Reuben Soup

Reuben Soup is the PERFECT way to use up St. Patrick’s Day leftovers, made with corned beef, potatoes, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut, all the flavors of a reuben sandwich ready in 30 minutes!

We always have leftovers after a big holiday, and having recipes to use them up is a must! Check out this Hot Reuben Dip for leftover corned beef, and Potato Cheese Soup or Classic Potato Leek Soup for any extra potatoes you have!

Reuben Soup is a spin on a classic deli sandwich, and the perfect way to use up leftovers after St. Patrick’s Day! You can also enjoy this year-round by using deli pastrami or corned beef instead. This is a very comforting soup, which is great for the cold weather.   

My favorite part about this hearty soup is that it requires very little prep time, and is always a big hit with the family! You can add additional sauerkraut to suite your taste, or top with more Swiss cheese and gluten free croutons.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Corned Beef Brisket. This is great for using up leftovers after St. Patrick’s day, but you don’t have to make a whole brisket every time you make this soup! For this recipe, you can use either leftover corned beef (already cooked), or deli counter corned beef.

Potatoes. This recipe works well with Yukon gold potatoes, because they’re a really good combination of waxy and starchy for the right texture. 

Unsalted Butter. A few tablespoons butter prevents the onions from sticking to the pan, and also adds some fat and flavor to the soup. You could also use olive oil or avocado oil. 

Onion. I like to use either sweet onion like Vidalia, or regular white medium onion or yellow onion for this recipe. 

Celery. This adds some flavor to the soup, and is also a good way to add a vegetable! I usually throw in 1-2 stalks celery. 

Sauerkraut. This is one of the main flavors in a reuben sandwich, and adds a nice tangy flavor to the soup. Don’t add too much, or it may be overpowering. 

Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves are always the best, but you can use 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder per clove of garlic instead.

In this case, you’d use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder to replace the 2 cloves garlic. 

Beef Broth. I use a low sodium beef broth or beef stock for this recipe, because sauerkraut and corned beef are already salty enough. You can also use vegetable broth. 

Swiss Cheese. Another classic ingredient in a reuben sandwich, the Swiss adds some of the main flavors to this dish. 

Half & Half. This adds some creamy texture to the soup. You can also use heavy cream or whole milk. 

Spices. I like to add some paprika for flavor and color, and some caraway seeds for flavor. I also add kosher salt and black pepper to taste, because we already have a lot of salty ingredients in this soup. 

Caraway seeds are often used in rye bread. Rye bread is NOT gluten free, but the caraway seeds can help add some of the classic flavor that you would have in the reuben sandwich.

We’re only using 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds in the whole dish because a little goes a long way!

Pickles. I like to use these for a topping. You can leave them off if you don’t care for pickles. 

How to Make Reuben Soup

1. In a large dutch oven or soup pot, melt butter. Add celery and onion over medium heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until they start to soften. Add the minced garlic and stir everything together, cooking an additional 1-2 minutes. 
2. Add the potatoes, paprika, pepper, and caraway seeds. Stir everything together and cook an additional 4-5 minutes, until the potatoes begin to soften. 
3. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low-medium heat to bring the soup to a simmer and place the lid on the pot. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until the potatoes are soft. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until everything is smooth (or ladle soup into a blender in batches). You can also leave a few pieces of potato whole here for texture, so you’ll have some chunks of potato in the soup.
4. Stir in the corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and half & half (or heavy cream). Cook an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring often, until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste, top with pickles and serve. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Soup Recipes

• Tuscan White Bean Soup
• Ground Beef Soup
• Lentil Vegetable Soup
• Instant Pot Cabbage Soup (add leftover corned beef for a corned beef & cabbage soup!)

Storage

Refrigerate reuben soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat leftover soup in a saucepan over medium-low heat.

Freeze leftover soup in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Defrost reuben soup in the refrigerator the night before. 

Recipe Variations

• For more reuben flavor, top your bowl of soup with a drizzle of Thousand Island or Russian dressing. 
• Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for some heat!
• If you don’t want a creamy reuben soup, leave the half & half out entirely and add another 1-2 cups beef stock. 
• Cut a few slices of gluten free bread into pieces, top with Italian seasoning and olive oil and toast for a couple of minutes on a sheet pan in the oven. Use as croutons to top the soup!

Cooking Tips

• If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can ladle the soup into a blender in batches. Be careful, because it is very hot! 
• I recommend buying a block of cheese and shredding it yourself. I like to use a food processor to shred the cheese quickly. Store-bought shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients that can prevent it from melting well.
• You don’t have to peel the potatoes, but you’ll have pieces of the skin this way. It will be good either way and you’ll still have a creamy soup. I usually peel them.
• Make reuben soup in the slow cooker! Add all ingredients except for the Swiss cheese, corned beef, tangy sauerkraut, and half & half. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours, until the potatoes are soft. Use the immersion blender to puree the soup, then stir in the the rest of the ingredients. Put the lid back on the slow cooker for about 20-30 minutes of cooking time to let the cheese melt and the corned beef heat through, then top with pickles and serve.
• If your soup is too thick, add another 1-2 cups beef broth or vegetable broth.

If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

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