Enjoy your favorite deli sandwich in a cozy bowl with this incredibly rich and satisfying Creamy Reuben Soup. This Creamy Reuben Soup recipe is my loving tribute to my husband, Mark’s, all-time favorite sandwich. The man adores a classic Reuben, with its complex history and perfect balance of flavors, a topic that food historians at Serious Eats have covered so well. For his birthday one year, instead of just going out to a deli, I wanted to create a special surprise at home. Consequently, I decided to deconstruct his favorite sandwich and transform it into a rich, velvety soup. The result was this incredible, comforting, one-pot meal that captures all the magic of a Reuben in every single spoonful.
🟥 Why This Is So Good
- All the Classic Reuben Flavors. This soup brilliantly combines the savory corned beef, tangy sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese, and creamy dressing into a perfectly balanced, delicious soup.
- Incredibly Rich and Creamy. A simple roux and a splash of heavy cream create a luxuriously smooth and velvety texture that feels incredibly indulgent.
- A Perfect One-Pot Meal. The entire soup comes together in a single Dutch oven or large pot, which means a streamlined cooking process and minimal cleanup.
- Topped with Crispy Rye Croutons. The homemade rye bread croutons are the perfect finishing touch, mimicking the toasted rye bread of the classic sandwich. The first time I served this to Mark for his birthday, I was a bit nervous. I topped it with a big pile of rye croutons and a swirl of dressing. He took one spoonful, and his eyes lit up in that way that tells me I’ve really nailed something. “This is a Reuben in a bowl!” he exclaimed. “It’s perfect.” In fact, he now requests this soup for his birthday every single year. Because of this, our Creamy Reuben Soup has become a cherished tradition. Those croutons are essential, and you can master the technique with this great guide from The Kitchn. For more advanced recipes, visit Rush’s Cooking School.
🟥 Getting Your Ingredients Right
To achieve that authentic deli flavor, a few key ingredients make all the difference. First, for the corned beef, using a high-quality, thick-cut deli-style corned beef is the easiest and most delicious option. We love the flavor and texture of a brand like Boar’s Head. For the cheese, you must use a good Swiss cheese like Emmental or Gruyère and shred it yourself from a block for the smoothest melt. Additionally, you must drain your sauerkraut very well and even give it a quick rinse if you’re sensitive to salt. Finally, whether you choose Russian or Thousand Island dressing, a creamy, tangy dressing is essential for finishing your Creamy Reuben Soup with that classic, signature flavor.
🟥 Making It Step by Step
Build the Soup Base
To begin, melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent. Following that, stir in the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until it’s fragrant. Now, sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the onions, and cook for one minute, stirring constantly, to create a roux. This step cooks out the raw flour taste and will help thicken your soup beautifully.
Make It Creamy and Add the Fillings
Next, gradually whisk in the chicken broth, making sure to scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 5 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly. Reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the heavy cream. Now, add the chopped corned beef and the well-drained sauerkraut to the pot. Let everything warm through gently for a few minutes. Finally, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the shredded Swiss cheese until it’s completely melted and the soup is velvety smooth. This final step is what makes it a true Creamy Reuben Soup.
🟥 Making Sure It Turns Out
- Drain the Sauerkraut Well. This is a crucial step. Excess brine from the sauerkraut can make the soup too salty and acidic. Give it a good squeeze in a colander.
- Don’t Boil the Dairy. Once you add the heavy cream and cheese, keep the soup at a very gentle, low heat. Boiling the soup at this stage can cause the dairy to curdle and separate.
- Shred Your Own Cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starches that can make your soup grainy instead of smooth and creamy. I learned the lesson about draining the sauerkraut from a soup that was overwhelmingly tangy. The first time I made this, I just dumped the sauerkraut in, liquid and all. As a result, the brine completely overpowered the other flavors and made the soup a bit too thin. From that mistake, I learned a crucial lesson: taking the extra minute to drain and squeeze the sauerkraut is key to a perfectly balanced Creamy Reuben Soup.
🟥 Perfect Serving Ideas
This Creamy Reuben Soup is a hearty and complete meal all in one bowl. The only essential accompaniment is a generous pile of crispy rye bread croutons on top. For an extra touch of authenticity, you can add a small dollop or swirl of Russian or Thousand Island dressing and a sprinkle of fresh parsley just before serving.
🟥 Making It Different
This recipe is a wonderful base for a few classic variations. For instance, you can make a “Rachel” soup by substituting the corned beef with chopped pastrami or turkey and using coleslaw instead of sauerkraut for a milder flavor. You could also use a different cheese, like a sharp white cheddar or Gruyère, for a different nutty flavor profile.
🟥 Storage and Leftovers
This soup makes for incredible leftovers, as the flavors continue to meld together. Once it has cooled completely, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. It’s best to store the rye croutons separately at room temperature to keep them crunchy.
🟥 Tips That Actually Help
- Use a Dutch Oven. A heavy-bottomed Dutch oven is the perfect vessel for this soup as it retains heat evenly, which is great for building the flavor base and gently melting the cheese.
- Make Croutons While the Soup Simmers. Use the soup’s simmer time to prepare your rye bread croutons so everything is ready at once.
- Taste at the End. Because the corned beef, sauerkraut, and cheese are all salty, you must wait until the very end to taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper. The biggest game-changer for my soup-making was learning to taste and season at the very end. I used to salt my ingredients at every stage, but with a recipe like this, with so many salty components, that’s a recipe for disaster. The moment I started waiting until all the ingredients were combined before doing a final taste test, my soups became perfectly seasoned every single time. It’s a simple habit that makes a huge difference.
A Birthday Tradition in a Bowl
In our home, this Creamy Reuben Soup is more than just a recipe; it’s a birthday tradition. It’s the special meal that I make for Mark every year, a warm and comforting bowl that is my way of saying “I love you.” It’s the recipe our friends now get excited for when they come over on a chilly evening. Ultimately, this recipe is a story of how you can transform a beloved classic into a new and cherished memory, and I truly hope it brings that same warmth and happiness to your table.
🟥 Frequently Asked Questions
→ Can I make this soup in a slow cooker? Yes, with a few adjustments. Sauté the onion and garlic and make the roux on the stovetop first. Then, transfer that to the slow cooker with the broth, corned beef, and sauerkraut. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Stir in the cream and cheese during the last 30 minutes.
→ Can I use turkey instead of corned beef? Absolutely! Using chopped deli turkey or pastrami will turn this into a delicious “Rachel” soup. It’s a fantastic and classic variation.
→ Can I freeze this Creamy Reuben Soup? Because this is a dairy-based soup, freezing is not recommended. The heavy cream and cheese can separate and become grainy when thawed, which would ruin the velvety texture.
→ Is this recipe keto-friendly? To make it keto-friendly, you would need to omit the flour. You can thicken the soup by simmering it for longer to reduce or by using a small amount of xanthan gum. Also, be sure to use sugar-free dressing and serve without the croutons.
→ My soup is grainy. What went wrong? A grainy texture is almost always caused by either boiling the soup after adding the dairy or using pre-shredded cheese. Keep the heat low and always shred your own cheese from a block for the smoothest result.
Print
Creamy Reuben Soup
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
A rich and comforting Creamy Reuben Soup that captures all the classic flavors of your favorite deli sandwich in one easy, one-pot meal.
Ingredients
→ For the Soup
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ lb thick-cut deli corned beef, chopped
- 1 cup sauerkraut, drained well
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- ¼ cup Russian or Thousand Island dressing, for serving → For the Garnish
- Rye bread croutons
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large Dutch oven or pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Make Roux: Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Build Broth: Gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Add Fillings: Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream. Add the chopped corned beef and drained sauerkraut, and let it warm through for a few minutes.
- Melt Cheese: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the shredded Swiss cheese until it is completely melted and the soup is smooth.
- Serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with rye bread croutons, a swirl of dressing, and fresh parsley.
Notes
- Drain Sauerkraut: Squeeze the sauerkraut in a colander to remove as much liquid as possible for the best flavor and texture.
- Low Heat for Dairy: To prevent curdling, keep the soup at a gentle heat after adding the cream and cheese.
- Shred Your Own Cheese: For the creamiest, smoothest melt, shred your Swiss cheese from a block.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup, Dinner
- Method: One-Pot, Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1250mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Keywords: Creamy Reuben Soup
