The best hot Pastrami sandwich features tender pastrami, melted cheese, and tangy coleslaw piled high on rye bread slathered in an old-school Russian dressing.
A proper hot pastrami sandwich is a masterpiece! Tender, crunchy, melty, tangy - it strikes the perfect balance of contrasting textures and flavors. Best of all, there is no need to head to your local deli, you can make this delicious sandwich in your kitchen!
What is a Hot Pastrami Sandwich?
Invented in 1888 by Sussman Volk, a pastrami on rye is a classic deli sandwich popularized by Jewish delicatessens in New York city. Pastrami on rye can be served cold, but a hot pastrami sandwich is particularly delicious as a melted slice of cheese, toasted bread, and warm slices of pastrami completely transform the flavor.
Ingredients Needed
- Pastrami meat - For a different change of pace, you can substitute corned venison.
- Rye bread - Traditional rye bread, marbled rye, or pumpernickel rye is all great to use.
- Coleslaw - I recommend using my coleslaw recipe, but you can use premade coleslaw from the deli counter of your grocery store.
- Russian Dressing - Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard can be substituted.
- Swiss cheese - Provolone cheese can be substituted.
Each of those ingredients has a lot in common with the popular Reuben Sandwich, while the Swiss cheese and rye bread remain the same. It is easy to say the classic pastrami sandwich is the Reuben's cousin, if not brother from another brother.
How to make it
If you attempt to make a hot pastrami sandwich by fully constructing the sandwich and then placing it in a skillet to warm up, the slice of bread is going to burn before the meat ever warms up. Instead, you need to warm the meat separately prior to crafting the sandwich.
The best way to warm the meat is to steam it. Boil a small amount of water in the bottom of a pan or skillet and place the meat in a steamer basket above it. Personally, I prefer to use a fine-mesh strainer.
An alternative way you can warm the meat is to quickly place it in a skillet set to medium-low heat, however, you risk cooking it too much with this method. I have also warmed it in the microwave for about 10 seconds per side, on a glass plate. Once again though, this method risks overcooking it but is quick and easy.
Assemble the sandwich by placing the meat, dressing, and a slice of Swiss cheese on lightly toasted rye. Then brown them with butter in a skillet set over medium heat. This adds great texture and flavor!
Tip: You can brown the bread before assembling the sandwich, but it is best if the sandwich is fully assembled when you do so because it will help melt the cheese.
Serve with potato chips, potato salad, sliced dill pickles, or my homemade half-sour pickles.
Hot Pastrami Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices rye bread (traditional, marbled, or pumpernickel)
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter (divided)
- 4 oz sliced pastrami
- ⅓ cup coleslaw
- 1 slice Swiss cheese
- 2 tablespoons Russian dressing
Instructions
- Warm pastrami by placing it in a steamer basket (or strainer) over boiling water. Flip the slices of pastrami to ensure they heat evenly. This should take less than a minute per side.
- Lightly toast the slices of rye bread to firm them up, then coat one side of each slice with butter. To assemble the sandwich, place pastrami on the bottom piece of bread, then top with cheese, coleslaw, and dressing, then place the sandwich in a skillet set over medium heat.
- Leave sandwich in the skillet set over medium heat for ~2 minutes, or until the bread turns golden brown, then flip and repeat.
- Remove sandwich from the frying pan, cut it in half on a cutting board, and serve.
Notes
Nutritional Information
This recipe was originally published on July 25, 2019, on FoxValleyFoodie.com.
Sasha
Absolutely delicious! 10 out of 10**
Only thing I changed was adding a bit of extra sugar to the slaw to make it a bit sweeter. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!!!
Tracy
I've tried many of your recipes and they all have turned out exceptionally well however this? THIS is the one that shall stay in repeat. I felt like I was in a kosher deli in New York. It was so good I made it for lunch and then had it again for breakfast! Also, I love the game recipes. Great blog. I never run out of meal ideas.
Phil
Another SIMPLE way to melt the cheese is to warm the meat up in a skillet, add the cheese to the meat and cover for for 30 sec-1minute to melt the cheese.
Preheat skillet to medium heat, add meat and splash with broth, after 1-2 minutes, flip meat and splash with broth again, add cheese then cover for approx 1 minute. Once cheese is melty, remove meat with spatula and slide onto toasted bread.
frugal hausfrau
I'm another midwest blogger (and follower) over in the Twin Cities, you betcha! Man do I want a bite out of that sandwich! Gorgeous photo and you're giving me pastrami cravings!
Mollie
Dana
Looks good thanks.