Keto Reuben skillet

Keto Reuben skillet

This keto one-skillet wonder is inspired by the classic Reuben sandwich. So get ready for an easy, cheesy, tangy adventure, complete with well-spiced corned beef. All of the flavor and very few of the carbs.

Keto Reuben skillet

This keto one-skillet wonder is inspired by the classic Reuben sandwich. So get ready for an easy, cheesy, tangy adventure, complete with well-spiced corned beef. All of the flavor and very few of the carbs.
USMetric
2 servingservings

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp 2 tbsp butter
  • 10 oz. 280 g corned beef, sliced or shredded
  • 9 oz. 260 g sauerkraut, drained
  • 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 oz. (1 cup) 110 g (240 ml) Swiss cheese
  • ½ cup 120 ml mayonnaise
  • 1 1 dill pickledill pickles
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Instructions

  1. Heat up butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add corned beef and fry for a few minutes.
  2. Drain the sauerkraut and squeeze as much liquid as possible out of it. Distribute evenly in the pan.
  3. Place small dollops of mustard here and there in the sauerkraut. Add sliced Swiss cheese and heat until the cheese is melting. Cover the skillet with a lid to speed things up if you're in a hurry.
  4. Serve with mayonnaise, dill pickles, and perhaps some more mustard.

Tips

Muenster and mozzarella are mild substitutes for Swiss cheese.

Sub in pastrami, deli roast beef, sliced turkey or cooked brisket if you prefer.

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What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

40 comments

  1. Steve
    I can't tell from the picture... do you shred the corn beef before frying?

    Complete the Reuben experience by turning the mayo into Thousand Island dressing. Combine some pepper sauce, a couple drops of ketchup (just enough for coloring), pickle relish (make sure there is no hidden sugar), and salt. Stir well.

  2. Jessica
    Made this for dinner tonight. This is such a great idea. Me and my husband both loved it! Thanks for this recipe. We hardly missed the bread!

    I got sliced corn beef from the deli and then I cut it into strips. I wasn't really sure how to do the meat so I just did what seemed good. I cooked it on medium heat for a few minutes and then turned it to medium high for a few minutes until some pieces were darker brown. I turned it back to medium and stirred in the sauerkraut until it was heated. Dolloped some Dijon mustard and stirred it in then melted the cheese on top.

    Brilliant recipe and so simple!! Thanks!

  3. Dawn
    Awesome recipe!!
  4. Diana
    This was really good!
  5. John
    Deli corned beef is just fine. This recipe is great!
  6. Steve F.
    As a vegetarian, I substituted tempeh for the corn beef. It was really delicious!!!
  7. Maria G
    Made this for dinner using canned corn beef. It was wonderful and a little too much for my serving out of the two. Also used some sugar free 1000 isle dressing.
  8. Erika
    I’m on a 20g carb, 100g fat and 100g protein diet. Are there any recipes that are low in fat! These meals are good but I can only eat 1x and I’m done
    Reply: #9
  9. Susie
    Eating to satiety is the way to go. Just eat until you’re satiated.
  10. Susie
    I had this with a pork chop. Twice! That’s the only meat I had available. Delicious!
  11. Jean
    What can you use instead of the sauerkraut
    Reply: #12
  12. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    What can you use instead of the sauerkraut

    There is no good substitute for the sauerkraut, which is a featured component of a Reuben. You could omit it instead.

  13. Amanda M
    This was completely delicious! I served it to my family on hamburger buns. My picky 6 year old asked for A SECOND SANDWICH! 😲 I thoroughly enjoyed this and didn't miss the bread at all. I served it with a couple dill sandwich slices and some roasted asparagus, a family favorite. Yum!!!

    Roasted Asparagus: Trim and wash asparagus. Spread them in a single layer on a pan, and when dry, drizzle olive oil. Mix to coat each piece, then sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Roast at 400°F for 25 minutes. Perfection!

    Reply: #14
  14. Leanna
    Wonderful idea!
  15. JANE
    You could also use cooked cabbage, Jean.....if you don't like the taste of sauerkraut!
  16. Jill
    Hey Guys, I swapped out the corned beef for pre-packaged Montreal Smoked Beef (from Costco). Heated in boiling water while meat was still wrapped, drained the meat & voila! 10 minutes later it was BEYOND perfect!
    Next time I will make half the recipe. VERY filling! :)
  17. Jen
    What’s considered a serving size?
    Reply: #18
  18. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    What’s considered a serving size?

    This recipe as written makes 2 servings, so 1 serving is 50%, either by weight or volume, which is going to vary any time you make it as it may reduce down more or less each time.

  19. 1 comment removed
  20. Karen Barnhart
    Can you just use fried cabbage instead of sour kraut? I am not a fan of sour kraut.
    Reply: #21
  21. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Can you just use fried cabbage instead of sour kraut? I am not a fan of sour kraut.

    That will change the flavor profile a lot. It may be better to just omit it or find a different recipe. The sauerkraut is pretty integral to the taste of this dish. The "sourness" helps cut through the rich cream and cheese.

  22. Rick
    This tasted great! BUT, my net carbs for this came out a LOT higher! Where could I have gone wrong? The sauerkraut was like 7g per 125g!
    Reply: #23
  23. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    This tasted great! BUT, my net carbs for this came out a LOT higher! Where could I have gone wrong? The sauerkraut was like 7g per 125g!

    Carb count may vary by brand. The brands I've seen have been closer to 4g carbs for 125g, minus a portion of that for fiber to get even lower net carbs.

  24. astrid.maclean
    Has anyone ever tried this with ham? After reading somewhere that corned beef is made with scrapings of the butchers floor, it put me right off. The story is probably not true, but I still don't like the thought of corned beef (though I love the taste)...
    Reply: #35
  25. Brigitta
    This is a great recipe -- a deconstructed Reuben! For those who don't care for the wild sour taste of sauerkraut you could try rinsing it in some water first (use a colander or wire sieve) and squeezing it dry. Or you could make a deconstructed Rachel, which uses coleslaw (homemade, of course). Or you could make another classic deconstructed sandwich, like ham and Swiss, or turkey club.
    Reply: #26
  26. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    This is a great recipe -- a deconstructed Reuben! For those who don't care for the wild sour taste of sauerkraut you could try rinsing it in some water first (use a colander or wire sieve) and squeezing it dry. Or you could make a deconstructed Rachel, which uses coleslaw (homemade, of course). Or you could make another classic deconstructed sandwich, like ham and Swiss, or turkey club.

    That's a great tip. Thank you for letting us know how much you enjoyed this dish.

  27. Rachael
    I have made this twice now. Delicious! I fried the corned beef on medium to high until slightly browned.
    This dish will become a regular for us, as it is simple and tasty and satisfying. Thank you Diet Doctor
    Reply: #28
  28. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    I have made this twice now. Delicious! I fried the corned beef on medium to high until slightly browned.
    This dish will become a regular for us, as it is simple and tasty and satisfying. Thank you Diet Doctor

    Great! So glad you love it!

  29. Maryann Allen
    How much is the membership after the trial
    Reply: #30
  30. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    How much is the membership after the trial

    The membership is $9.99 US dollars a month after the trial, or a discounted $99 annually. You can read more about our membership at this link:
    https://www.dietdoctor.com/member/common-questions
    https://www.dietdoctor.com/new-member

  31. patricia
    Please add more recipes that have less than 10 grams total carbs. Many recipe are good But far to high in carbs if a person uses total carbs not net.
    Reply: #32
  32. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    Please add more recipes that have less than 10 grams total carbs. Many recipe are good But far to high in carbs if a person uses total carbs not net.

    Hi, Patricia! I will pass along your request, but many of our keto recipes should fit the bill! https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/recipes

  33. Mary
    (Australia) I made this using Hamper lite corned beef (tin)as a 1 serve and only substituted swiss cheese with the same amount of shaved parmesan cheese. It was so filling I had to force a tablespoon of pic's peanut butter for dinner. Will make this again as I also lost about 300 grams the next day. Win win!!! 😊
    Reply: #34
  34. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    (Australia) I made this using Hamper lite corned beef (tin)as a 1 serve and only substituted swiss cheese with the same amount of shaved parmesan cheese. It was so filling I had to force a tablespoon of pic's peanut butter for dinner. Will make this again as I also lost about 300 grams the next day. Win win!!! 😊

    Thank you for letting us know of the substitutions that worked well for you. I am glad that you enjoyed this dish.

  35. Shewbs
    Corned beef is made from the brisket cut.

    Cheaper brands may have lower quality beef, though I've never seen a supermarket corned beef can that had the best avoided "meat extracted by mechanical means" written on it, so I'd double check your source regarding 'Butcher's floor scrapings'.

  36. Sunny
    Never had sauerkraut before, aurgh the thought. But I am a try anything kind of person, so did this recipe tonight, just added some garden peas for the sake of having some greens. Loved it, thank you
  37. Daniel
    Loved this dish! Easy to make, ingredients are not-expensive, and it was delicious!
  38. Verity
    Worth mentioning: when Americans talk about corned beef, unless it's in a hash, they mean what Brits (and Aussies?) call salt beef. Minced, mixed with gelatin, and packed into a can is NOT what you want here. If, like me, you've not ever seen salt beef in shops, and you aren't quite sure what it is, Google is your friend. It might not be easy to find out in the wild (supermarkets) so you might end up either curing your own beef brisket, or going the easy route and substituting with pastrami.
  39. Rose
    Made this today and it was delicious. I was worried because I couldn’t get exactly the ingredients I wanted. Bastrimi was an ok substitute for pastrami. And the sauerkraut had horseradish, so I was a bit worried about that. Turned out great. Will source pastrami elsewhere for the next time.
  40. Norma
    Used pastrami along with homemade sauerkraut and gouda cheese. Left out the mustard and served it on the side along with a homemade Thousand Island Dressing (often used in reuben sandwiches). Am usually not a fan of that dressing but it was a nice contrast to the brininess of the kraut and the saltiness of the pastrami. Both the mustard and the dressing were very good with it. The skillet was quick, easy and delicious.
    Reply: #41
  41. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Used pastrami along with homemade sauerkraut and gouda cheese. Left out the mustard and served it on the side along with a homemade Thousand Island Dressing (often used in reuben sandwiches). Am usually not a fan of that dressing but it was a nice contrast to the brininess of the kraut and the saltiness of the pastrami. Both the mustard and the dressing were very good with it. The skillet was quick, easy and delicious.

    So glad you enjoyed this dish. Thousand Island is a great addition!

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