful salad for a luncheon. It holds its color and it scales up or down easily.
• If you like a wetter salad, add a little more Thousand Island dressing right before serving.
• Serve with extra sauerkraut on the side for anyone who wants more tang. STORAGE
• Make ahead: Toss the coleslaw mix with the dressing up to a few hours ahead and refrigerate it. Add the romaine, corned beef, Swiss, and sauerkraut just before serving for the best texture.
• Refrigerator: Store leftover dressed salad in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The lettuce softens after that.
• Croutons: Store cooled croutons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep them separate from the salad so they stay crisp.
• Freezer: This salad does not freeze well. The cabbage and lettuce release too much water when thawed. NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
Nutritional information provided is an estimate based on typical ingredient values and standard portion sizes. Actual nutritional content may vary significantly depending on specific brands used, ingredient substitutions, preparation methods, portion sizes, and individual cooking techniques. For precise nutritional information tailored to your specific ingredients and preparation, please consult with a registered dietitian or use laboratory analysis. This information should not be used for medical nutrition therapy or to manage medical conditions without professional guidance.
• Drain the sauerkraut and then squeeze it dry with your hands or press it in a fine mesh strainer. This is the single biggest thing you can do to keep the salad from going watery.
• Ask the deli to shave the corned beef rather than slicing it thick. Thick slices do not distribute through a salad the same way.
• Cube the Swiss cheese and the bread to about the same bite-sized scale so every forkful is balanced.
• Fresh bread is perfectly fine here. There is no need to leave the cubes out to stale first because the air fryer dries them out for you. COOKING TIPS
• Skip the rack in your air fryer and put the bread cubes right in the basket or pot. They crisp faster and more evenly with full contact.
• No preheating needed. Put them in cold and start the 10 minutes.
• If you are using a drawer style air fryer with a smaller base, toss the cubes more often than every 5 minutes so they brown evenly.
• Thin sliced rye cubes cook faster than cubes from a thick loaf. Start checking at 6 to 7 minutes. CROUTON TIPS
• This makes more croutons than 4 servings of salad needs, and that is on purpose. They are delicious and they keep well.
• A light coating of butter is all you want at the start. Fully saturated cubes go greasy instead of crisp.
• At the halfway toss, decide whether they need help. If they look dry, spritz with avocado oil or add a little more melted butter.
• Ten minutes gives you croutons that are crunchy outside and a little soft in the middle, which is the texture that works best in this salad. Go longer if you like them crunchy all the way through.
• They crisp up a bit more as they sit, so there is no need to cool them on a rack. VARIATIONS
• Use pumpernickel bread in place of rye for the croutons. It is delicious and gives you a darker, richer crouton.
• Swap the Thousand Island dressing for Russian dressing if that is what you keep on hand.
• Use pastrami in place of the corned beef for a Rachel style twist.
• Skip the romaine and leave it as cabbage only. At that point it is a Reuben coleslaw rather than a salad, and it is still delicious.
• Use shredded green cabbage instead of the coleslaw mix. The mix is there mostly for the color the purple cabbage and carrot bring. SERVING SUGGESTIONS
• Add the croutons at the table rather than tossing them in, so everyone can take as many as they want.
• This is a beautiful salad for a luncheon. It holds its color and it scales up or down easily.
• If you like a wetter salad, add a little more Thousand Island dressing right before serving.
• Serve with extra sauerkraut on the side for anyone who wants more tang. STORAGE
• Make ahead: Toss the coleslaw mix with the dressing up to a few hours ahead and refrigerate it. Add the romaine, corned beef, Swiss, and sauerkraut just before serving for the best texture.
• Refrigerator: Store leftover dressed salad in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The lettuce softens after that.
• Croutons: Store cooled croutons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep them separate from the salad so they stay crisp.
• Freezer: This salad does not freeze well. The cabbage and lettuce release too much water when thawed. NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
Nutritional information provided is an estimate based on typical ingredient values and standard portion sizes. Actual nutritional content may vary significantly depending on specific brands used, ingredient substitutions, preparation methods, portion sizes, and individual cooking techniques. For precise nutritional information tailored to your specific ingredients and preparation, please consult with a registered dietitian or use laboratory analysis. This information should not be used for medical nutrition therapy or to manage medical conditions without professional guidance.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1042mg | Potassium: 312mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g