Crispy Reuben Egg Rolls for Your Next Party

Servings: 12 egg rolls (6 servings) | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Let’s talk about the appetizer that turns a classic deli sandwich into a crispy, golden finger food everyone fights over. These Reuben Egg Rolls pack corned beef, Swiss cheese, and tangy sauerkraut into a crunchy shell, and honestly, they might beat the original sandwich.

I make these every year around St. Patrick’s Day, and they vanish faster than I can fry the next batch. Have you ever made an appetizer so good that guests hover by the stove waiting? IMO, that’s the ultimate compliment for any cook.

So what makes this combo work so well? The salty, briny sauerkraut cuts through the richness of the corned beef and melted Swiss, while the fried wrapper adds a crunch the original sandwich never had. It’s a Reuben, upgraded.

Why You Need These at Your Next Gathering

Egg rolls already have a reputation as a crowd favorite, but stuffing one with Reuben flavors takes it to another level. Have you ever wished your favorite sandwich came in bite-sized, dippable form? This recipe answers that question.

Here’s what makes them worth the effort:

• All the classic Reuben flavors packed into a crispy, portable shell
• Quick to fry, with a full batch ready in under an hour
• Freezer-friendly, so you can prep a stash ahead of any occasion
• Perfectly dippable in classic Thousand Island dressing

Sandwiches are great, but there’s something about a crispy, fried shell that makes people reach for seconds without thinking twice.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 12 egg roll wrappers
• 1 pound deli corned beef, finely diced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 cup sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry
• 3 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing, plus more for dipping
• 1 egg white, lightly whisked
• Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

Straightforward ingredients that come together into something way more exciting than the sum of their parts. That’s the beauty of a good Reuben.

A Few Ingredient Notes Worth Knowing

Deli-sliced corned beef works perfectly fine here, so don’t feel pressured to cook your own from scratch. If you happen to have leftover homemade corned beef though, it adds even deeper flavor.

Squeeze the sauerkraut dry before mixing it in, no exceptions. Skipping this step leaves excess liquid in your filling, and that liquid turns your crispy egg roll wrapper soggy and sad in record time :/

Freshly grated Swiss cheese from a block melts smoother than the pre-shredded bagged variety. Bagged cheese works in a pinch, but block cheese gives you that stretchy, gooey bite everyone loves.

How to Make Reuben Egg Rolls

Step 1: Prep All Your Filling Ingredients First

Start by whisking the egg white lightly in a small bowl and setting it aside for later. This will act as your glue to seal the egg rolls shut, so having it ready before you start rolling saves you from scrambling mid-process.

Next, dice the corned beef into small, fine pieces so it distributes evenly throughout the filling. Squeeze the sauerkraut firmly with your hands or a clean kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible before adding it to the mix.

If you’re using block Swiss cheese instead of pre-shredded, grate it now so everything is ready to combine at once. Having every ingredient prepped ahead of time makes the assembly step move much faster once you actually start rolling.

Step 2: Mix the Reuben Filling

In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced corned beef, shredded Swiss cheese, drained sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing. Stir everything together thoroughly until the mixture looks evenly combined, with no dry pockets of cheese or beef sitting separately.

This filling should hold together well without being wet or soupy. If it looks a little loose, add a touch more shredded cheese to help bind everything together before moving on to rolling.

Step 3: Heat Your Frying Oil

Pour a couple of inches of vegetable or canola oil into a deep pot or Dutch oven and heat it over medium heat. Use a kitchen thermometer to bring the oil up to exactly 350°F, since guessing here leads to unevenly cooked egg rolls.

While the oil heats, line a cooling rack or a plate with a few layers of paper towels. This setup gives your fried egg rolls somewhere to drain excess oil right after they come out of the pot.

Step 4: Roll the Egg Rolls

Lay one egg roll wrapper flat on your work surface in a diamond orientation, with one corner pointing toward you. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the Reuben filling into a horizontal line just below the center, leaving roughly an inch of space on each side.

Fold the bottom corner up and over the filling, tucking it snugly underneath so the filling stays compact. This first fold matters a lot, since a loose tuck here often leads to filling spilling out during frying.

Dip your fingers into the whisked egg white and run it along all the exposed edges of the wrapper. Fold the left and right corners in toward the center, creating a shape that looks like an open envelope.

Roll the whole thing up snugly from the bottom toward the remaining top corner, sealing the seam with a bit more egg white if needed. Repeat this process with the remaining wrappers and filling until you’ve rolled all twelve.

Step 5: Fry the Egg Rolls Until Golden

Once your oil reaches 350°F, use metal tongs to carefully lower a few egg rolls into the pot at a time. Avoid overcrowding the pot, since too many at once drops the oil temperature and leaves you with greasy, undercooked results.

Fry each batch for about 4 to 5 minutes total, turning them once the bottom side turns a deep golden brown. Keep a close eye on the color throughout, since egg rolls can go from perfectly golden to overly dark within a minute if the oil runs too hot.

Have you ever pulled food out too early and regretted it? Trust the golden-brown color here as your best indicator of doneness, rather than a fixed timer alone.

Step 6: Drain and Cool Before Serving

Use long metal tongs to lift each finished egg roll out of the oil and transfer it directly onto your paper-towel-lined cooling rack. Let them rest for a couple of minutes so the excess oil drains off and the shell crisps up further as it cools.

Serve the egg rolls warm alongside a small bowl of Thousand Island dressing for dipping. That first crunchy bite into melted Swiss and tangy sauerkraut is honestly worth every minute of frying.

Alternative Cooking Methods: Air Fryer and Oven

Frying delivers the crispiest, most authentic texture, but both air frying and baking work as lighter alternatives. Just know upfront that neither method matches the crunch of the classic fried version.

To air fry: Arrange the rolled egg rolls in a single layer in your air fryer basket, leaving space between each one. Air fry at 390°F for 9 to 11 minutes, flipping halfway through for even browning.

To bake: Place the egg rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet with space between each one. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for about 15 minutes, until they turn a deep golden brown.

Storing, Reheating, and Freezing

Let cooked egg rolls cool completely to room temperature before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. Layer paper towels between the egg rolls to absorb excess moisture, and they’ll stay fresh for 3 to 4 days.

Reheat leftovers in the air fryer at 350°F for about 2 minutes to bring back some crispness. This method beats the microwave, which tends to leave the wrapper soft and a little sad.

To freeze uncooked egg rolls, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap right after rolling and store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Fry them straight from frozen at a slightly lower oil temperature first, then raise the heat during the final minute to crisp and brown the outside.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make these egg rolls ahead of time? Yes, roll the egg rolls and refrigerate them for a few hours before frying, or freeze them for longer storage. Fry them fresh whenever you’re ready to serve for the best texture.

Why did my egg rolls come apart while frying? This usually happens when the wrapper edges aren’t sealed well enough with egg white. Make sure every edge gets a thorough coating before rolling to keep everything sealed tight.

What oil works best for frying egg rolls? Neutral oils with a high smoke point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, work best here. Avoid oils with strong flavors, since they can compete with the Reuben filling.

Can I use fresh corned beef instead of deli-sliced? Absolutely, homemade or leftover corned beef works wonderfully and often adds even more depth of flavor. Just dice it finely so it distributes evenly throughout the filling.

Are Reuben egg rolls only for St. Patrick’s Day? Not at all, these make a great appetizer for game days, potlucks, or any time you’re craving Reuben flavors. They hold up well year-round, not just in March.

Final Thoughts

These Reuben Egg Rolls take everything great about a classic sandwich and wrap it into a crispy, golden, dippable bite. Corned beef, Swiss cheese, and tangy sauerkraut come together perfectly in every single roll.

Fry up a batch for your next gathering and watch them disappear before you finish the last one. Once you taste a Reuben in egg roll form, the regular sandwich might start feeling a little basic