Reuben Balls Spicy Thousand Island (Printable)
Crispy, savory bites made with corned beef and Swiss, served with a zesty, spicy dipping sauce.
# What You Need:
→ Reuben Balls
01 - 1 ½ cups cooked corned beef, finely chopped
02 - 1 cup sauerkraut, well-drained and chopped
03 - 1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
04 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
05 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
06 - ½ tsp black pepper
07 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
10 - Vegetable oil for frying
→ Spicy Thousand Island Sauce
11 - ½ cup mayonnaise
12 - 2 tbsp ketchup
13 - 1 tbsp dill pickle relish
14 - 1 tsp prepared horseradish
15 - 1 tsp hot sauce
16 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
17 - ½ tsp garlic powder
18 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Combine chopped corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, cream cheese, Dijon mustard, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix until evenly blended.
02 - Roll mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined tray. Freeze for 20 minutes to firm up.
03 - Arrange three shallow bowls: flour in one, beaten eggs in second, panko breadcrumbs in third.
04 - Coat each ball in flour, dip in egg, then coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs.
05 - Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or saucepan to 350°F.
06 - Fry balls in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.
07 - Whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, pickle relish, horseradish, hot sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
08 - Serve Reuben balls warm with spicy Thousand Island sauce for dipping.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- Everything you love about a Reuben sandwich transformed into an irresistible finger food that disappears faster than you can fry them
- The spicy twist on Thousand Island sauce will have people dipping twice and asking for the recipe before they even finish their first bite
02 -
- Never skip the freezer step. I learned this the hard way when I tried to rush and ended up with corned beef and cheese soup in my fryer. Twenty minutes makes all the difference between perfect spheres and a disappointing mess.
- Keep your oil temperature steady. When you add cold balls, the temp drops. If it falls below 340°F, the coating absorbs too much oil and gets greasy instead of crispy. Adjust your heat as needed between batches.
03 -
- Add a pinch of caraway seeds to the corned beef mixture for that authentic rye bread flavor in every bite
- If baking instead of frying, spray the balls generously with olive oil cooking spray and flip halfway through for even browning