Get all the flavors of your favorite sandwich in an easy, low carb, keto friendly bowl! This Ruben in a bowl needs to be on your next menu plan!
Ah, the delicious corned beef. It’s an amazing dinner, with it’s deep, complex flavors. It’s a family favorite around here, for so many reasons.
Corned beef is typically a tougher cut of meat, and needs to be treated well for it to have it’s tender, juicy flavors. Oh boy, are those flavors amazing! It can make your mouth water, just thinking about it. Leftover corned beef is another favorite. It is made into delicious Ruben sandwiches.
What are Ruben sandwiches?
Traditionally, it’s corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing on toasted or grilled rye bread. Just the thought of the melty cheese, and dressing dribbling down my chin makes me want to toss another corned beef into the Instant Pot. (get the directions on how to cook it here)
Now, we don’t have leftovers very often. I live with 4 hungry guys who love my cooking, after all. So, when we have leftovers, Rubens are a tasty treat.
This keto Ruben in a bowl is the perfect way to capture all those flavors without the unwanted carbs!
It’s got the tender, juicy corned beef, the Swiss cheese, Russian dressing along with the cabbage. For this, I used sauteed cabbage instead of sauerkraut. You can make it with sauerkraut if you want, though.
The toasted sesame oil adds a new level of toasty flavor to the cabbage as it’s cooking, and brings this Ruben in a bowl to a whole new level. Your mouth will be singing all meal long! Of course, if you find yourself without a lot of leftovers, you can make this start to finish in about 3 hours, using the Instant Pot. Start it after breakfast for a tasty lunch, or you can add it to the Instant Pot before you leave for work, and it will be nice and hot for you when you get home.
Related: If you’re curious if the keto diet can help you specifically live a healthier lifestyle, take this short 1-minute quiz that will tell whether you can achieve the results you’re looking for with keto based on your goals and challenges.
Are you ready for a new tasty treat, this Ruben in a bowl?
other recipes you are sure to enjoy
Ingredients:
- 1 pound corned beef brisket leftovers
- 1 head cabbage
- 3 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup shredded swiss or mozzerella cheese
- 3/4 cup Russian dressing (get the recipe here)
Instructions:
- Cut the corned beef leftovers into 1 inch slices. Set aside.
- Chop the cabbage into 1/4″ strips.
- In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the sesame oil on medium high heat.
- Add the chopped cabbage, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Sautee for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown. Turn frequently with a pair of tongs to avoid burning.
- Place sauteed cabbage in bowl, and top with 1/4 cup cheese.
- Heat the corned beef for 1 minute in the bottom of the hot pot.
- Layer the corned beef on top of the cabbage and cheese.
- Drizzle 1 Tablespoon Russian dressing over the top.
What is your favorite sandwich substitute? Will you try this Ruben in a bowl? Be sure to let me know what you think!
Ruben In A Bowl (low carb, keto)

Ingredients
- 1 pound corned beef brisket leftovers
- 1 head cabbage
- 3 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup shredded swiss or mozzerella cheese
- 4 Tablespoons Russian dressing
Instructions
- Cut the corned beef leftovers into 1 inch slices. Set aside.
- Chop the cabbage into 1/4" strips.
- In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the sesame oil on medium high heat.
- Add the chopped cabbage, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Sautee for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown. Turn frequently with a pair of tongs to avoid burning.
- Place sauteed cabbage in bowl, and top with 1/4 cup cheese.
- Heat the corned beef for 1 minute in the bottom of the hot pot.
- Layer the corned beef on top of the cabbage and cheese.
- Drizzle 1 Tablespoon Russian dressing over the top.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer
- Corned Beef Spices By Penzeys Spices 2.3 oz 3/4 cup bag
- La Tourangelle Toasted Sesame Oil 25.4 Fl. Oz., All-Natural, Artisanal, Great for Stir Fry, Noodles, or as a Marinade
- Certified International Large Cereal, Soup, or Pasta Bowls, Chelsea Collection, 6.1 Inch, Set of 6 Assorted Designs
- REDMOND Real Sea Salt - Natural Unrefined Organic Gluten Free Fine, 26 ounce pouch (1 Pack)
- Simply Organic Pepper, Black Medium Grind Certified Organic, 2.31 Ounce Container
- Kirkland Minced California Garlic, 48-Ounce
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 671 Total Fat: 38.6g Saturated Fat: 16g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 24g Cholesterol: 151mg Sodium: 579mg Carbohydrates: 13g Fiber: 4.6g Sugar: 12g Protein: 29.6g
Zach
Some of Zach's favorite keto resources include:
Perfect Keto: For those who are looking for easy supplements that support a Keto diet, Perfect Keto offers a variety of products that make it easy to stay in ketosis including keto bars, whey protein, and keto nootropics.
KetoLogic: For those who have a sweet tooth, KetoLogic sells keto-friendly chocolate candies with only 1g of net carbs & zero added sugars.
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Hello,
that looks delicious! Thanks a lot for sharing your recipe. I am happy about further ideas.
best regards
Well, I know what we will be having for St Patrick’s Day at our house!!
Love how you’ve deconstructed this and put it in a bowl!! It looks delicious and easy!
Absolutely mouthwatering! I love the bowl idea. Makes it so much easier to eat and I actually think it tastes better!
Ah this looks amazing! I miss ruben sandwiches SO much after going gluten free, and I’m so excited that I can have it again in a bowl!
My husband loves to get a rueben sandwich when we go out, and they always look SO GOOD, but I never let myself get one. This I can do! I’m going to try this out ASAP!
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had a Reuben before. My hubby loves them, though, and this sounds delicious!
I miss reuben sandwiches so much and it never occurred to me to just add everything to a bowl. This is such a great idea! And perfect for leftover corned beef.
This is such a great idea! My favorite part of a reuben is the sauerkraut and meat!
I will definitely make this. I love the flavor Of sauerkraut and will use that instead of plain cabbage. I think a bit of caraway seeds would add the hint of having rye bread without the carbs