28 Ways to Eat Corned Beef (That Aren't Just Reuben Sandwiches)
Reuben EGG ROLLS? Enough said...
This year, look beyond the Reuben. It's time to take whatever you think about corned beef and kindly set it aside. Corned beef is for more than just sandwiches and St. Patrick's Day. It's also for reuben egg rolls, quesadillas, nachos, even soup... okay, before we get carried away: We know corned beef isn't the kind of thing you eat every day, so when you do make it, you want it to be wildly delicious. Luckily, we've got plenty of corned beef recipes you can use at all times of the year and endless ways to use up any leftovers.
The trick to cooking corned beef perfectly is cook it on a low temperature. Our guide to slow-cooker corned beef and Dutch oven corned beef are our go-to recipes, but we've even figured out the most genius way to smoke corned beef without a smoker. And if you've got an Instant Pot, it's about to be your new best friend, since it'll cook up supremely tender corned beef in under 3 hours! Oh, and in case you're curious: Corned beef has nothing at all to do with corn. The term "corned beef" actually comes from the rock salt, or "corns" of salt, used to flavor the beef. The more you know!
We love a reuben sandwich as much as the next person—but if you haven't experienced the big wide world of corned beef, you're really missing out. Corned beef has that epic quality of being a great little snack with a pickle (like we did with our pickle reuben bites and pickle reubens) or as a topper for some pretty festive St. Patrick's Day nachos or corned beef sliders.
Now that you've got the main course covered, you might want to step up your dessert game with some of these easy Irish desserts to pair with your hearty feast. Looking for more St. Patrick's Day ideas? Try our traditional Irish-inspired foods.
Corned Beef & Cabbage Cheese Quesadillas
Cabbage is getting transformed in ways you wouldn’t be able to believe. It’s become illustrious for its multipurpose culinary usage. The spotlight is no longer on stuffed cabbage rolls or coleslaw; instead, it’s all about how to make it innovative and cool. These corned beef and cabbage quesadillas feature Swiss cheese, beef, and cabbage wrapped up in flour tortillas. Sauerkraut and stone-ground mustard are also taking center stage in a creamy dipping sauce to serve alongside the quesadillas. Taste buds, get ready!
Smoked Corned Beef
No smoker? No problem! We made a makeshift smoker in our oven for an easy way to achieve that smoky flavor. Cooking it low and slow over a bed of wood chips creates and tender and juicy piece of meat that's perfect for any special occasion. Be sure to turn your leftovers into a Reuben sandwich!
Get the Smoked Corned Beef recipe.
Reuben Bowls
Skip the carbs and make this easy one-skillet recipe with cabbage, corned beef, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing. It has everything you love about the classic Reuben sandwich, without the bread.
Get the Reuben Bowls recipe.
Reuben Pickle Bites
Here at Delish, we’re all about a good Reuben sandwich. Creamy dressing, corned beef, Swiss cheese… what’s not to love? They pop up a lot around St. Patrick’s Day, of course (what else are we going to do with all that corned beef?), but they’re delicious enough to seek out year-round too.
Get the Reuben Pickle Bites recipe.
Corned Beef Tacos
Corned beef has taken on new challenges beyond the Reuben. We’ve taken the classic Reuben and repurposed it in nacho and casserole form. Next challenge: a taco, with a melted layer of Swiss and a lightly creamy, acidic, and caraway-forward slaw.
Get the Corned Beef Tacos recipe.
Corned Beef Brisket
This roasted recipe is one of our favorites; it's super-moist and tender, with a unique spice blend you won't find in a little plastic baggie. Roasting also provides a delicious crust on the outside of the brisket that you could never get from a pot of boiling water. Complete your feast with fried cabbage and boiled potatoes.
Get the Corned Beef Brisket recipe.
Reuben Sandwich
A Reuben is one of the best all-time sandwiches. Full stop! Not only is built on one of the best of all sandwich breads, rye of course, but it balances the salty, cured corned beef with tart sauerkraut and mild, almost creamy melted Swiss. And don't get us started on Russian dressing.
Get the Reuben Sandwich recipe.
Reuben Casserole
The Reuben is a perfect sandwich. So turning such a masterpiece into a casserole is a no-brainer—it takes everything you love about a Reuben and turns it into a crowd-pleasing, easy-to-assemble dish with layers of cubed pumpernickel-rye bread, chopped corned beef (or pastrami!), and shredded cheese, all with a generous dressing drizzle.
Get the Reuben Casserole recipe.
Reuben Stuffed Chicken
As much as we’d like to, we can’t eat a Reuben sandwich for dinner every day. This stuffed chicken, though? That’s a whole other story. It’s filled with all our favorite ingredients—corned beef, Russian dressing, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese—and is fancy enough to serve to dinner guests, while still being easy enough to enjoy any night of the week.
Get the Reuben Stuffed Chicken recipe.
Corned Beef And Cabbage
Simple, satisfying, and easy to make, we're not sure why corned beef and cabbage is relegated to one day a year. Corned beef is technically just referencing a type of preparation that could be applied to a number of cuts of beef that benefit from long cook times, but the cut that provides the perfect balance of rich flavor from fat and tender lean meat is brisket. It's great for slicing, which makes it a perfect candidate for corned beef.
Get the Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe.
Reuben Squares
Is your ideal sandwich a perfect Reuben? Ours too. Corned beef, Russian dressing, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese—what’s not to love? It’s why we made these melty Reuben squares: They’re kind of like the giant grilled cheese version (complete with a toasty buttery top) that’s perfect for sharing.
Get the Reuben Squares recipe.
Reuben Nachos
Not feeling a Reuben sandwich or need to serve all the best ingredients from it—corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing—to a crowd? It's time to break out the bagel chips!
Get the Reuben Nachos recipe.
Pickle Reubens
Admittedly, calling this a Reuben is a bit of a stretch, since it’s only got a short-cut Russian dressing, no sauerkraut, and, of course, no rye bread. Despite that, we’re still extremely happy with it, and think you will be too. Particularly if you’re the type to eat a pickle straight out of the jar while ruminating with the fridge door open about whether or not you actually want to cook. This recipe is perfect for you.
Get the Pickle Reubens recipe.
Reuben Egg Rolls
Honestly, you can put anything in an egg roll and it'll be delicious—this Reuben wrap is no exception!
Get the Reuben Egg Rolls recipe.
Melty Reuben Burger
Tangy, tender, creamy, and meaty—it's hard to beat a Reuben. We swapped corned beef for a juicy beef burger (but don't worry, corned-beef lovers, there's still some in the sauerkraut topper), all smothered in Swiss for a comforting, melty burger.
Get the Melty Reuben Burger recipe.
Creamy Reuben Soup
Everyone loves the cheesy bread topping on French onion soup, so we stole the idea for this Reuben soup! We might not ever go back to the original ever again.
Get the Creamy Reuben Soup recipe.
St. Patrick's Day Nachos
The melty cheese and delicious topping piled on top are always a good idea, and these nachos think outside of the box a little. Instead of tortilla chips, they use a base of crispy roasted potatoes. The slices are parboiled before being roasted so that the insides stay creamy while the outside can be blasted with heat for a crispy exterior. Kind of like perfect French fry. The potatoes are then topped with shredded corned beef and all of our favorite nacho toppings. Perfect for celebrating St. Patrick's Day!
Get the St. Patrick's Day Nachos recipe.
Slow-Cooker Corned Beef & Hash
Corned beef and hash is a comfort classic for a reason, and we love how easy to cook it up in a slow cooker. Your favorite brunch classic just got way easier.
Corned Beef Sandwich
If you have leftover corned beef and cabbage, making this sandwich is a must. With corned beef, sauerkraut, and relish, what's not to love? We spread ours with a thick layer of mustard for one perfect sandwich.
Get the Corned Beef Sandwich recipe.
Keto Corned Beef
Corned beef and cabbage is a must for the holidays and basically all the special occasions. This keto version is so tender and flavorful, we want to have it way more than just once a year. (Okay, the caper mayo doesn't hurt either.)
Get the Keto Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe.
