Hot Ham and Cheese Party Sandwiches

Hot Ham and Cheese that’s been baked with Hawaiian rolls and an onion & Dijon butter sauce make the perfect party sandwiches.

When I was a kid, we’d make two sandwiches all the time: hot ham and cheese and tuna cheesies. Both were wrapped in tinfoil then baked in the oven until they were hot and the cheese was melted and gooey. These were the 80’s version of party sandwiches.

We lived in a pretty small town and I still remember when we got our first fast-food joint. It was a Hardee’s and even then they served their hot ham and cheese sandwiches. My parents still love to tease me that they’d be going to the Pine Tree for a nice dinner and invite me along. I’d always respond with “just get me a hot ham and cheese, Dukes of Hazzard is on tonight”. 😂

So despite this hot ham and cheese recipe not being quite the same thing, it still brings fond memories to mind.

I make party sandwiches all the time, regardless of whether there’s an actual party happening. They’re so simple to make, even for lunch! And you can’t beat them for dinner with a quick side salad.

These aren’t just plain old hot ham and cheese sandwiches, either. They’re called party sandwiches for a reason! Yes, they have ham and cheese on a roll, but you bake them all at once the pour over a delicious buttery onion & Dijon flavored sauce that puts these bad boys over the top.

Do Hawaiian rolls need baking? Can I skip that step?

Hawaiian rolls are already baked, so you don’t need to bake them first before assembling the party sandwiches. So you could technically skip baking them, but it’s a pretty important part of what makes these so damn good.

You want the hot cheese to stretch and pull with each bite. You want the buttery mixture to bake right into the rolls. You need these to be hot ham and cheese, not just ham and cheese.

So definitely bake them. It’s worth the extra step.

What cheese is best with ham?

Swiss cheese is the go-to for ham, and that’s what I usually use. Cheddar and ham go wonderful together, but it doesn’t melt as well so I avoid using it in this recipe. Smoked Gouda is delicious and is perfect for a more “grown-up” party sandwich.

And, although I haven’t tried it yet, brie with sliced apples could be a winner.

How do you keep the sandwiches warm at a party?

One way to do this (and keep them accessible to hungry party-goers) is to use a crockpot. Wrap each sandwich individually in foil and place them in a crockpot on its lowest setting.

You can also leave the rolls in the oven for about an hour, loosely covered with foil. Make sure to change the temperature to your ovens lowest setting.

Looking for more party sandwiches? Check out this one made from one large bread loaf or this version of a Hawaiian Roll Ham Slider! You can also make slider versions of this Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe.

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Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Nothing beats these easy sandwiches for an easy lunch, dinner or crowd-pleasing appetizer for the big game!

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Ingredients

• 12 Hawaiian-style rolls, cut in half crosswise (do not separate the rolls)
• 3/4 lb deli ham thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb swiss cheese sliced
• 6 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried minced onion
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F.
2. Coat a baking dish or sheet pan (large enough to fit the rolls in one layer) with cooking spray. Place the bottom half of the rolls in the dish.
3. Layer the ham on top of the rolls, then layer the cheese over the ham.
4. Place the tops of the rolls over the cheese.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, garlic, onions, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, and Worcestershire sauce until it's smooth.
6. Pour the butter mixture evenly over the tops of the rolls.
7. Cover the sandwiches with foil and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover the rolls and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes until the tops of the rolls are lightly browned.
8. Slice between the rolls to separate into sandwiches, then serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 701Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 1853mgCarbohydrates: 41gNet Carbohydrates: 37gFiber: 4gSugar: 2gProtein: 37g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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