The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (2024)

Published: by Sharon Farnell · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

This quick and easy Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe utilizes store bought ingredients and an (optional) homemade broccoli slaw for a super tasty classic deli sandwich you can whip up in under 20 minutes!

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A quick, easy and delicious Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe

Want a classic New York Deli style sandwich at home? Look no further than this easy Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe! Made with deli counter pastrami and Swiss cheese, with plenty of coleslaw, pickles and Russian dressing, this buttery, crisp and delicious sandwich is sure to curb your cravings, without the trip to New York City!

This is seriously the best hot pastrami sandwich, with plenty of melted cheese, pickle slices, and tender pastrami. The best part? You can grab all the ingredients at your local grocery store, making this easy recipe even easier!

This classic pastrami sandwich would be a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s day, or even national hot pastrami sandwich day (yes, that's a real thing).

The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (1)

Ingredients

This easy hot pastrami sandwich recipe comes together quickly and easily with mostly store bought ingredients, for a tasty, crispy sandwich that satisfies! Add homemade broccoli slaw for an extra crisp finish (recipe included in recipe card below!)

  • Rye bread. I love a good bakery style Jewish Rye for this recipe, but you can use any Rye bread you like, the sturdier the better. Marble Rye bread is also a great option. Hearty slices of rye bread make this sandwich extra tasty!
  • Softened butter. You'll use butter to crisp up the deli Pastrami, as well as for generously buttering the outside of each slice of bread, to ensure a crisp, golden exterior.
  • Russian dressing, for spreading on the inside of each slice of Rye bread. My go-to is Ken's.
  • Deli sliced Swiss cheese.
  • Sliced deli Pastrami.
  • Thinly sliced dill pickles, to taste.
  • Coleslaw. I love to use homemade broccoli slaw for these sandwiches (full recipe in recipe card below), but you can use any of your favorite coleslaws for this recipe.
The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (2)

How to make this hot pastrami sandwich recipe

  1. Butter outsides of each of the slices of bread with softened butter, coating the whole outside of the sandwich for even browning.
  2. Add 2 tablespoon butter to a large frying pan, and melt over medium-high heat.
  3. Add pastrami in a single layer, and cook 1 minute a side, until slightly browned.
  4. While pastrami warms and browns, spread Russian dressing on the inside of the bread.
  5. Add warmed pastrami to one side of bread on Russian dressing side, and reduce pan heat to medium-low.
  6. Top pastrami with coleslaw, pickles, and Swiss cheese.
  7. Top with bread, butter side facing out.
  8. Transfer sandwich to the pan and cook over medium-low until both sides of the bread are golden brown, 4-5 minutes a side.
  9. Slice and serve hot!
The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (3)
The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (4)
The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (5)
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The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (7)

Serving the sandwiches

These tasty, melty pastrami sandwiches go great with just about any classic sandwich accompaniment, from potato chips, to classic potato salad, pasta salad,or crispy french fries. If you're making the homemade broccoli slaw (recipe below), it makes a great side dish as well!

This is a big sandwich, so it also makes a great sandwich to split with a friend for lunch!

The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (8)

Substitutions and Additions

This tasty hot pastrami sandwich recipe is easily customized to your tastes, and what you have on hand. Here are some great substitutions and additions you can make to make this sandwich your own!

  • No rye bread? Try pumpernickel, marble rye, or even sourdough!
  • Not a fan of Russian dressing? Try Thousand Island dressing, or replace the dressing with a thin layer of spicy brown mustard or stone ground mustard.
  • Try provolone cheese in place of Swiss cheese, or even some pepper jack cheese for a little kick.
  • If you can't find pastrami meat at your local deli, you could substitute some deli sliced corned beef.
  • Add some tomato slices for a touch of freshness.
  • Swap the coleslaw for some tart sauerkraut.This would be like a pastrami twist on a classicreuben sandwich.
The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (9)

More delicious sandwich recipes

If you love this easy hot pastrami sandwich recipe, you'll love these delicious sandwich recipes, too!

  • Slow Cooker South Philly Italian Shredded Pork Sandwiches
  • Extra Crispy Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
  • East Sloppy Joe Sliders
  • Cheesy Baked Hamburger Sliders with Everything Bagel Buttered Buns
The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (10)

The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (11)

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe

This quick and easy Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe utilizes store bought ingredients and an (optional) homemade broccoli slaw for a super tasty classic deli sandwich you can whip up in under 20 minutes!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time12 minutes mins

Total Time17 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, lunch

Keyword: sandwiches

Servings: 1

Ingredients

  • 2 slices Rye bread
  • 2 tablespoon salted butter, softened (plus more for bread)
  • 2 tablespoon Russian dressing
  • 2 thick slices deli Swiss cheese
  • 6 slices deli pastami
  • thinly sliced dill pickles, to taste
  • ¼ cup coleslaw or broccoli slaw (recipe below)

Instructions

  • **If making broccoli slaw (recipe below), make at least 1 hour ahead, and up to 2 days in advance of preparing the sandwich.

    1.Butter outsides of each slice of bread with softened butter, coating the whole outside of the sandwich for even browning.

    2.Add 2 tablespoon butter to a large frying pan, and melt over medium-high heat.

    3.Add pastrami in a single layer, and cook 1 minute a side, until slightly browned.

    4.While pastrami warms and browns, spread Russian dressing on the insides of both pieces of bread.

    5.Add warmed pastrami to one side of bread on Russian dressing side, and reduce pan heat to medium-low.

    6.Top pastrami with coleslaw, pickles, and Swiss cheese.

    7.Top with bread, butter side facing out.

    8.Transfer sandwich to the pan and cook over medium-low until both sides of the bread are golden, 4-5 minutes a side.

    9.Slice and serve hot!

    Broccoli slaw:

    •½ lb broccoli slaw mix

    •¼ cup mayonaise

    •½ tablespoon milk (use what you drink)

    •½ tablespoon sugar

    •1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (preferably organic)

    •¼ teaspoon celery seeds

    •¼ teaspoon poppy seeds

    •cracked pepper and sea salt, to taste

    •A dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

    1.Add all ingredients to a bowl, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving.

© Jawns I Cooked. All images & content are the sole property of Jawns I Cooked. Please ask permission prior to using my photos. If you would like to share one of my recipes, please link back to this post and re-write the instructions in your own words.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jen says

    The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (16)
    I was in the mood for a hot pastrami sandwich and searched for a recipe that used coleslaw and was similar to what I wanted and I found yours. Your photo caught my eye. I had to swap for a few ingredients, which I try not to do the first time and is a no-no for some, however, my sandwich was absolutely delicious! I ended up using sourdough bread, deli coleslaw, Muenster cheese, and thousand islands dressing because that’s what I had. I absolutely will make this again and will try it with pumpernickel rye and Swiss. Thanks for posting this recipe!

    Reply

    • Sharon Farnell says

      So happy to hear this, Jen!

      Reply

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The Best Homemade Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the best cheese for pastrami sandwich? ›

Add provolone to one slice and Swiss to the other slice. Grill until bread is toasted and cheese has melted, approximately 5 minutes, then remove from the flattop.

What is the best condiment to put on a pastrami sandwich? ›

Good quality smooth mustard for pastrami. Brown or yellow, but it should be smooth. For sliced (roasted) beef, horseradish sauce ( or mayonnaise mixed with finely grated horseradish). If you can't stand horseradish, use plain mayonnaise.

Do you put mayo on a pastrami sandwich? ›

Method
  1. Cut 2 slices from the bloomer, or bread of your choice, and spread a little mustard over one slice.
  2. Top with the pastrami beef, Swiss cheese or other hard cheese, tomato slices and a few lettuce leaves.
  3. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the other slice of bread and put on top of the sandwich.

What kind of mustard is best for pastrami? ›

Brown mustard's boldness can stand up to strongly-flavored fillings. If you love big, meaty sandwiches layered with items such as roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, or ham, then you may have noticed that spicy brown mustard is truly the best choice for spreading across deli sandwiches.

What is a good binder for pastrami? ›

Coat the brisket in a thin layer of mustard to use as a binder. Season the brisket generously on all sides with the pastrami rub.

What is the best bread to eat with pastrami? ›

Place and spread on Pumpernickel rye, Marble rye or caraway rye bread.

What animal does pastrami come from? ›

» Type of Cuts

While beef is the common meat source for corned beef and pastrami, they have different types of cuts. Usually, brisket is used for corned beef. It is the lower area of a cow's chest. Meanwhile, brisket for pastrami comes from the beef plate, shoulder, or cow's naval area.

What is the main flavor of pastrami? ›

Pastrami has a deeply savory, salty, and smoky flavor, and a little mustard provides some balancing tang. This deli meat is best served warm, so be sure to steam it before you pile it onto bread.

What's the difference between a Reuben and a pastrami sandwich? ›

A Reuben is corned beef + Swiss cheese + Russian dressing + sauerkraut. You can ask for a "pastrami Reuben" and they'll figure it out. A pastrami sandwich would just have pastrami. Or you can ask for a Rachel, which is pastrami + Swiss cheese + cole slaw + Russian dressing.

What does Katz put on their pastrami sandwich? ›

Here at Katz's, we serve our pastrami on seedless rye bread with a healthy schmear of deli mustard. It's best eaten hot while etc... If this sounds like a lot of work…. well you're right, it is!

Is pastrami sandwich better hot or cold? ›

Alas, it's not unusual to be served pastrami at room temperature, but there's one cardinal reason why pastrami should be served hot: warm fat is delicious, silky, and flavorful; cold fat is yucky. Cold meat can be enjoyable, particularly cold ham or cold turkey.

What goes with hot pastrami sandwiches? ›

The best side dishes to serve with pastrami sandwiches are pickles, caramelized onion, cheese dip, tater tots, corn on the cob, potato salad, French fries, coleslaw, sweet potato fries, garden salad, onion rings, and macaroni salad.

Does pastrami and cheese go together? ›

My loaded pastrami included nutty Swiss cheese, crisp shredded lettuce for crunch, diced pickles for sharpness, mayo and, of course, the mustard. My go-to favorite has always been the Maille Dijon Originale and it added the perfect flavor punch to all these ingredients.

Does pastrami taste good with cheese? ›

Pastrami is a Jewish-American cured meat similar to corned beef, but smoked and steamed instead of stewed, making it tender and easily sliceable. You've likely seen pastrami between rye stacked with Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing for a Reuben, which is a classic and delicious way to enjoy the sliced meat.

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