This Healthy Reuben soup tastes just like a delicious Reuben sandwich but in soup form! Using corned beef deli meat and grated Swiss cheese, as well as low-fat milk and Greek yogurt instead of cream, it's an easy, lighter, scrumptious, and cozy soup that's the perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but delicious any time of the year.
This soup is a thick and creamy Reuben soup that's actually more like a Reuben Chowder. It was inspired by my Turkey Reuben Panini on this site, and pairs well with rye bread.
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- Recipe Overview: Healthy Reuben Soup
- Summarize and Save this Content on:
- 🥘Ingredient Notes
- 📖Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Reuben Soup
- Expert Recipe Tips
- 👪 Serving Size
- 🔢WW Points
- 🥗 What to Serve with Creamy Reuben Chowder
- 🌡️Storage
- The Best Way to Use Leftover St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef
- ❔ Recipe FAQ's
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- 🥣More Healthy Delicious Soup Recipes
- 📋 Healthy Reuben Soup Recipe
Recipe Overview: Healthy Reuben Soup
- Ready In: 30 Minutes
- Serves: 6 servings
- Calories: 470 kcal (per serving)
- Main Ingredients: Lean corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, caraway seeds, and Greek yogurt.
- Dietary info: High Protein, Nut-free, Egg-free.
- Weight Watchers Points: 11-13 WW points (depending on the specific brands of cheese and meat used).
- Difficulty: Easy.
- Why You'll Love It: It's a "deconstructed reuben sandwich" in a bowl! This soup captures all the iconic bistro flavors of a classic Reuben-salty beef, tangy kraut, and nutty Swiss-in a velvety chowder that is much lighter than traditional.
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🥘Ingredient Notes
For this Reuben Soup recipe, you'll need:
To get that authentic Reuben flavor without the heavy calorie count of a restaurant sandwich, here is what you need to know about your ingredients:
- Lean Corned Beef: Using lean deli meat is the ultimate "The Lazy Way" shortcut! It provides that signature salt-cured flavor without the hours of boiling a brisket. If you have leftovers from a St. Patrick's Day dinner, those work perfectly too.
- Swiss Cheese: For a smooth, velvety soup, grate your own Swiss from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch to prevent sticking, which can make a soup grainy, and slices simply won't melt into the broth properly. Do NOT use slices.
- Sauerkraut: This provides the essential tangy "zing." Make sure to drain it well and give it a rough chop so you get a bit of kraut in every spoonful without long, stringy pieces.
- Caraway Seeds: These are the "secret" to making it taste like rye bread! They add a warm, peppery, anise-like flavor that is essential to the Reuben profile.
- Greek Yogurt (Non-fat): This is our healthy secret for creaminess. It adds a wonderful tang that complements the sauerkraut and provides a rich mouthfeel without the fat of heavy cream.
- Dry & Hot Mustard: The combination of mustard powder and hot mustard (like Keen's) mimics the spicy Russian or Thousand Island dressing typically found on the sandwich.
- Butter. I use unsalted because the other ingredients make this salty enough.
- Milk. I use 1% to keep it light.
- Swiss cheese. Do NOT use slices. I tried using them on my first test and had a hard time getting them to melt.
*See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
📖Variations & Substitutions
- WW Friendlier/Lighter- you can lighten this up even more by using turkey deli meat, light butter, and light Swiss cheese (I will warn you, it's hard to find)
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- Dry Mustard - if you don't have dry mustard, you can substitute Dijon mustard but use 1 ½ tbsp.
- Sauerkraut - You can substitute cabbage, but you'll need to precook it until soft. And in order to mimic tangy sauerkraut, add 2 teaspoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of white granulated sugar to the soup, as well.
- Beef Broth - you could substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Olive oil - you can use canola or vegetable oil instead
- Topping - you could use rye croutons
- Corned beef - you could use leftover corned beef or deli counter corned beef
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Reuben Soup
In a large saucepan, over medium heat, cook onion in butter until tender.
Add beef stock.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in chopped corned beef, drained and chopped sauerkraut, caraway seed, mustard powder, hot mustard, Greek yogurt, milk, and shredded Swiss cheese.
Cook and stir on medium- low until cheese is melty, but not completely melted (about 10 minutes).
When the cheese is almost melted (still a little lumpy and stringy), it's time to add the roux.
Hint: For best results, shred cheese on fine shredding on a grater or in a food processor
Mix oil and flour together to make a roux and add to pot. Cook on medium-low, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
Serve with rye bread, crackers, or croutons. It also goes well with dill pickles on the side! Garnish with additional caraway seeds, if desired
*If you need to keep it warm, keep it on low in a slow cooker.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Thinner Soup: You can add less roux (oil and flour) depending on how thick you like your soup (you don't have to add it all if you prefer your soup thinner.)
- Cheese Melting: Use freshly shredded Swiss cheese instead of pre-shredded, as pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can affect smooth melting.
- Sauerkraut Prep: If your sauerkraut is too tangy, rinse it briefly under cold water.
- Corned Beef Choices: If using fresh leftover corned beef instead of deli meat, dice it into small, bite-sized pieces for a more even texture in the soup.
- Roux Incorporation: Make sure the roux (oil and flour mixture) is smooth before adding it to the soup to avoid lumps. Whisking constantly is key!
- Thickening Options: If you prefer a gluten-free version, use cornstarch instead of flour for thickening. Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of cold water and stir it in gradually.
👪 Serving Size
This creamy soup recipe makes 6 servings (8 cups), with each serving being about 1 ⅓ cup. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
Although this recipe is lighter than many cream soups (there is no heavy cream, but milk and Greek yogurt instead), the flour, corned beef, and cheese add points and calories.
I mentioned above, you can use turkey deli meat, light butter, fat-free milk, light Swiss cheese, and even less roux (flour and oil mixture), or use cornstarch and water to thicken, to lighten it up even further. It will be a thinner soup, but still with a creamy broth and taste just as delicious, but further reduce the points! The WW points will depend on the substitutions you make.
🥗 What to Serve with Creamy Reuben Chowder
Reuben soup is a hearty soup and a filling meal on its own, but it also goes great with your favorite sandwich. I love to serve it with Open Face Tuna Melts.
If I'm keeping it lighter, I'll serve it with a Kale Salad with Cranberries and Feta or Everything Bagel Cloud Bread.
And for a festive St. Patrick's Day meal, pair this Cream of Reuben Soup with my Green Grasshopper Mocktail (shown) and Shamrock Tarts or these healthier Irish Soda Bread Muffins!
And if you really want to indulge, try my Chocolate Guinness Cake for dessert!
🌡️Storage
Store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This soup freezes well for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat in microwave for approximately 1-2 minutes.
The Best Way to Use Leftover St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef
- Healthy Reuben Soup (This recipe!): This is the ultimate budget rescue. Because the beef is already cooked, you can skip buying the cold cuts!
- Corned Beef & Potato Hash: Dice your leftover beef and use it in my Ukrainian Breakfast Hash instead of Kielbasa.
- "Irish" Dublin Nachos: Instead of tortilla chips, use thinly sliced potatoes (the microwave-then-bake hack works great here!). Top with shredded corned beef, melted mozzarella, and a drizzle of thousand island dressing.
- Reuben Quesadillas: This is a fun fusion lunch! Layer your leftover beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese inside a flour tortilla. Sauté until golden and serve with a side of hot mustard for dipping.
- Corned Beef Fried Rice: Give your leftovers an Asian twist! Dice the beef small and stir-fry it with rice, peas, carrots, and a splash of soy sauce. It's a budget-friendly meal that tastes completely different.
❔ Recipe FAQ's
Yes- you can freeze Reuben soup for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Reuben Soup is a Reuben sandwich in the form of soup. Although there are variations, many have a creamy base, with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and mustard (just like the sandwich). Some also add vegetables like celery, carrots and onions. Reuben soup can have a variety of textures from a broth to thick like a chowder. It's often served with rye bread on the side.
Use turkey deli meat, light butter, fat-free milk, and light Swiss cheese. You can also reduce the amount of roux or use cornstarch for thickening.
You can substitute cooked cabbage and add 2 teaspoons of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar to mimic the tangy flavor of sauerkraut.
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This has become a family favorite around here. And if you love Reuben sandwiches, you're going to LOVE this Reuben soup!
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📋 Healthy Reuben Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion. chopped
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 cups beef broth
- 3 cups milk * I use 1% milk
- 350 g lean corned beef (deli meat) chopped *or use leftover corned beef
- 1 cup drained sauerkraut chopped
- 1.5 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon hot mustard
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt (0% non-fat)
- 3 teaspoon dry mustard/ mustard powder
- 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Over medium heat, sauté onion in butter until tender.1 medium onion. chopped, 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Add beef broth..3 cups beef broth
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in chopped corned beef, drained and chopped sauerkraut, caraway, mustards, Greek yogurt, milk, and shredded Swiss cheese. *Shred Swiss cheese on fine shredding for best results3 cups milk, 350 g lean corned beef (deli meat), 1 cup drained sauerkraut, 1.5 teaspoon caraway seeds, 1 teaspoon hot mustard, 3 teaspoon dry mustard/ mustard powder, 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, ¾ cup Greek yogurt (0% non-fat)
- Cook and stir on medium- low until cheese is melty, but not completely melted (about 10 minutes) .
- Mix oil and flour together to make roux and add to pot.6 tablespoon olive oil, ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- Cook on medium low, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and cheese is melted. *It's really important that you whisk constantly until the cheese is melted and the ingredients are fully incorporated. Remove from heat.
- Serve with rye bread, crackers or croutons. It also goes well with dill pickles on the side. Garnish with additional caraway seeds, if desired.
- *If you need to keep it warm, keep it on low in a slow cooker
Notes
-
- Thinner Soup: You can add less roux (oil and flour) depending on how thick you like your soup (you don't have to add it all if you prefer your soup thinner.)
-
- Cheese Melting: Use freshly shredded Swiss cheese instead of pre-shredded, as pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can affect smooth melting.
-
- Sauerkraut Prep: If your sauerkraut is too tangy, rinse it briefly under cold
-
- Corned Beef Choices: If using fresh leftover corned beef instead of deli meat, dice it into small, bite-sized pieces for a more even texture in the soup.
-
- Roux Incorporation: Make sure the roux (oil and flour mixture) is smooth before adding it to the soup to avoid lumps. Whisking constantly is key!
-
- Thickening Options: If you prefer a gluten-free version, use cornstarch instead of flour for thickening. Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of cold water and stir it in gradually.
Bernice says
Terri, you're speaking my love language here. I do love all the Reuben flavours...and in one convenient bowl too. I think my kids would go nuts for this as well.
Vanessa says
The perfect starter for my St. Patrick's Day menu! Thanks!
Joss says
I love Reuben sandwiches but had never heard of a Reuben soup. It's a really lovely, comforting soup and is perfect for St. Patrick's Day. I like the suggestion to add dill pickles on the side!
nancy says
this is a tasty chowder. really great with sourdough!
Terri Gilson says
Glad you enjoyed it, Nancy!