Hawaiian Ham & Cheese Sliders (aka Party Sandwiches)

Hawaiian Ham & Cheese Sliders tend to be pretty common party fare (at least in my experience) and there’s good reason for that; they are easy to throw together and so tasty! So I’m throwing my offering into the ring here. These aren’t exactly like the ones from the King’s Hawaiian Rolls  website, but they’re similar.

I got the basic recipe from my friend Emily when all of our friends started getting married and we started doing grown-up things like throwing bridal showers. Since then, these sandwiches have become a staple at our house, perfect for quick dinners, parties, and potlucks. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients Needed

This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.

  • Hawaiian rolls – Like King’s Hawaiian from the bakery/bread department.
  • Poppy seed dressing – I use this Poppy Seed Dressing recipe, but feel free to use a good quality store bought variety.
  • Sliced cheese – Swiss or smoked provolone.
  • Thin sliced honey or brown sugar ham – I just get a good quality pre-packaged ham, but you could also ask the deli to just shave some really thin for you.
  • Butter
  • Poppy seeds
  • Dehydrated onion – These are the dried onion flakes, not onion powder.
  • Creole or other mild coarse-ground mustard

How to Make Hawaiian Ham & Cheese Sliders

  1. You’ll start by slicing all of your rolls at once- don’t separate them!
  2. Spread half of the poppy seed dressing on the bottom half of the rolls and half on the top.
  3. Cut the cheese into quarters and place a quarter on each roll section (so 24 total).
  4. Place a piece and a half of half on the bottom half of the rolls.
  5. Place the top half of the rolls on top of the bottoms with the ham and place the entire thing onto a sheet plan lined with foil.
  6. Mix up some melted butter, course-grain mustard, dehydrated onion, and more poppy seeds and brush this mixture over the top of the rolls.
  7. Cover the whole thing with foil and pop it in the oven until the cheese is melted. Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes after removing from the oven, then pull apart and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yep! Assemble the sandwiches and cover tightly, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, mix up the topping, brush it over the top, and bake as directed.

Can these be frozen?

Sure! Assemble the sandwiches, brush the tops with the butter mixture, and wrap tightly in plastic then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, remove plastic, cover tightly in foil, and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°F, or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Could I freeze these in portions?

Absolutely. Wrap in desired amounts following the freezing instructions on the recipe card. Fewer sandwiches will warm faster than a whole pan, so just check on them periodically and remove from the oven when the cheese has melted.

Hawaiian Ham & Cheese Sandwiches (aka Party Sandwiches)

5 from 4 votes
Crowd-pleasing and easy to make ahead of time, these are perfect for parties, showers, or a quick and easy dinner.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings6 servings of 2 sliders each

Ingredients

  • 1 dozen Hawaiian Rolls
  • ½ cup Our Best Bites Poppy Seed Dressing see links above
  • 6 slices Swiss or smoked provolone cheese
  • 18 thin slices honey or brown sugar ham
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
  • 1 teaspoon dehydrated onion
  • 1 teaspoon Creole or other mild coarse-ground mustard

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×13" pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.
  • Slice the rolls in half (don’t separate them, just slice the whole dozen in half at once). Spread half of the dressing on the bottom and half on the top
  • Cut the cheese into quarters and place it on top of all the rolls (you'll get better coverage if you cut it into pieces and then kind of fit them together.) Place 1 ½ slices of ham on each roll. Place the top half on the bottom half and place the entire thing into the pan.
  • Melt the butter and whisk in the poppy seeds, dehydrated onion, and mustard. Spread it evenly over the rolls. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • These can stay out for up to 3 hours after baking, then need to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy within 2-3 days for best results.
  • Freeze assembled, unbaked sliders, wrapped tightly in plastic, then foil, for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, remove plastic, cover tightly in foil, and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°F, or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Nutrition

Serving: 2sliders, Calories: 439kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 876mg, Potassium: 136mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 298IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 155mg, Iron: 0.5mg
Course: Appetizers, Lunch, Main Courses
Cuisine: Feeding a Crowd, Sandwiches
Keyword: Hawaiian Ham & Cheese Sandwiches (aka Party Sandwiches)
Calories: 439kcal
Author: Our Best Bites
Cost: $12
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
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Meet The Author

Sara Wells

Sara Wells co-founded Our Best Bites in 2008. She is the author of three Bestselling Cook Books, Best Bites: 150 Family Favorite RecipesSavoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites, and 400 Calories or Less from Our Best Bites. Sara’s work has been featured in many local and national news outlets and publications such as Parenting MagazineBetter Homes & GardensFine CookingThe Rachel Ray Show and the New York Times.

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Questions & Reviews

  1. These taste delicious. I love the flavor with the poppyseed dressing, but it made the roll a bit too soggy in my opinion so next time I’ll try and put some dressing between the ham and cheese. The bottoms of my rolls got a bit too browned so I maybe check them at 15 min.

  2. 5 stars
    Just be careful to measure the dressing and not use the whole recipe of dressing on 12 rolls like I did the first time lol. Delicious the second time.