Easy Reuben Egg Rolls (Air Fried, Baked, or Deep Fried)

These easy Reuben Egg Rolls are the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer for St. Patrick’s Day, game day or any gathering. All the flavors of the classic Reuben sandwich are rolled up into a crispy egg roll. Yum. Jump to Recipe

Using only five ingredients, Reuben Egg Rolls are as easy as appetizers come. This non-traditional Irish egg roll has a light but crispy exterior and is filled with gooey, melty cheese, vinegary sauerkraut, and salty, tangy corned beef. The Reuben Egg Roll flavor experience is complete by dipping it into Thousand Island or Russian dressing. Included below are instructions for air frying, baking or deep frying this tasty party food, so you can choose whichever method works best for you.  These are restaurant quality, but with no deep fryer required!

Every year around St. Patrick’s Day we make the traditional Irish dish of corned beef with potatoes, cabbage, and carrots. This typically yields plenty of leftover corned beef which I use for these egg rolls. Here is my Corned Beef Recipe. You don’t have to make your own corned beef for these egg rolls though! Grabbing some from your local grocery deli works just as well.

Ingredients

Corned Beef or Pastrami:

Corned beef is a salt-cured brisket of beef. It goes through a long curing process and then is typically slow-cooked making it incredibly tender and flavorful. As you’ll see with my recipe, it is cooked all day in the crock-pot. Corned beef is inexpensive and easy to make yourself. However, you can also pick some up already cooked and sliced from your deli.

Pastrami can also be used for this recipe in place of corned beef. They are very similar in flavor. Corned beef is made from the leaner flat brisket. Pastrami is made with point brisket giving it more marbling and fat. It has a slightly smokier taste. Both are delicious options for these Reuben Egg Rolls.

Egg Roll Wrappers:

These are found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store typically near tofu, salad dressing and produce. Be sure to grab egg roll wrappers, not spring rolls wrappers. Egg roll wrappers will have a thin dusting of flour on them which is what crisps up while cooking. Spring roll wrappers are made from rice flour and more delicate. For this recipe you don’t want wrappers that might tear easily. They also won’t become crispy like their egg roll wrapper cousins.

Sauerkraut:

Sauerkraut is pickled cabbage. It’s salty, sour, and delicious. As I’m a huge fan of pickles, I typically like other things pickled too. Zesty sauerkraut is no exception.

Swiss Cheese:

Sweet, mild, and nutty, Swiss cheese perfectly compliments the flavors of the Reuben (or in this case the Reuben Egg Roll). Provolone or Mozzarella can be substituted if you don’t have or like Swiss. Both types of cheese melt well.

Thousand Island or Russian Dressing:

Thousand Island or Russian Dressing is served on the side of these Reuben Egg Rolls. Both dressings are similar in flavor, but Russian is a little spicier and less sweet than Thousand Island. If you’d like to make your own dressing mix together mayo, ketchup, horseradish, garlic, lemon juice, hot sauce and salt.

Caraway Seeds (optional)

If you really want to recreate all the flavors of the classic Reuben sandwich in your egg rolls, adding Caraway seeds will mimic the taste of rye bread. Shake a little into the unwrapped egg rolls or dressing side if you wish.

Instructions for making Reuben Egg Rolls

Build and roll up egg rolls:

Lay egg roll wrapper out on a flat service. First add corned beef. Depending on how the beef was sliced, you might want to cut into smaller bite-sized pieces.  

Top with sauerkraut.

Then Swiss cheese. To roll up your Reuben egg rolls, first fold the bottom corner closest to you over the stuffing. Fold in both left and right sides. Then roll away from you towards the other tip. I use a tiny bit of water to seal. Egg wash works as well, but I find a little cold water to be enough.

Tip: don’t over-stuff or they will be hard to roll up and might tear! If your first egg roll was a little difficult, don’t worry they get easier with each roll.

Air Fryer Method:

Air fryer Reuben Egg Rolls are what is pictured here. Using the air fryer is my favorite of these three methods. It’s healthier, using less oil, but still gives you the same crispy wrapper as deep frying. It is also fast. Spray air fryer basket with non-stick spray. Add egg rolls, spraying the tops with non-stick as well. Air fry at 370 degrees for about 10 minutes turning halfway through. If you’d like them crispier, simply cook for a couple more minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Here’s the air fryer I use (and love)!

Tip: work in batches and don’t overcrowd or they won’t cook properly and might stick together. Place on a plate and cover once done to keep warm while air frying the rest.

Baked Method:

Baked Reuben Egg Rolls are also healthier than the standard deep fried method. However, they definitely don’t have that lovely crispy crunchy outside. You can make them all at once though (vs working in batches), which is nice. For the oven method, spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray or lay down a sheet of parchment paper. Bake for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Deep Fried Stove-top Method:

Deep Fried Reuben Egg Rolls are going to yield the crispiest wrapper. But the air fryer version is very similar. Heat about two inches of canola or vegetable oil in a deep skillet on the stove. Let reach about 375 degrees then carefully add egg rolls. Work in batches here as well, don’t overcrowd. Fry for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. I usually flip about halfway through. Carefully remove with tongs or a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to cool.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Can I add Thousand Island or Russian dressing inside the egg roll?

You can, however I’ve found it makes the egg roll a little soggy. I prefer to serve it on the side. If you have leftovers the dressing inside will especially make them extra soggy and difficult to heat back up.

Can I use won-ton wrapper?

You can if you want to make mini Reuben egg rolls. For this recipe though, I highly recommend using the egg roll wrappers. They are much easier to roll and the ratio of stuffing to wrapper is better. The size is small enough for party food once sliced in half.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Egg roll wrappers are typically made of wheat flour and are not gluten-free. You can sub for rice paper rolls, but as I mentioned above these are thinner and more delicate. Cut cooking time in half if using these.

Can I use canned corned beef?

Canned works just fine with this recipe! I prefer homemade or fresh deli sliced corned beef though. Or fresh pastrami.

Can these egg rolls be made ahead of time?

Absolutely! Roll them all up a couple days ahead of time then store in the refrigerator and cook prior to serving. Be sure to use parchment paper to keep them separate though, or they’ll get stuck together.

What to serve with Irish Egg Rolls:

These Reuben egg rolls make a great appetizer for pretty much any meal or as the meal themselves. But my favorite way to serve them is with other party food appetizers! Whether it’s for a game day tailgate, St. Patrick’s Day party or game night at home, sometimes I prefer to just serve appetizers to snack on throughout the evening. Try my Hot Cajun Crab Dip Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Asian Pork Tenderloin Tostadas , or Burrata Crostini to serve alongside.

If you’re making these for a St. Patrick’s Day party, be sure to try my Irish Mojito recipe as well!

Storage and Reheating Instructions:

If you decide not to cook all the Reuben Egg Rolls right away, you can freeze them uncooked for up to 6 months. To cook from frozen follow instructions above but add on a few additional minutes for each method.

For already cooked leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the air fryer, oven, or toaster oven for about 5 minutes at 400 degrees. I don’t recommend reheating in the microwave as they’ll become soggy.

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