I first made this hot ham and cheese sandwich casserole in 2008, years after it was originally mentioned to me by a friend at work.
I’m not sure what took me so long, except that—until I tried it—it was hard to fathom how a casserole made with rolls, cheese and ham could be that good.
But, ooohhhh … is this hot ham and cheese sandwich casserole good!
Like, supremely good.
Beyond the savory, ooey-gooey cheesy goodness, my love for this recipe is further compounded by the fact that it can be made ahead.
I love a good make-ahead meal, particularly when I’m hosting a crowd.
Let’s face it … there are only so many hours in the day, and I use up all twenty-four as it is.
So, make-ahead meals also allow time to interact with guests rather than having to prep and cook in the kitchen the whole time.
(Though, as an introvert, I don’t always mind a little time alone over the stove…)
I appreciate that this hot ham and cheese sandwich casserole can be thrown together quickly, left to sit overnight so the flavors can all dance around together, and then all that’s left do is pop it in the oven the day you plan to devour it.
AND, if that wasn’t easy enough, this dish is great served hot, but it’s also terrific at room temp, which means you don’t need to worry about keeping it warm if it’s meant to be a to-go potluck dish!
I’ve been meaning to try other flavor combos, too, like roast beef and provolone with caramelized onions or turkey and brie with raspberry jam.
Because, yum!
Here are some of the kitchen tools I use to make hot ham and cheese sandwich casserole:
- Disposable metal baking dishes
- Baking dish
- Spatula
- Chef’s knife
- Convection oven (for smaller batches)
- 2 12-packs King’s Hawaiian Rolls (party potato rolls are good substitute)
- 1 pound shaved Virginia ham
- 24 slices Swiss cheese
- 1-1/2 sticks butter
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onions
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- Slice the King’s Hawaiian rolls in half. Line the bottom of a 9X13" baking pan with the bottom halves of the rolls (they should just fit). Spread the half the ham over the rolls, and then layer half the the Swiss cheese on top. Repeat the ham and cheese layers. Place the other halves of the rolls on top, press them down gently. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, combine the butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and dried onions. Over medium heat, stir until the butter has melted to create the sauce. Pour the sauce over top of the rolls, and then sprinkle the tops with the poppy seeds. Cover the pans tightly with aluminum foil, and then refrigerate for at least three hours – or overnight (better).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the covered baking dishes in the oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese has finished melting. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 24 mini sandwiches.
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I have made this before, but mine were so greasy, we couldn’t eat them. I don’t know what I did wrong, but I have seen this on the internet many times & haven’t seen any bad comments about it, so just wondering what I did wrong.
Did you use real butter? Margarine is made from different kinds of oils. This causes that greasy/oily taste and texture.
You do have to use real salted butter, these little sandwiches are so good. They just makes your taste buds do a dance with every bit.
Well they are heavier than the regular sandwich. I even reduce the amount of “sauce” I use. I use enough to keep it from drying out during baking (I believe that is the point of all the butter) but if you don’t use all the butter it is still very good. The recipe incorporates itself just fine.you do need to use at less 1/3 of the butter or else you will just have toasted sandwiches.
nothing!people love grease
LOL! It’s true, people do love grease. I would not recommend using margarine for this, the butter is such an important ingredient.
They are definitely greasy, but oh-so-good. And, yes. I ALWAYS use real butter. Salted butter.
@Dell – it’s SO true. Mmm….
Did you make TWO pans, dividing the butter mixture among them both? I’ve seen several posts using 1/2 CUP of butter (1 stick) for one pan.
How long can they stay in the fridge? I want to prep them tonight and eat them tomorrow for dinner
Yes, the recipe is for two pans – equally distributing the ingredients.
As for making ahead, I’d say 24-36 hours ahead is probably fine.
Wondering, do you think a pizza version of this would work? Pepperoni, salami, mozzerella, squish of sauce..??? Kid party coming up….
Hmmm… That’s not a bad idea! I’ve never tried it with another combo. What did you decide?
I just made these sandwiches and our whole family loved them!!!! However, I made mine with 1/2 cup of butter ,brown sugar (2 T), some onion power (pinch), garlic and honey Dijon mustard. I just spooned over top and they were not greasy or soggy!
YUMMO
@Tay Day – brown sugar! What a great idea!! Glad you liked them!
My husband doesn’t eat pork and my four year old refuses to eat dijon. (I’m surrounded by picky eaters) so I’m thinking a lb of fresh deli turkey but what can I use in place of the dijon!? Please and thanks!
Hmmm…. You could use any other mustard if it’s just Dijon he hates. Or, skip mustard altogether and use mayo. Turkey/Provolone would be good, so would roast beef/cheddar. Lots of workable combos!
I just wanted to say I made these last Sunday for lunch after my daughters blessing, and they were a hit! They were gone so fast I didn’t even get to try one (the life of a mom). I’m so grateful I found this recipe just when I needed it! Although I couldn’t find Virginia ham at the last minute, I used Tavern ham instead (not really sure of the difference) but these were SO simple to make. I’ll have to make them again so I can actually taste them! Thanks!
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I’m I the only one who can’t fit 24 rolls in a 9×11 dish?
Erin – You’re using the small rolls, right? And they fit really tight. 🙂
Would these be ok to make ahead and freeze? Maybe without the mixture?
You could certainly try! Would be interesting to bake them while frozen…perhaps a little lower, for longer?
I have been making these wonderful little sammies for several years and they’ve always been a huge hit. I have used several different meat and cheese combinations, but one of the very favorites would be the Reubens. I haven’t found any small rye rolls, so I just use the wheat Hawaiian rolls, and substitute corned beef for the ham (still use swiss cheese). The other thing to make them Reubens, of course, is to add sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing (it’s very easy to make homemade and so good!) I bake them without the dressing then lift the lids and slather it on afterwards. Same butter/poppyseed sauce and same baking time. Hope you try them and love them as much as we do! 🙂
That sounds amazing! I lovvvvve Ruebens!
I’ve made these for tailgating and everyone loves them!! I have used at times, Colonial dinner time rolls, which are very small rolls (rectangle shape). They are equally as good in taste, but smaller in size. I haven’t tried deli turkey and provolone, but will the next time I make them. Enjoy your comments. Kathy M.
I make these all the time as well. I absolutely love the wrought iron pan holder in the photo. Do you remember where you bought it?
Thanks! It was from one of those in-home party things. I bought it probably 8-10 years ago, and I can’t remember for the life of me what the name of the company is. “Home” something…
How are these when they’ve cooled? I want to take them to work luncheon, but they’ll have to be baked ahead of time. Maybe using a crock pot (stacking the sandwiches) as a warmer?
Any suggestions? Thanks!
They’re still good cooled, but definitely not as awesome as they are warmed. I like your idea of bringing a slow cooker to keep them warm! That would also probably keep them from drying out.
What if I used left over ham from Christmas instead of deli ham?
I’m sure that would be delicious! The texture will be different since Christmas ham is a thicker cut than the thin deli ham, but still good! (And I’m a big fan of making use of leftovers, so I’d go for it!)
Okay, the recipe calls for a total of 48 rolls, right? So is one pound of ham and 24 slices of cheese enough for 48 sandwiches? Do you cut the cheese in half or what?
Yep, just split the cheese evenly between the two pans. Though, I’d never be one to object to more cheese, if you decided to try 24 slices per pan! Enjoy!
The recipe says 2 -12 roll package which equals 24. If you use potato rolls you would have to adjust the numbers ( because I have never seen the potato rolls in small sizes like the Hawaiian rolls. Some one may have them though)
For the person using the 9 X 11 pan which is what the recipe calls for, I use the 9 X 13. It is a perfect fit. Joy of Baking says rectangle pans are 11 x 7 x 2 inches ,13 x 9 x 2 inches. So this might just be a typo.
When I first saw this recipe and saw all the good reviews my first thought was “How could something this simple be that good?” Well, I found out. It is simple and it is good!!!
When my daughter first tried mine the first thing she said “I be these would be good Rueben”. I am glad to see someone has already tried that and it will be my next.
Oooh – I’ll need to recheck the last pan I used, in terms of measurement. It was definitely a tight fit!
Glad you enjoyed!
You are SO right, Lois! Just adjusted my typo — it’s 13×9″.
Do you grease the pan bottom? Done twice…first time soggy bottom due to mayo put on bottom bread, and the second time they burnt because I left out the mayo. Did not do anything to the bottom of the pan either time. I have made them and put a pickle on each roll as well. Gives them a little crunch to each bite!
I don’t grease the pan bottom, though it wouldn’t hurt — I’d probably use a thin layer of butter or non-stick spray, as opposed to an oil of some kind. Love the idea of a pickle!
I love the idea of pickle also.
My first pan was a dark one and they too brown on the bottom My next attempt was not grease but put parchment paper in bottom and up side. Then after baked just lift them out. Kept them from browning. The photo shows the rolls all apart. I don’t they would look like that unless you pulled each one apart before filling. But if you do not pull apart individually you will need to cut them after you bake because they will “blend”, this make that easier.
Parchment is a GREAT idea, Lois! And I run a knife through them before serving, because you’re right, they don’t pull apart easily otherwise!
Where do you find the 9×11 pans?
I have that size in my regular baking pans, but you can find disposable ones in the grocery store. A size close to that, if not exact, works, too!
After someone commented again with the size, I realized 9×11″ is a typo! I use 9×13″, but kept thinking about it wrong. Sorry!
I have made other variations as well, Turkey ,cheddar, bacon and ranch and rotisserie chicken, cheddar, bacon and ranch. Both were loved by all as well as the original recipe !
Mmmmm! Love the idea of using rotisserie chicken. Easy-peasy!