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.
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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.
Can you make these a day ahead of time and place in the fridge? Then bake the next day.
Yes, absolutely!
Tasteful recipe, congrats. And easy 🙂 Do you think we can use spanish or iberico ham? It should be delicious.
Hi Pam. So glad you liked this recipe. I’m not familiar with those types of ham, sorry!
Have you tried these with other meat/cheese combinations? Do you think glaze would work well with roast beef/swiss or roast beef/provolone?
We haven’t, but it’s a good idea. Let us know if you do and it works.
Did you end up trying other meat/cheese combinations? Of yes, what did you choose and did it work with the glaze?
I have used deli turkey and swiss/provolone and they were good.
Good to know, thanks!
Do these have a strong mustard taste?
No they don’t.
We’ve been hosting 7 pre-teen boys for a week- majority of them fairly picky eaters. This is the third recipe I’ve made for them thus far (I power cooked ahead of time to save time and money.) THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. 3 meals in no one is asking if we are ordering pizza, which I am not above; instead, I’ve heard “hmmm, this is good” or “what is this, the topping is delicious” OR silence while eating which is the highest compliment.
First off, I’m super impressed that you’re hosting that many tween boys…wow! And, you’re right, cooking for them is no easy task. So happy to hear that our recipe helped you cook ahead and that they liked it. What a compliment! 😉
These look great! Could you please update the recipe with the type of mustard? Dried? Yellow? Dijon? Thanks so much!
Will do!
Hi! These look delicious. Does the glaze make these a bit messy? We will be having over several families along with their children and I don’t want to serve these with the sauce if it’ll make the sliders messy. Thanks!
The sauce just makes a little glaze on top, but it’s not messy.
I’m thinking of taking these to a football game where I need to feed a group of people during the 3rd quarter so they won’t be eaten for a couple of hours after I make them. There isn’t a microwave or anything to warm them while at the game. Have you ever had the delay like this with the sliders? Are they still good at that point?
The won’t get soggy but I worry about them being at room temperature for that long since there is meat and cheese. If you can find a way to keep them warm, they’d be perfect!
Made these for a small group – BIG success! They were demolished in no time. Wow, will be making these again soon!! Thanks so much!!
By the way, I often send ham and cheese sandwiches with my grandchildren to school. No problem with spoilage. Bet they’ll love these!!
Yes! That’s great to hear, Laverne. Thank you for the review and comment.
Do they get soggy as they thaw?
Surprisingly no! The glaze is thick enough so it doesn’t effect the texture too much.
These look so good! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I like the trend of mini freezer items, I’ve seen other recipes for mini chicken pot pies and also cinnamon rolls. All are huge hits with my kids.
So if I was making these for him to take to work think they would be okay to bake and then freeze?
I haven’t tried that, but I think it would probably work.
HOW MUCH HAM AND HOW MUCH CHEESE?
Thanks for the question, Summer. I just updated the recipe!
What would you serve as a side? Thanks in advance.
Ideas of simple sides: veggies and chips with dip (try Creamy Avocado Dip on our site), fresh fruit salad, Greek Garden salad, Oven Roasted Broccoli. Here are more side ideas on our site:
https://thrivinghomeblog.com/category/eat-well/recipe/sides/
You said in your post that the lunches were good for microwaving, but I only see instructions for baking. Are these meals microwavable? They all look delicious and I know my hubby would enjoy them, but his lunches have to be microwaved at work.
Well most of the lunches would be cooked ahead of time and then warmed in the microwave.
Of course! Lol thank you!
We have made these several times and they can be reheated in the microwave, but not prepared in the microwave.
Do you think I could make groups of 4 in a foil packet, wrap tight and freeze in a big Ziploc, then thaw and bake all in the same foil? It’s just my husband and myself so I need smaller portions.
Hi there!
Have you ever substituted sesame seeds for the poppy seeds?
Ooo, no, but that sounds like a fantastic idea.