The latke-Reuben casserole is a slow cooker wonder filled with corned beef, sauerkraut and melted swiss cheese nestled between two layers of potato pancakes.

Potato pancake grilled Reuben sandwich on a wooden board with Russian dressing dip in the background

I love Hanukkah!! For those who aren’t familiar, Hanukkah is a Jewish wintertime celebration that last for eight days/nights. Known as the Festival of Lights, the story behind the celebration of Hanukkah is a long and detailed one.

The bottom line is that much of the celebration commemorates a miracle that occurred in the second century BCE. A candelabra (Menorah) with enough oil for one day miraculously stayed lit for eight. As part of the celebration, candles are lit each of the 8 nights and food cooked in oil is served. You can find out more about Hanukkah here

lazy Latke-Reuben casserole; a perfect Hanukkah treat

Two of the most traditional foods to eat on Hanukkah are donuts and Latkes (potato pancakes) - both deliciously fried! Traditional slow cookers do not fry but there is no way I can let my slow cookers stay cold on a fun and happy holiday like Hanukkah.

So, I developed this delicious Lazy-Latke Reuben Casserole as this perfect Hanukkah treat. It can be served during your Hanukkah celebration - or any celebration that doesn’t involve calorie counting.

Luckily, this dish is not only great for Hanukkah - it also has become a family staple on St Patty’s Day! I can’t think of a more delicious way to eat corned beef and cabbage than in this amazing creation!

A traditional Reuben is a grilled sandwich consisting of sliced corned beef, sour kraut, melted Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing on rye bread. A Latke-Reuben Casserole is a mash-up of these intense flavors with latkes. I am not sure there could be a better pairing.

Lazy Latke-Reuben Hacks:

This recipe calls for frozen latke’s/potato pancakes. They are readily available in the freezer section of most supermarkets. If you are less lazy than I am and you want to make your own, here is a great recipe.
The better corned beef you buy, the better your end product will be. I bought extra lean corned beef from a local deli (although, you can make great corned beef in your slow cooker as well!).
I make this recipe in a 3.5 quart casserole slow cooker, but a more traditional oval slow cooker would work too. If you are using an oval slow cooker, a 6 quart or larger one would work best.
I serve this with a side of Russian dressing for dipping for the full “Reuben” effect. There are plenty of commercial Russian dressings on the market, but my favorite is simply made by mixing 3 parts mayonnaise with 2 parts ketchup. Stir well to remove any lumps and you are good to go. If I am feeling fancy, I will sometimes add a spoonful of relish for good measure.

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📖 Recipe

Lazy Latke-Reuben Casserole

Warm corned beef, sauerkraut and melted swiss cheese nestled between two layers of potato pancakes.

4.50 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 3

Total Time: 3 15

Servings:

Calories: 510kcal

Author: The Lazy slow cooker

Equipment

▢
3.5 quart casserole slow cooker or 6 qt or larger oval slow cooker.
▢
aluminum foil or parchment paper

Ingredients

▢ 24 cooked latkes You will need enough to provide two layers in your slow cooker. Mine takes about 24, but this could vary based on both the size of your latkes and the size and shape of your slow cooker.
▢ 1 lb sliced corned beef
▢ 1 lb sauerkraut, drained of excess liquid
▢ ¼ lb sliced Swiss cheese
▢ 1 cup Russian dressing homemade or store bought both work

Instructions

Line slow cooker with foil or parchment paper. If using foil, spray lightly with non-stick coating of your choice. This step is important if you want to remove your casserole from your slow cooker prior to serving. If you plan to serve directly from your slow cooker, skip this step.
Cover bottom of slow cooker vessel with one layer of latkes
Fully cover latke layer with a thick layer of corned beef
Spoon a layer of sauerkraut on top of corned beef
Lay a thick layer of Swiss cheese fully covering sauerkraut
Fully cover with a layer of latkes
Cook on high 3 hours or until all layers are heated through and cheese has fully melted. Switch to warm until and during serving.
Serve with Russian dressing for dipping.
Optional step: if you would like a crispy top latke layer, you can place your slow cooker vessel under a broiler for a minute or two prior to serving. Watch careful as it can burn very quickly. Be careful moving the vessel, it will be VERY hot!

Notes

If you are not a fan of sauerkraut, feel free to leave it off. It will be delicious without it too!
To make a Kosher/dairy free version of this recipe, skip the cheese layer.

** calorie count includes Russian dressing