Preheat a medium-low cooking pan over medium-low heat. Melt butter in the pan and spread it around evenly.
Place slices of bread in the pan and spread Thousand island dressing on all four slices.
Squeeze liquid from sauerkraut and spread it on two of the slices of bread. Place two slices of Swiss cheese on the other two slices of bread.
Layer thinly sliced turkey breast over the cheese evenly. Let the bread crisp and ingredients heat up. Once cheese is melted, use a spatula to carefully place one slice over the other to close the sandwich. Repeat with the other one.
Cook for a couple more minutes on both sides, until bread is golden. Press gently.
Take the sandwich out of the pan, cut in half, and serve right away.
Notes
Don't like sauerkraut? While the sauerkraut provides a delightful tangy taste and a crunch, there are many people that just don’t enjoy it. You can always omit it if you simply don’t like it OR you can substitute coleslaw or shredded lettuce. (Note, if using lettuce, add it after you’ve cooked the sandwich.)
Measure your ingredients with care. No one wants a Reuben with way too much sauerkraut or way too little cheese. Make sure you really measure all of your ingredients with care when you assemble the sandwiches so you get the best bite every time! A Reuben is a delicious balancing act of different flavors.
Don’t close the sandwich before adding it to the pan. Have you ever tried to flip a sandwich in a hot pan, only to have it all fall apart? Avoid that by first melting the cheese. That way, when the sandwich is closed and flipped, it’ll stay put together so much easier.
Keep the temperature medium-low. Here’s the deal – this is a quick recipe. Don’t try to make it even quicker by increasing the heat! By cooking the Reuben at a medium-low heat, you’re giving the cheese enough time to melt while also letting the buttery rye bread get perfectly crispy on the outside. If you turn up the heat, you’ll likely burn the bread without the cheese melting enough.