Healthier Reuben Dip (Oven, Microwave or Crock Pot Appetizer Recipe)
~ Rich and creamy, this appetizer recipe is just loaded with the ever-popular flavors of a Reuben sandwich! It’s so much healthier than typical Reuben dips, but no one can ever taste the difference – this is a crowd favorite every time we serve it! Bonus points: it’s super quick and easy (you can mix it up right in your serving dish!), and it can even be made ahead! ~
This Recipe Is: • Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Make Ahead • Gluten Free (depending on your choice of dippers) •
Do you remember those moments from when you were a kid … when you suddenly felt oh-so grown-up and glimpsed the promised land of the adults?
Maybe it was the (terrifying!) first time you rode your bike without training wheels …
Or the day you got your metal-mouth braces off and smiled at that cute boy in math class with full-on pearly whites …
Well, one of my “growing up” moments involved a Reuben sandwich. (Hmmmmm … this possibly should’ve been an early clue about what a lunatic-foodie I’d one day become …)
My mom and I had spent the whole morning shopping together for new clothes, just for me. That, in itself, was a luxury – shopping without my little brother tagging along!
In a very indulgent move, we ended our day with lunch in the department store’s restaurant. A real restaurant! With waitresses! Just my mom and me! This was a rare, special treat back then.
But what to order …
My mom gleefully spied Reuben sandwiches on the menu. She looooooves Reubens, and happily described to me the piles of corned beef, melty Swiss cheese, tangy sauerkraut and sweet-tart dressing. Sounded kinda weird, actually. But intriguing … and so very exotic! Obviously something an adult (like my mom) would eat!
Ok. I ordered one, too. How very grown-up of me. (No laughing, now … I was maybe all of 11 years old …)
And as we sat together in that little restaurant, chatting after a day of shopping, we happily munched our exotic and oh-so-adult Reuben sandwiches, and I glimpsed how fabulous it must be to actually be an adult.
I loved that department-store Reuben sandwich just as much as my mom did … and I’ve loved Reubens ever since. (Even now that they’re completely not exotic, and you can order one at any sandwich shop across the country.)
Regular Reubens, turkey Reubens, even Reuben dip … I adore them all!
But what I don’t adore is the nutritional profile that comes along with them.
Even though corned beef can actually be rather lean (the brand of deli-sliced extra-lean corned beef I buy has only about 1 gram of fat per slice), a typical Reuben is piled excessively high with meat … which adds up. Then you’ve got full-fat Swiss cheese, plus bottled salad dressing, which can pack on additional unhealthy fats and other less-than-healthy ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup.
Reuben dips are hardly much better, especially since they usually take all the problems of a Reuben sandwich and swirl in even more unhealthy fat in the form of full-fat cream cheese.
*Sigh*
Maybe the promised land of adulthood isn’t so swell after all …
But wait!
It doesn’t have to be that way!
I set out to make a seriously delicious, so-much healthier Reuben dip a couple of months ago, on Super Bowl Sunday.
I was shocked at my success (if I do say so myself 😀 ).
It rocked.
We scarfed it down.
It tasted just like a regular Reuben dip.
Huh!
I’ve made this recipe several times in the last couple of months, and always to rave reviews – even from people who are self-proclaimed Reuben lovers (and who have no idea whatsoever that they’re eating a healthified version of their fave Reuben party dip).
It’s an absolute must-have in any line-up of Super Bowl snacks and even March Madness food … for all sports gatherings, really. And, of course, Reubens and St. Patrick’s Day are obvious BFFs.
There’s really no wrong time to serve this Reuben Dip! (Lucky, because trust me … you’ll CRAVE it!)
Oh, and since we’re all grown-ups here, and you’re probably at least as busy as I am (with all the grown-up stuff life brings), let me just say two more things that will make you happy, happy:
1) You can mix this right in the serving container if you want to! No extra dishes to wash! (*joy*)
2) You can mix this entire recipe together ahead of time, so all you have to do before you serve it is just heat it up! (*glee*)
Uh-huh! Turns out Reubens and happiness go hand-in-hand.
And even if I don’t spend my days roller skating and playing Barbies anymore, being a grown-up really is pretty darn swell … just as I’d always imagined it would be!
Healthier Reuben Dip (Oven, Microwave or Crock Pot)
This Reuben Dip recipe is inspired by the flavors of a Reuben sandwich! So quick and easy (mix it up right in your serving dish). And, it can even be made ahead!
• Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Make Ahead • Gluten Free (depending on your choice of dippers) •
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons ketchup (natural or organic, see note)
- 2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
- 4 teaspoons sweet pickle relish (natural or organic, see note)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces extra-lean deli corned beef, chopped (see note)
- 4 ounces reduced-fat Swiss cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup sauerkraut
- for garnish: finely chopped parsley (if desired)
- for serving: whole grain crackers, or mini appetizer-sized slices of rye or pumpernickel bread (lightly toasted, if desired)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl (or directly in an un-greased serving container, such as an 8x8" baking pan, a small oval baking dish, a pie pan or a mini slow cooker insert), thoroughly combine Greek yogurt, ketchup, cream cheese, pickle relish, vinegar, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Stir in corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut.
- Cook dip mixture according to your cooking method of choice (see below), until the cheese is melted and the dip is hot throughout.
- Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve with crackers or appetizer breads.
MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
- In an ungreased, microwave-safe serving dish, heat on high for about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue heating on high for an additional 2 minutes (or until thoroughly heated and bubbly at the edges). Exact cooking time may vary depending on the wattage and power of your microwave.
OVEN DIRECTIONS:
- In an ungreased, oven-safe serving dish, bake dip at 350°F for 15-20 minutes (until thoroughly heated and bubbly at the edges), stirring halfway through cooking time.
CROCK POT DIRECTIONS:
- This dip can be kept hot for parties by using a mini (1- to 2-quart) slow cooker. Cook the dip in the slow cooker until hot and melted throughout, at least an hour or two (depending on the wattage of your slow cooker), and keep the dip hot in the slow cooker throughout your party.
- If you're short on time before serving this, alternately, you can quickly heat this according to the microwave directions above, and then transfer the already-heated dip to your mini slow cooker to keep it hot during your party.
Notes
Ketchup and pickle relish: We recommend purchasing natural or organic brands of these two items whenever possible, in order to avoid brands that have high-fructose corn syrup and other "questionable" ingredients.
Corned beef: What you want to purchase is very lean corned beef, like what you would get at the deli counter, not a large corned beef brisket. While the extra-lean deli slices should weigh in at just a gram or so of fat per ounce, brisket is often about three or four times that.
Make-ahead tips: This dip can easily be mixed together ahead of time, several hours or even a day before serving. Simply cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Then, remove the plastic and heat.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 servings Serving Size: 2 tablespoons dipAmount Per Serving: Calories: 63Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 190mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information does not include optional dippers, as nutrition can vary for those, depending on what you choose to use. Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may additionally vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
I seriously need to make more dips!
Aren’t they just the best?! Sometimes we could make a meal out of dips … just so yummy and irresistible! And when they’re healthy – no guilt! YAY! 🙂 Have a great day!! ~G&S
I hadn’t used yogurt as an ingredient, need to try this! (:
What a fantastic dip and luv the use of Greek yogurt here!
It’s so yummy in so many recipes, isn’t it?! We just love the versatility of Greek yogurt! It makes it so much healthier, too – a total WIN!! (And less guilt when snacking!) 😀 ~G&S
Uh yes on so many levels. First, we love a good rueben. Second, a dip? Genius. I really like how I can make it and leave it in crockpot. Any helpful time savers are a good thing right now :).
Lol! We’ve got to agree … YES on so many levels!! We’ve got to find as many helpful little hints along the way – and the crock pot is totally a life-saver!!
And a favorite sandwich turned into a dip – so glad we could make you extra happy! It’s really, really good! Hope you try it soon! 😀 ~G&S
Wow! This will definitely take care of my Reuben craving! THANKS.
Yes! And we love how simple it is to make … in the oven, microwave or crock pot! You can have your craving curbed anytime! 🙂 This dip is also perfect to share – it’s fantastic to take to parties or even just to visit a friend! Enjoy! 🙂 ~G&S