Reuben Crescent Bake is everything you love about a Reuben sandwich, baked between two golden, flaky layers of crescent dough: thin-sliced corned beef, melted Swiss, tangy sauerkraut and creamy Thousand Island dressing. Serve it for an easy dinner, or cut it into small squares for a game-day appetizer.
How to make Reuben crescent bake: Press half the crescent dough into an 8×8-inch dish and prebake 8 to 10 minutes. Layer Swiss, corned beef, sauerkraut mixed with Thousand Island and more Swiss, cover with the rest of the dough and bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- All the Reuben flavor: corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut and Thousand Island in every square.
- Six ingredients: one tube of crescent dough does the bread’s job.
- Flaky, not soggy: the bottom crust bakes first so it stays crisp.
- Dinner or party food: 6 generous servings or lots of small squares.
Ingredient Notes
Sauerkraut: Three-quarters of a cup, squeezed dry. This is the most important step for a crisp crust: wring it out in a clean towel or press it in a sieve until no more liquid runs out.
Thousand Island dressing: Stirred into the sauerkraut, it coats the kraut and adds the creamy, tangy Reuben flavor.
Corned beef: Three-quarters of a pound, thinly sliced and already cooked. Deli corned beef is perfect here.
Swiss cheese: Eight slices, split into two layers. The cheese under the meat also works as a barrier that keeps juices away from the bottom crust. I always keep that bottom cheese layer for that reason.
Crescent dough and egg white: One 8-ounce tube makes both crusts. A brush of beaten egg white on top gives a shiny, golden finish.
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sauerkraut, squeezed dry
- 1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing
- 8 oz refrigerated crescent roll dough (one tube)
- 3/4 lb corned beef, thinly sliced, cooked
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 1 egg white, beaten, for brushing the top crust
How to Make Reuben Crescent Bake
1. Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
2. Mix the kraut. In a bowl, combine the sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing.
3. Roll the bottom crust. Divide the crescent dough in half. On a floured surface, press the seams together to make a seamless sheet and roll one half into a 12-inch square.
4. Line the dish. Place the rolled dough in the baking dish, covering the entire bottom.
5. Prebake. Bake the bottom crust for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.
6. Layer. Layer 4 slices of Swiss, the corned beef, the sauerkraut mixture and the remaining 4 slices of Swiss over the prebaked crust.
7. Add the top crust. Roll out the second half of the dough, pinching the perforations closed, to a 9-inch square and lay it over the filling.
8. Seal and brush. Press the top and bottom crusts together at the edges and brush the top with the beaten egg white.
9. Bake. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted, the crust is golden brown and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Let it cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
How to Keep a Reuben Casserole From Getting Soggy
Three small steps keep the bottom crust flaky. First, squeeze the sauerkraut completely dry; its brine is the main source of sogginess. Second, prebake the bottom crust so it sets before anything wet touches it.
Third, put a layer of Swiss cheese right on the crust, under the meat and kraut. It melts into a seal that keeps the dressing and juices from soaking into the dough.
Let it rest 5 minutes before cutting. The cheese firms up a little, and the squares come out cleanly with every layer in place instead of sliding apart.
Tips for Success
Why did the top crust tear?
The perforations opened as you stretched it. Pinch every seam firmly closed and roll gently on a floured surface.
Why is the top pale?
It skipped the egg white or came out early. Brush the whole top and bake until deep golden.
Why is it salty?
Corned beef and sauerkraut are both salty. Rinse the kraut briefly before squeezing it dry if you are sensitive to salt.
Variations
- Rachel-style: use sliced turkey instead of corned beef and coleslaw instead of sauerkraut.
- Russian dressing: swap it for the Thousand Island for a spicier, less sweet sauce.
- Caraway top: sprinkle caraway seeds over the egg white for a rye-bread flavor.
For another crescent bake, try Crescent Roll Sloppy Joe Bake, with saucy ground beef and cheddar between two crescent crusts.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat squares in the oven until they reach 165°F; the microwave softens the crust.
What to Serve With It
A crisp pickle, potato chips or a green salad make it feel like a deli lunch. For more crescent dough dinners, try chicken crescent roll-ups or sausage and cream cheese crescents, and for a party tray, sausage crescent bites. If you love sauerkraut, Polish sausage, sauerkraut and potatoes is a cozy slow cooker meal, and rustic German bread is great on the side. For another layered bake, try layered taco bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients for a Reuben crescent bake?
Crescent roll dough, thin-sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and an egg white for brushing the top.
What’s the secret to a great Reuben?
Dry sauerkraut, plenty of melted Swiss and a generous amount of dressing. The balance of salty corned beef, tangy kraut and creamy dressing is what makes it taste like a Reuben.
Can I make it ahead?
Mix the sauerkraut and dressing ahead and keep it in the fridge, but assemble and bake the crescent layers just before serving so the crust stays flaky.
Final Notes
Squeeze the sauerkraut until it is truly dry, and give the bottom crust its head start in the oven. If you have a question or make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Reuben Crescent Bake
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sauerkraut squeezed dry
- 1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing for sauerkraut mixture
- 8 oz refrigerated crescent roll dough one tube
- 3/4 lb corned beef thinly sliced, cooked
- 8 slices Swiss cheese for layering
- 1 egg white beaten, for brushing the top crust
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- In a bowl, combine sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing.
- Divide the crescent roll dough in half. On a floured surface, press and join the seams to create a seamless sheet, rolling one half into a 12-inch square.
- Place the rolled-out dough in the prepared baking dish, covering the entire bottom to form the base crust.
- Bake the bottom crust for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Layer 4 slices of Swiss cheese, corned beef, sauerkraut mixture, and the remaining 4 slices of Swiss cheese over the prebaked crust.
- Roll out the second half of the dough, pinching the perforations closed. Roll to a 9-inch square and place over the layered ingredients.
- Seal the edges by pressing the top and bottom crusts together. Brush the top with the beaten egg white.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, the crust is golden brown and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
