This scrumptious Rachel Sandwich, akin to the beloved Reuben Sandwich, swaps the traditional corned beef for turkey and the sauerkraut for coleslaw. If you’re a fan of the Reuben, there’s a high chance you’ll adore the Rachel’s taste. This delightful culinary creation is a breeze to assemble in under ten minutes, making it a hit among friends and family alike. Around here, we have a special fondness for outstanding sandwiches. There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of a warm, toasted sandwich for lunch.
The origins of the Reuben sandwich remain shrouded in mystery, though it’s widely believed to have been invented around 1914 by Arnold Reuben, the proprietor of Reuben’s Restaurant in New York City. Alternatively, some assert that the sandwich was the brainchild of Reuben Kolakofsky, a grocer from Nebraska. The Reuben is a classic grilled sandwich that typically consists of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing, all nestled between slices of rye bread.
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The Rachel sandwich represents a delightful twist on the iconic sandwich, swapping the traditional corned beef and sauerkraut for either turkey or pastrami paired with coleslaw. Like its classic counterpart, it’s served with Swiss cheese and nestled between slices of rye bread. To complement either a Reuben or Rachel sandwich, consider pairing it with tangy sour pickles and a side of crunchy potato chips or a creamy potato salad.
Reimagining the traditional Reuben sandwich, I opted for roast turkey, pairing it with either creamy coleslaw or classic sauerkraut, a generous spread of tangy Russian dressing, and slices of Swiss cheese, all nestled between rye bread that’s grilled to achieve a perfect golden hue while ensuring the cheese is delightfully melted. The holiday season always leaves me with a bounty of leftovers, and I welcome the abundance of roast turkey—it’s the cornerstone of my favorite post-holiday indulgence: roast turkey sandwiches. This past weekend, I ventured into the remnants of my roast turkey stash to craft some Rachel sandwiches—a delightful twist on the quintessential Reuben. The Rachel offers variations, notably swapping corned beef for turkey or pastrami, and often substituting sauerkraut with coleslaw. Faced with an array of choices, I decided to experiment with both a turkey-sauerkraut and a turkey-coleslaw combination. Given that coleslaw is already dressed, it seemed redundant to add another layer of dressing, prompting me to try a fusion where I melded the Russian dressing into the coleslaw, creating a turkey and Russian-dressed slaw Rachel.
**How to Prepare a Rachel Sandwich**
Begin by blending the mayonnaise, grated onion, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, paprika, and salt together. Next, lay a piece of Swiss cheese on each bread slice. Spoon the coleslaw evenly on top of the Swiss cheese on half of the bread slices. On the other half, layer the deli turkey. Evenly spread the Thousand Island dressing on the turkey-topped slices. Combine one slice with turkey and one with coleslaw to form each sandwich.
Coat the top of each sandwich with soft butter. Then, in a skillet set to medium-low heat, cook the sandwich butter-side down. Apply butter to the upward-facing side. Loosely cover the skillet with aluminum foil. Cook until the bottom turns golden brown, then flip the sandwich. Cover again and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown, ensuring the sandwich is warmed throughout and the cheese has melted.
How to make Rachel Sandwich
Combine mayonnaise, grated onion, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, paprika, and salt in a bowl.
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On each bread slice, place a slice of Swiss cheese. Spoon coleslaw evenly over the cheese on four of the slices. On the remaining four slices, layer with turkey. Evenly spread the Thousand Island dressing over the turkey. Pair each turkey-topped slice with a coleslaw-topped slice to form sandwiches.
Butter the top of each sandwich, then place them buttered-side down in a heated pan over medium-low heat. Butter the upward-facing side. Cover the pan lightly with aluminum foil. Cook until the bottom turns golden brown, then flip. Cover again and cook until the second side is golden brown and the sandwich is warmed throughout with the cheese melted.
What distinguishes a classic Reuben from a Rachel sandwich?
Both sandwiches offer a delightful taste experience and can be savored as is or customized to invent your own unique creation. The Reuben sandwich features corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and either Thousand Island or Russian dressing, all served on rye bread. In contrast, the Rachel sandwich substitutes turkey for the corned beef and swaps sauerkraut with creamy coleslaw, while still including Swiss cheese, Thousand Island or Russian dressing, and rye bread.
Discover More Delicious Sandwich Ideas to Savor
Classic Club Sandwich: A quintessential club sandwich stacked with savory ham, oven-roasted turkey, crispy bacon, crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, and a rich mayonnaise spread across every layer of this triple-decker toast delight.
Italian Beef Sandwiches: These effortless slow cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches are a crowd-pleaser, perfect for social gatherings, sports events, and movie nights.
Monte Cristo Sandwich: Indulge in the sumptuous Monte Cristo Sandwich, featuring layers of ham, turkey, and melty Swiss cheese tucked between slices of white bread, dipped in egg, and fried to a golden perfection.
Fried Egg Sandwich: Enjoy the simple pleasure of a Fried Egg Sandwich, incredibly easy to make and absolutely divine in taste. Ready in minutes, it’s a little slice of breakfast heaven.
Rachel Sandwich
Ingredients
- Thousand Island Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons onion, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- A dash of paprika
- A dash of salt
- Rachel Sandwich
- 8 slices of rye bread
- 8 slices of Swiss cheese
- 1 cup creamy coleslaw
- 1 lb. turkey slices (adjust amount as desired)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Combine mayonnaise, grated onion, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, paprika, and salt in a bowl.
- On each bread slice, place a slice of Swiss cheese. Spoon coleslaw evenly over the cheese on four of the slices. On the remaining four slices, layer with turkey. Evenly spread the Thousand Island dressing over the turkey. Pair each turkey-topped slice with a coleslaw-topped slice to form sandwiches.
- Butter the top of each sandwich, then place them buttered-side down in a heated pan over medium-low heat. Butter the upward-facing side. Cover the pan lightly with aluminum foil. Cook until the bottom turns golden brown, then flip. Cover again and cook until the second side is golden brown and the sandwich is warmed throughout with the cheese melted.
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