Make these easy Reuben Sliders for your crew on St. Patrick's Day! Using King's Hawaiian Rolls with layers of smokey pastrami, cheese, sauerkraut, and of course Thousand Island.
Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C) a 9×13 inch baking dish or line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Place sauerkraut in sieve and drain well, then squeeze out any additional moisture using paper towels, you want it as dry as possible.
Slice the Hawaiian rolls (12 pack) in half lengthwise, with the bottoms slightly thicker than the tops while keeping the rolls together. Place the bottom half in the prepared pan.
Place one layer of the cheese (6 slices) over the bottom buns (this helps the rolls from getting too soggy from the sauerkraut).
On top of the cheese, place the pastrami (1 lb) evenly on top of each roll (roughly).
Evenly spread the drained sauerkraut (8 oz) over the top of the pastrami.
Drizzle the Thousand Island dressing (¼ -½ cup) evenly over the top of the sauerkraut then layer with more cheese (6 slices) before placing the tops of the buns on top.
In a small bowl, combine the melted butter (4 TBL), spicy brown mustard (½ TBL), garlic powder (½ tsp), onion powder (¼ tsp), and Worcestershire sauce (2 tsp). Stir well, then pour the sauce over the tops of the sandwiches, using a silicone brush to brush the sides and crevices with the sauce. Sprinkle the tops with a little Everything but the Bagel seasoning, if desired.
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 10-20 minutes; remove foil and continue baking until cheese is melted and tops are golden and slightly crisp, another 5 minutes or so.
Cut into individual servings and serve immediately with a side of Thousand Island.
Notes
Purchase fresh sauerkraut for the best flavor; you can typically purchase in the Deli or refrigerated section of the store. This recipe has not been tested with canned sauerkraut.
During testing due to the moisture content in sauerkraut and the Thousand Island dressing, we loved them best when there was cheese on both sides, creating a barrier for the buns.
Don’t lay the meat flat on the rolls, style it so it’s “ruffled’ more like you would see on a deli sandwich.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate - Cover the sliders with foil or place them in an airtight container to store in the fridge for three to five days.
How to Freeze - If you want to store the mini Reubens for longer, place them in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to three months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking to reheat when ready to serve them again.
Reheating: Preheatthe oven to 350° F (175° C). Then, place the sandwiches in a baking dish, cover them with foil, and bake them until heated. About 15-20 minutes.
Make Ahead Reuben Sliders
These sliders can be made ahead of time with some modifications.
Assemble the sliders without sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing, cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days.
Drain sauerkraut and keep covered in the fridge until ready to bake.
Make butter topping, cover and refrigerate, warm for 20-30 seconds in microwave before brushing on top of sliders.
Cover sliders and refrigerate until ready to bake, then add sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing.
While oven preheats, remove ingredients from the fridge, pat sauerkraut dry with paper towels just before adding to sliders, add Thousand Island dressing, replace tops of rolls, and brush tops with butter mixture. Bake as directed.