reuben balls

Name: Reuben Balls
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil; 1/2 cup(s) chopped onion; 12 ounce(s) corned beef, cooked, trimmed, and chopped; 2 clove(s) garlic, minced; 4 ounce(s) cream cheese, room temperature; 2/3 cup(s) Swiss cheese, chopped or grated; 1 can(s) sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry (14 oz); 2 tablespoon(s) chopped parsley; 2 teaspoon(s) grainy mustard; 8 slice(s) rye bread, toasted and processed into crumbs (about 1 1/2 cups); 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour; 2 large egg whites (1/4 cup); - Thousand Island dressing, for dipping

(5 RATINGS)

321 Pinches 18 Photos

Robin Lieneke

Chamois, MO

Updated on Nov 14, 2025

Oh my goodness! These are so delicious!. One of the best recipes I've ever created. I took a twist on an old appetizer recipe and had a good ole' inspiration. My husband says, "Reuben Balls Rock."

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A platter of Reuben Balls with Thousand Island dressing.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

All the flavor of the classic reuben sandwich in bite-size balls for a unique appetizer. The inside is slightly creamy and filled with corned beef and sauerkraut. We loved the touch of tanginess from grainy mustard. Once fried, the crust has the flavor of rye bread. When dipped into Thousand Island dressing, they taste like bite-sized reubens.

— The Test Kitchen

prep time 3 Hr

cook time 10 Min

method Deep Fry

yield 8 serving(s)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
12 ounces corned beef, cooked, trimmed, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup Swiss cheese, chopped or grated
1 can sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry (14 oz)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
8 slices rye bread, toasted and processed into crumbs (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large egg whites (1/4 cup)
- Thousand Island dressing, for dipping

How To Make reuben balls

Test Kitchen Tips

We used a good quality deli corned beef for testing.

Step 1

Sauté onions in oil until softened.

Step 2

Add corned beef and garlic. Sauté on medium low heat about 2 minutes, just until warmed.
Step 3

Add cream cheese and stir in until melted. Remove from heat.
Step 4

Add Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, parsley and mustard. Stir until combined.
Step 5

Stir in 3 Tbsp of rye bread crumbs and combine.
Step 6

Cool until easily handled. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls.
Step 7

Roll in flour. Refrigerate until completely cool.
Step 8

Dip in egg whites.
Step 9

Then roll in remaining bread crumbs. Let sit at least 1-2 hours in refrigerator until firm.
Step 10

Fry in canola oil until golden brown.
Step 11

Drain on paper towels. Serve warm with Thousand Island dressing for dipping.
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Nutrition Facts

(per serving*)

calories: 476kcal, carbohydrates: 36g, cholesterol: 53mg, fat: 30g, fiber: 5g, protein: 16g, saturated fat: 9g, sodium: 1490mg, sugar: 8g, unsaturated fat: 21g

*Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is estimated.

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