This Rachel sandwich is a not-so-distant cousin to the traditional Reuben substituting corned beef with turkey and sauerkraut with coleslaw piled high on marble rye bread with Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing.
I remember making Rachels at the hometown cafe I worked at when I was a teenager. They are a fun variation to the traditional reuben.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This hearty sandwich is piled high with delicious ingredients that make it a filling option for lunch or dinner.
- I love the cool crunch the coleslaw gives the sandwich, and can be more appealing to certain people who aren't big fans of sauerkraut. If you love sauerkraut, make this Sauerkraut Casserole or these Stuffed Cabbage Rolls!
- These sandwiches are quick and easy to make. Make it even easier by using premade deli coleslaw or a coleslaw kit!
- Reduce or scale this recipe to make fewer or more sandwiches at a time.
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few helpful tips on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Deli turkey - I wouldn't go too crazy with the flavors here. Your favorite oven-roasted turkey from the deli counter is perfect. I love it thin-sliced as it's easier to pile high on the sandwich.
- Swiss cheese- The mild, nutty cheese that's traditional on Reubens and Rachels
- Thousand island dressing - Typically made with mayo, ketchup, onion and sweet pickle relish.
- Coleslaw - A simple, creamy coleslaw gives the sandwich its traditional crunch. The cold slaw gives another dimension of taste and texture to the sandwich.
- Rye bread - I prefer a marble rye bread. It has a nutty, earthy flavor that is the perfect vessel for the rest of the sandwich ingredients.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This recipe is easily scaleable. Use this guideline to make 1 sandwich or 10!
Step 1: Make the coleslaw - In a mixing bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients and add an 8 oz. bag of coleslaw mix. Mix until well coated.
An 8 oz. bag of coleslaw contains about 2 ½ cups of cabbage, and will shrink to about 2 cups as it sits.
For the best results, make the coleslaw and refrigerate it for at least an hour before making the sandwiches. It really will make a big difference and allow the flavors to meld together. Coleslaw will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, so making it ahead is a great option!
Step 2: Assemble the sandwiches - Start making the sandwiches by buttering one side of each bread slice. Place the bread butter side down in a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each bread slice.
On one half of the sandwich, spread about a tablespoon of thousand island dressing. On top of dressing, place ¼ of the deli turkey.
Grill the sandwiches on medium-high heat until the cheese is melted and the bottoms are nice and toasted. Before putting the sandwich together, place a hearty scoop of coleslaw on top of turkey. Doing this at the end ensures the coleslaw doesn't get too warm. Place the top of the sandwich on and remove from heat.
Slice in half and serve!
Serving Tips
Serve the sandwiches with simple sides like potato chips, pretzels, pickles or fresh fruit. Potato salad, pasta salad, French fries or extra coleslaw are some other great ideas!
Rachels are best when served immediately. The coleslaw will make the sandwich soggy over time, so reheating leftovers is not recommended.
Variations
- There are conflicting thoughts here, but a Rachel sandwich can also be made with pastrami instead of turkey. Pastrami is smoked instead of brined like the corned beef used in Reubens and adds a different flavor to the sandwich.
- Don't love rye bread? Give yourself permission to switch up the bread by using a whole wheat, pumpernickel or good ol' white sandwich bread.
- Replace the Swiss with another good melting cheese like gruyere, havarti or gouda.
- For spicier zing, use Russian dressing instead of thousand island.
- Use a vinegar based coleslaw instead of creamy.
FAQ
Reuben sandwiches are made with deli corned beef, swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing and sauerkraut grilled between two slices of rye bread. Rachels use turkey instead of corned beef and creamy coleslaw instead of sauerkraut.
The guidelines for a Rachel sandwich seem to be fairly vague with no set definition. While the main distinction is swapping sauerkraut for coleslaw, there are recipes out there for both turkey and pastrami Rachels.
The origin of the name of this sandwich is about as foggy as its official recipe. One thought is that it's the female version of the Reuben sandwich. Another is that it's named after the 1871 song "Reuben & Rachel". A third is that a woman named Rachel at a NYC deli regularly ordered a sandwich with turkey, Swiss cheese and coleslaw.
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Rachel Sandwich
Ingredients
Method
- In a mixing bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients. Whisk until well combined, then add in coleslaw/cabbage mix. Mix until well coated. Ideally, refrigerate coleslaw for at least one hour before making sandwiches for best results.1 8 oz. bag coleslaw mix, ¼ cup mayo, 1 tbsp. white sugar, 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. lemon juice, ½ tsp. Dijon mustard, ¼ tsp. black pepper, ¼ tsp. salt
- Butter one side of each bread slice with softened butter. Heat griddle or large skillet to medium. Lay bread slices butter side down on griddle.
- Place 1 slice of swiss cheese on each slice of bread. On 4 of the bread slices, spread about 1 tablespoon Thousand Island dressing.
- Place ¼ of sliced turkey on top of each bread slice with dressing.
- Grill sandwiches until the bread is golden brown and toasted. Before putting sandwich together, place ½ cup of prepared coleslaw on top. Place top bread piece on the sandwich.
- Remove from griddle and slice sandwich in half. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Your favorite store-bought deli coleslaw could also be used as a shortcut tip!
Dolly @ Little Home in the Making says
Looks like the perfect summer meal combo! Love doing sandwiches and salad for the summer since turning the oven on is a NO GO! Can't wait to give this a try!
Ashley says
Absolutely! You always see colelsaw on something like a BBQ pork sandwich, so I love this option! Let me know how you like it!
David says
I remember a time when the Ruben sandwich was spelled Reuben. And the Reuben sandwich, switching coleslaw for the sauerkraut, was called a Rachael. The turkey-swiss-slaw-russian dressing sandwich was called a Rebecca. And a sandwich adding both corned beef and turkey with slaw, swiss cheese, and Russian dressing was called a Levi. That was long ago, far back into the 1950s when my partner and I owned a delicaessen.
Katie says
I loved this and it was super easy to do! Great for a weeknight dinner.