The Reuben is my all-time favorite sandwich. Layers of Pastrami (or Corned Beef) smothered in sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese and Russian dressing while sandwiched between two slices of a grilled, buttered Rye bread.
And being a guy who is also a bit obsessed with inventing new pastas based on classic dishes, I felt I had an exciting challenge ahead of me. And so Reuben Rotini was born!
This pasta is everything you wanted in both a Reuben AND a pasta at the same time an it is lone of the easiest things you’ll ever make in your Instant Pot!
Here’s How I Made It! (scroll to the bottom for the fully-written recipe):
Begin with some Pastrami.
Have the deli slice it for you into slices about this thick…
…and then dice it up. Set that aside for the time being.
Now, take a box of Rotini (the squiggly kind of pasta) and add it to the Instant Pot.
Pour in a mix of some beef and chicken or garlic broth…
…and smooth out the pasta…
…so it’s nicely submerged under the broth (it’s fine if some of it peaks above the broth as shown here).
Then, sprinkle in some caraway seeds, secure the lid and cook at high pressure.
As the pasta’s cooking, take some sauerkraut…
…drain it through a strainer and squeeze it with some paper towels so it’s not super wet (a little wet is fine).
When the ld comes off the pot, you’ll see the Rotini will have cooked perfectly. Give it a good stir. There wills still be broth in the pot but this is good because we are about to thicken that up into an incredible sauce!
Take some Boursin, which you can find in most markets in the deli or fancy cheese section OR you can just use cream cheese…
…and dice it into cubes.
Add it to the pot and stir…
…until melded into the broth and pasta.
Now add in some Russian dressing (I know, it may seem a bit odd to do this, but trust me it’s gonna work amazingly. Besides, Reubens = Russian dressing).
Now let’s add back in the Pastrami…
…and sauerkraut.
Stir everything until well combined.
And finally, it’s time to add the thing that will bring it all together – the cheese! Add in some shredded Swiss or Mozzarella.
…and stir it up well…
…until it becomes stretchy and blends into the pasta.
And now it’s time to serve it up! Just LOOK at that cheese stretch as you transfer it over to a bowl!
(Are you drooling yet?)
(Because I am.)
Feel free to top with additional caraway seeds for garnish or for a little extra crunch.
Stick a fork in that masterpiece…
…and show the world how Reuben and Rotini became the best of friends.
Enjoy!
At the time of this post, Pressure Luck used Better Than Bouillon/Southeastern Mills for all soup bases and bouillon
Instant Pot Reuben Rotini
My favorite sandwich is a Reuben which is comprised of Pastrami, sauerkraut, swiss and Russian (or Thousand Island) dressing. And the only thing better than this masterpiece in sandwich form is when it's turned into a to-die-for pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (1 box) of Rotini
- 3 cups of beef broth (I used 3 tsp of Beef Better Than Bouillon + 3 cups of water)
- 2 cups of chicken or garlic broth (I used 2 tsp of Garlic Better Than Bouillon + 2 cups of water)
- 1-2 tsp of caraway seed
- 5.2 ounce of Boursin (or 5 ounces of a brick of cream cheese)
- 1/2 cup of Russian or Thousand Island dressing (I like Ken’s the best)
- 1 lb (16 oz) of sauerkraut, drained and squeezed
- 1 lb of Pastrami, pre-sliced into about 1/4″ strips and then diced up (or make my NY-style one here!)
- 2 cups of shredded Swiss or Mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Add the Rotini to the Instant Pot, followed by the broth and caraway seeds. Make sure the pasta is mostly submerged under the broth (it’s okay if some still peaks above the top)
- Secure the lid and hit “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” for 5 minutes at high pressure. Quick release when done
- Stir in the Boursin (or cream cheese) and Russian dressing until fully melded into the excess broth
- Add the Pastrami, sauerkraut and shredded cheese and stir until the cheese becomes stretchy and combined with the sauce
- Serve immediately and top with additional caraway seeds for garnish and a desired extra crunch
- Enjoy with some buttered, toasted rye bread!
Jeffrey's Tips
Want to top the plated pasta with some additional sauerkraut? Go for it!
If you love Reubens, this will quickly become one of your favorite pastas ever!
Want to make your own AMAZING, NY Deli-Style Pastrami like Katz’s? Try my recipe here!
Jeanette B Gilder
Jeffrey, that looks AHmazing and delicious! Do you think I could double it in an 8qt Instant Pot?
Thank you!
Mark
I tried this last night, and it was tasty…but the Swiss cheese did not melt. I also think that it could have used some extra 1,000 Island. I will try again.