Ham and Cheese Sliders
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These Ham and Cheese Sliders are a family staple. They are super easy to make, budget-friendly, great for a group of people, and even freezer friendly. I’ve been making these for YEARS and constantly have people ask for the recipe.
Reasons We Love This Recipe
- It’s easy! This recipe is a great one for beginner cooks. Simply layer the ingredients and drizzle a sauce over it for prep.
- It’s freezer-friendly. Simply assemble, freeze, thaw, then bake. I’ve prepped this recipe for the freezer SO many times. It works!
- It’s a kid-friendly meal. Kids and adults both love Ham and Cheese sliders.
- It’s a perfect recipe for potlucks or serving groups of people.
- You can make it in advance. Simply assemble the sliders right up until baking and store in the refrigerator. This makes it ideal for a holiday meal or Birthday Dinner.
Ingredients
- Rolls – You can use wheat or white. I like brioche rolls!
- Deli ham – You can also use leftover ham like from our Crockpot Spiral Ham.
- Swiss cheese slices – I use provolone and mozzarella a lot too.
- Butter
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire
- Poppy seeds – I often make it without these. The recipe works just fine.
- Brown sugar
Tips for Success
Since I make these so often, I have a few tricks to make them even tastier!
- I prefer to use an unsweetened ham from the deli. Since the glaze brings the sweetness factor, no need for the honey ham.
- I’ve found that I can leave the poppy seeds out and they taste just as delicious.
- I also sometimes omit the mustard if these are being made for kids. I think the mustard brings a depth of flavor but it can for sure be left out if needed.
Can I Freeze Ham & Cheese Sliders?
YES! Like many of our freezer meals, Ham & Cheese Sliders work wonderfully to prep ahead and freeze.
To Freeze:
After assembling the sandwiches and covering them in the glaze, do not bake. Wrap the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil or place them in an airtight container before freezing. (Here are a few freezer dishes we use and recommend.)
You can freeze these sandwiches for 3-6 months (or longer if you properly package them for freezing!)
To Prepare:
When you want to eat them, let them thaw in the fridge overnight and then just bake them as directed.
FAQs
You use any down-the-pipe dinner roll that you find at the store. It saves a little time if they are pre-sliced! Popular choices are Hawaiian Rolls, Brioche Buns, or Wheat Rolls.
Butter
Dijon mustard
Worcestershire
Poppyseeds
Brown sugar
Yes! This is one of the many reasons I love this recipe. If I have a group of people coming over or just want to get dinner done ahead of time, I prep the sliders all the way up until baking. I stick them in my fridge (for up to 2 days) and then just pull them out and bake them when I’m ready!
While the buns do soak up the sauce a bit, I wouldn’t describe them as soggy. The sliders sit in the sauce but don’t soak up too much of it.
Totally. I have done this quite a bit actually and it doesn’t change the flavor.
Make 6 Dump-and-Go Freezer Meals in 1 Hour!
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Side Dish Ideas
Here are some recipes that would be tasty to serve with Ham & Cheese Sliders:
More Slider Recipes
We are big fans of sliders because they are perfect for families (since kids can be smaller eaters) and can stretch a food budget pretty far.
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Ham and Cheese Sliders
These Ham and Cheese Sliders are a family staple. They are super easy to make, budget-friendly, great for a group of people, and even freezer friendly. I’ve been making these for YEARS and constantly have people ask for the recipe.
Ingredients
- 15–20 mini wheat rolls
- 1 pound deli ham
- 7 ounces Swiss cheese slices
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon poppyseeds (find in spice aisle)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
- Assemble the sandwiches, using 1-2 slices of folded ham and a 1/2 slice of cheese on the rolls. Place in 9×13 baking dish (or whatever size you have). Squeeze sandwiches in side by side.
- Mix butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds and brown sugar into medium sauce pan.
- On medium-high heat, bring sauce to a boil and then reduce heat.
- Lightly drizzle each sandwich with the prepared sauce. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes.
Freeze For Later: Prepare sandwiches with sauce on top in casserole dish, but do not bake. Seal tightly with a lid or wrap with plastic wrap and/or foil very well. Freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Let sandwiches thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake according to directions in step 6.
Notes/Tips
- Don’t let the sauce boil too long or it will get very sticky!
- Sometimes kids are turned off by the poppyseeds. You can leave those out if that’s the case.
- Many types of cheese will work. I often use provolone or mozzarella instead of Swiss.
I’ve been making this for years- it’s my simple “go to” for bringing a meal to friends who just had a baby
So fun! Thanks for sharing Marie. What a blessing to your friends.
These are great. My whole family loves them from teenaged to adults. Quick & easy.
Yes! This is one of those go-to recipes for me when I have to throw something together for a group of people. EVERYONE does love them and you are right – quick & easy! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Michelle!
So what if the sauce got too thick. Will it still work. I put it on, thick and sticky, and plan to freeze and bake later. Should I start over? It does not taste overcooked or burned.
Hi Jan! I’ve not had the sauce get too thick, but if it doesn’t taste burned, I think it will be ok. Once you bake it, come back and let us know how it turned out in case the same thing happens to others.
These are amazing and I was so thankful for the freezer instructions!
Glad you enjoyed these Janelle. I almost always make a second batch of these for the freezer because it hardly takes any time at all to do that and then I’ve got a meal to give or use in the future. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
I make this for every party that we host. It is always such a HIT! Everyone loves it and always asks for the recipe. I stick with the ham, but I love switching up the cheeses especially when we make large batches. It’s fun to have a few different cheese combos!
Yes! I am a fan of switching up cheeses in recipes like this also. I’m a pepper jack girl and love that extra kick though there are so many yummy cheeses that go with ham. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Jaemi!
Made these slider for several events and everyone loved them including me
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Jackie. So glad your group enjoyed these.
I have now made this recipe twice for our college church group (this is super easy to double or triple) and it’s always a hit with them. Definitely keeping this recipe handy
Love to hear this Morgan! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Delicious!!
This is a reader favorite for sure! Thanks for the review JoEllen.
Made this for family dinner yesterday. My whole family and guests raved over it! I did make homemade rolls and used about half of the topping mix, also went easy on the sugar as I don’t like things too sweet. Definitely a keeper recipe!
I bet the homemade rolls took it to the next level! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Kirstin.
My cousin made these for a family get together and I thought they were amazing! Just made them for lunch for my family yesterday and now I’m making them again! Cant wait to make them for a party.
Hi Carissa! So glad you found a winner recipe to make for various groups. Thanks for the review.
I made this for a wedding shower. Prep was easy and I froze ahead. Made it again using spiral sliced ham. Flavors were delicious with topping sauce! Thanks for another great recipe!
Yum! So smart to make it ahead. Glad to hear it was a hit at the shower.
I’ve made these in the past for family backyard BBQ. We love them. I want to make them when we go camping this year but am wondering if just wrapping them in foil and heating them over the campfire would work? Should I flip them half way through to get an even bake? Any thoughts would be welcomed!
Hi Holly. I have only cooked over a campfire a few times in my life. With these it is just about heating everything through and melting the cheese, so your plan seems like a good one to me! Let us know how they turn out in case others want to give it a try.
Sounds like a plan! I’ll let you know!
We love these sliders! My daughter would like me to make them for her graduation party. I am looking for ideas on how to keep them warm as we are having her party at a park!
Hi Heather. Great idea! I think for sure you could heat them at home in the oven until very hot, cover in foil, and place in an insulated carrier to keep them warm for maybe 2 hours. I haven’t tried this, but another idea is to trasfer them to a slow cooker and setting it to “warm” setting.
Hello, i need some advice, i wanted to make these for a funeral luncheon on thurs 18th, the recipe i have says br brush on rolls I believe it was the top and bottoms, i was wondering if i prepared them, and froze them would i have to bake them part way, or have them baked at the before the lunch the recipe i have is butter, poppy seed, onion, mustard
Hi Darla. You can make them without baking and freeze them. Then thaw completely and bake before the lunch. So sorry for your loss.
Hi Carla! How did they turn out? I want to make them for a funeral too.
These are so easy, freeze-ahead and reheat so well. My kid doesn’t usually like ham but he loves these and asks me to make them again and again. A hit with adults as well. Great with a side salad. We usually use brioche slider buns since they are easiest to find at our grocery.
We make these a lot in our household for tailgates and parties! So good and so easy and almost always a hit with everyone. Thanks for the review Bess!
A big hit with my family and we don’t usually love things with ham! I use wheat bolillos rolls and cut them in half. I also use 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil and 2 T of melted butter for the sauce with a little bit more of the Dijon and Worcestershire.
Hi Alisa. Glad your family enjoyed these. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review as well as your substitutions for other readers.